FAA extends U.S. flight ban to Haiti’s capital through summer 2025

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has extended its ban on U.S. flights to Port-au-Prince until September 8, 2025, keeping Haiti’s capital cut off from American air carriers through the busy summer travel season.

The FAA first imposed the ban in November 2024 after gunfire hit three U.S. planes attempting to land. While flights were later allowed to Cap-Haïtien and five other northern airports, the FAA says gang violence in Port-au-Prince remains too dangerous for commercial air travel. The restrictions were set to expire on March 12, but officials decided the risks were still too high.

Since the initial FAA ban, major airlines, including American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and JetBlue, have suspended flights to Haiti indefinitely, citing security concerns. In a March 6 statement, JetBlue confirmed that flights to Port-au-Prince would remain halted until at least June 11, 2025.

“Our top priority remains the safety and well-being of our customers and crew members,” a JetBlue spokesperson told The Miami Herald. “Due to the ongoing civil unrest in Haiti, we have made the decision to suspend all flights to and from the country through at least June 11, 2025.”

Only limited air travel options remain

With Port-au-Prince’s main airport effectively closed to commercial flights, Haiti’s government has shifted focus to regional airports to maintain international travel access. The Cap-Haïtien International Airport remains the only option for direct commercial flights between Haiti and the United States, operated by Sunrise Airways and other small carriers.

In early March, Haitian authorities announced that the Antoine Simon Airport in Les Cayes had completed a runway extension, allowing it to receive international flights. A similar expansion at Jacmel’s airport was finalized in January 2025.

EMBEDD: https://haitiantimes.com/2025/03/06/les-cayes-airport-upgrade-for-international-flights/

These measures do not fully compensate for the loss of commercial flights to the capital, which remains the country’s primary economic hub and home to millions of residents who rely on air travel for business, medical treatment, and family reunifications.

Diplomatic efforts and security concerns

U.S. and Haitian officials have discussed possible steps to restore commercial air travel safely, but no concrete timeline has been established. Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Dennis Hankins met with Haiti’s National Office of Civil Aviation Director, Réginald Guignard, to discuss securing the perimeter of Toussaint Louverture International Airport.

While the airport remains closed to commercial traffic, it still receives military and diplomatic flights, including those related to the Kenya-led multinational security mission, which is expected to deploy forces to Haiti to help combat gang violence.

As the September 8 deadline approaches, the FAA is expected to reevaluate the security situation before making another decision on the flight ban. In the meantime, Haitians seeking to travel abroad will have to rely on regional airports or alternative routes through the Dominican Republic or the Bahamas—an added financial and logistical burden.

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