While the FAA officially reopened Eastern Caribbean airspace at midnight on Sunday, January 4, 2026, a massive logistical backlog has left an estimated 50,000 to 75,000 American tourists stranded. The 24-hour grounding, triggered by the U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, paralyzed regional travel during the peak post-holiday return window.
Commercial flights resumed Sunday morning, but airlines warn that clearing the “perfect storm” of displaced crews and overbooked planes could take several days.
The Scale of the Shutdown
The sudden FAA Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) on January 3 barred U.S. carriers from the Maiquetía Flight Information Region due to risks from anti-aircraft activity and military strikes within 100 miles of Venezuela.
- Mass Cancellations: Over 900 flights were scrapped on Saturday alone. San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport was hardest hit, losing 60% of its scheduled departures.
- Major Carriers Affected: JetBlue led cancellations with over 215 flights, while American Airlines and Southwest suspended all service to key hubs like Aruba and Puerto Rico for the duration of the raid.
- Cruise Disruptions: Ports in San Juan and Bridgetown saw thousands of passengers unable to reach their ships, forcing lines like Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean to issue emergency voyage credits for those missing embarkation.
Airlines Launch “Recovery Lift”
Carriers have entered a state of “all hands on deck,” deploying widebody jets usually reserved for trans-Atlantic routes to ferry stranded vacationers back to the mainland.
- American Airlines: Dispatched its largest aircraft, the Boeing 777-300, and added nearly 5,000 extra seats across 20+ recovery flights to Antigua, Aruba, and St. Thomas.
- Southwest Airlines: Scheduled 14 extra round-trips to Puerto Rico and Aruba through Tuesday to move passengers before work-week deadlines.
- Delta & United: Both carriers resumed full schedules on Sunday but cautioned that physical space limitations at Caribbean terminals mean passengers without confirmed tickets should avoid the airports.
| Airline | Backlog Strategy | Waiver Period |
| JetBlue | Added recovery flights to NY/Boston hubs. | Rebook through Jan 10 |
| American | Deployed 777-300; 20+ extra flights. | Rebook through Jan 9 |
| Delta | Repositioning crews; 14-day flexibility. | Rebook through Jan 6 |
| United | Added 14+ flights Sunday; 3 more Monday. | Normal flexibility applies |
The Road to Normalcy
Though the skies are clear, travelers in islands like St. John and Anguilla report a desperate scramble for dwindling hotel rooms as rebooked flights stretch into the middle of the week. With most flights already at capacity for the holiday season, many tourists face a “sojourn” that could last until Wednesday, January 7.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that while the primary restrictions have expired, advisory notices remain for regions near Venezuela as the military situation stabilizes. For now, travelers are advised to use airline apps for rebooking, as call centers remain overwhelmed with wait times exceeding three hours.
