Commercial flight activity normalizes in the Caribbean but Venezuela

The FAA had imposed a temporary ban on flights to most of the southern Caribbean region on January 3, 2026 following the U.S. air attack on Venezuela.

The restriction, imposed earlier in the week amid heightened military activity linked to Venezuela, had forced widespread cancellations, re-routings and airport disruptions across the Caribbean basin.

Commercial air traffic across the southern Caribbean is now returning progressively to near-normal levels. Major carriers including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit and Frontier moved quickly to restore service. However, airlines cautioned that operational recovery would take several days as aircraft and crews were re-positioned.

Puerto Rico was among the most heavily affected territories during the ban. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan saw some 300 cancelled flights as U.S. carriers temporarily suspended most services to the island.

With the airspace reopened, inbound flights from major mainland hubs such as Miami, New York, Newark and Washington to San Juan of Puerto Rico resumed on Sunday. It marked the start of a gradual return to full schedules. Airlines added recovery flights and deployed larger aircraft on key routes to help clear passenger backlogs, while travel waivers remained in place to allow stranded travellers to re-book without penalty. Airport authorities warned that residual delays could also persist there.

No flights between Europe and Venezuela
Over Venezuela, the resumption of air transport activity is likely to take more time. A few domestic flights are again available. However, many international carriers continue to avoid Venezuela. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) advises operators to avoid the entirety of Venezuelan airspace.

Among European airlines which suspended their Caracas operations are Air Europa, Iberia, TAP Air Portugal.

They extend their suspension of services to Caracas until at least 31 January 2026, citing volatile conditions in Venezuelan airspace and ongoing safety advisories issued by Spain’s aviation authorities.

Industry officials say operations to and from the Venezuelan capital from the U.S.A. are expected to return incrementally rather than immediately, depending on airline safety evaluations, evolving NOTAM (Notice to Airmen/Missions) guidance and the new political environment.