• FAA restrictions were triggered by a US military operation in Venezuela and safety concerns regarding airspace
• American Airlines added nearly 7,000 seats and reinstated interisland flights to alleviate the backlog
• A near-miss between a JetBlue flight and a US Air Force tanker occurred in December preceding the shutdown
• Delta Air Lines aims to have all affected customers rebooked and schedules normalized by January 6

Major US airlines are rapidly restoring and expanding flight schedules to the Caribbean following a temporary FAA airspace closure. The disruption, occurring during the busy post-holiday travel period on January 2 and 3, 2026, was linked to a US military operation in Venezuela involving the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. The FAA issued emergency restrictions due to safety risks posed by mixed commercial and military air traffic. This concern was highlighted by a prior incident in December 2025 where a JetBlue flight nearly collided with a US Air Force tanker near Curaçao.

Following the expiration of restrictions on January 4, carriers like American Airlines and Delta Air Lines mobilized recovery plans to assist stranded passengers. American Airlines introduced 43 additional flights and nearly 7,000 extra seats, utilizing larger aircraft such as the Boeing 777-300 on high-demand routes. They also temporarily reinstated interisland services through Envoy Air to consolidate passengers in San Juan. Delta Air Lines resumed operations to 13 affected airports and added over 2,600 seats, stating a goal to re-accommodate all impacted travelers by January 6.

JetBlue, which faced the highest number of cancellations with 209 flights grounded, is also working alongside United, Spirit, and Southwest to clear the backlog. While flight operations have resumed, airlines caution that complete schedule normalization will take several days as crews and aircraft are repositioned to meet the surge in rebooking demand.