PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The United States has extended its flight ban to Port-au-Prince until September 8, citing worsening security conditions and escalating gang violence in the Haitian capital. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made the decision following a detailed assessment of ongoing threats to civil aviation.
Initially imposed in November 2024 after three commercial aircraft were struck by gunfire while landing at Toussaint Louverture International Airport, the restriction was originally set to expire this past Wednesday. However, due to the deteriorating conditions in Port-au-Prince, officials determined that the risks remain too high to allow the resumption of commercial flights.
Major airlines including American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and JetBlue have already suspended flights to Haiti indefinitely, with JetBlue confirming in a March 6 statement that flights to Port-au-Prince will 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.
With the closure of Port-au-Prince’s main airport to commercial traffic, Haiti’s government has shifted its focus to regional airports to maintain international travel access. Cap-Haïtien International Airport is currently the only option for direct commercial flights between Haiti and the United States, with carriers such as Sunrise Airways providing service. Additionally, Haitian authorities announced in early March that Antoine Simon Airport in Les Cayes has completed a runway extension to accommodate international flights, and a similar expansion at Jacmel’s airport was finalised in January 2025.
US and Haitian officials have been in discussions about potential measures to safely restore commercial air travel, though no concrete timeline has been set. Earlier this month, US Ambassador to Haiti Dennis Hankins met with Réginald Guignard, Director of Haiti’s National Office of Civil Aviation, to discuss plans for enhancing security around Toussaint Louverture International Airport.
While the airport remains closed to commercial operations, it continues to receive military and diplomatic flights, including those linked to the Kenya-led multinational security mission assisting Haiti in its fight against gang violence.
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