US Airline Returns to Haiti After Two Years

HAITI · AVIATION

American Airlines has restarted daily flights between Miami and Cap-Haïtien, ending a two-year gap in its Haiti service. The route avoids the capital, Port-au-Prince, where the FAA still bars US carriers below 10,000 feet.

American Airlines restarted daily nonstop flights from Miami to Cap-Haïtien, in northern Haiti, from Sunday, 1 November 2026. The airline halted its Haiti service in November 2024 amid gang violence.

The return matters to US readers because American is a major US carrier with a large hub in Miami. It does not change the warning against travel to Haiti from the State Department, the US foreign ministry.

What Is Changing

The flights run daily between Miami International Airport and Cap-Haïtien. Schedules show the flight leaving Miami at 10:15 a.m. and landing at 12:15 p.m. local time.

The return leaves Cap-Haïtien at 1:15 p.m. local time and lands in Miami at 3:15 p.m. local time. Schedules can change, so check with the airline before booking.

The service goes to Cap-Haïtien rather than to the capital, Port-au-Prince. No American plan to return to the capital was found.

Why the Flights Stopped

The FAA, the US aviation safety regulator, says gangs have attacked at least 11 aircraft in and around Port-au-Prince since February 2024. Some of those gangs carry the US Foreign Terrorist Organization label, a legal designation by the State Department.

The FAA adds that gangs have only a limited presence at Cap-Haïtien International Airport. It says they have no history of targeting aviation or airports there.

American suspended its Haiti flights in November 2024 amid gang violence. The new route serves the northern airport, not Toussaint Louverture airport in the capital.

The FAA Ban Explained

An FAA emergency order bars US airlines and US-registered civil aircraft from flying below 10,000 feet over a defined zone around Port-au-Prince. It applies from Tuesday, 1 September 2026, until Tuesday, 2 March 2027.

The FAA says overflights above 10,000 feet and operations outside the named areas need no FAA authorization. It names Cap-Haïtien airport as a place with only limited gang presence.

Inside the zone, flights are allowed only with FAA approval or another US government authorization. For a US airline, that makes a return to the capital a separate decision from this route.

Cap-Haïtien in Plain English

Cap-Haïtien is a port city on Haiti’s north coast and a gateway to the northern part of the country. Its airport, Cap-Haïtien International Airport, uses the code MTCH.

Port-au-Prince is Haiti’s capital and the place where the FAA says gang attacks on aircraft have occurred. The State Department says gunfire exchanges with criminal gangs, organized crime and terrorists have occurred just outside its international airport.

What It Means for You

The State Department’s advisory says: do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest and limited health care. It adds that US commercial flights do not currently operate to and from Port-au-Prince.

US travelers and Haitian families gain a US-airline nonstop option to the north of the country. Anyone planning a trip should read the State Department advisory and FAA notices first.

Related reports include Haiti Anti-Gang Force Gets 600-Ton Airlift and Haiti Election Delayed to 18 July. Both cover the wider security and political situation.

More is on the Haiti hub. The Haiti Crisis page tracks the latest news and explainers.

What Is Not Known

Whether the first flight on Sunday landed on schedule has not been confirmed. No statement on the flights from Haiti’s civil aviation authority could be found.

American has not said which Boeing 737 model flies the route, so the aircraft type is not stated here. The airline’s own schedule page could not be opened for checking.

How full the flights are, and whether the route will run year-round, is unknown. No plan to restore Port-au-Prince service was found.

What Comes Next

Watch whether other airlines follow American into Cap-Haïtien and whether the FAA changes its order before 2 March 2027. Any US airline wanting to fly into the capital would need the order lifted or an FAA authorization.

The flights do not mean Haiti’s security has improved nationwide. They show only that Cap-Haïtien, where the FAA says gangs have a limited presence, can be served under current rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is American Airlines flying to Haiti again?

Yes, daily flights from Miami to Cap-Haïtien start on Sunday, 1 November 2026. It is the airline’s first Haiti service since November 2024.

Does American Airlines fly to Port-au-Prince?

No Port-au-Prince service was found. An FAA order bars US airlines from flying below 10,000 feet around the capital until 2 March 2027.

Is it safe to travel to Haiti?

The State Department says: do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest and limited health care. The advisory was reissued after a terrorism indicator was added.

Why did American Airlines stop flying to Haiti?

American suspended its Haiti flights in November 2024 amid gang violence. The FAA says gangs have attacked at least 11 aircraft in and around Port-au-Prince since February 2024.

What time do the Miami to Cap-Haïtien flights leave?

Schedules show departure from Miami at 10:15 a.m. and from Cap-Haïtien at 1:15 p.m., both local time. Times can change, so check with the airline.

Sources: FAA emergency order KICZ A0046/26, prohibition on US flights in Haiti airspace (1 September 2026 to 2 March 2027); FAA background information on US civil aviation in Haiti; US State Department, Haiti travel advisory (all accessed 2 November 2026).