FAA Extends Flight Ban To Haiti Through 2026

Intro

Over the past few years, we have seen Haiti suffer from dire circumstances. With multiple presidents being assassinated, the local gangs controlling Port Au Prince, and the country on the brink of economic collapse, it's a rough place to be at the moment. My heart breaks for the people.

Well, it seems that the flight ban to Haiti has been extended... And this comes as no surprise.

The Details

Back in November 2024, the FAA initiated a flight ban for US airlines when flying to Haiti due to extreme security risks. This came after a Spirit Airlines and JetBlue flight was struck by gunfire near Port Au Prince while landing.

Spirit suffered extensive damage to one of their planes landing at PAP

This comes as no surprise, for those who have been keeping up to date on the latest in Haiti, but the FAA has come out issuing a statement that no US airlines will be allowed to operate flights to Haiti until March 7th, 2026. I would have to imagine this might get extended even further...

Additionally, this also means that US airlines are not allowed to fly below 10,000 feet when above Haiti.

Other Ways To Get To Haiti

Obviously, I don't recommend visiting Haiti at the moment, well, at least parts of it. If you are from the US and looking to visit Haiti, I highly recommend avoiding the capital for the time being and exploring only the Cap (Cap Haitien).

To Cap Haitien, you have direct flights on Sunrise Airways to Miami, Montreal, Panama, PTP, and SXM, to name a few. However, keep in mind that these tickets are really expensive (7-800$ RT to Miami in economy) due to the ongoing violence.

From Port Au Prince, Air Caraibes flies 1x per week to Orly, with a stopover in Santo Domingo (presumably for crew safety), but this route is slated only for the holiday season. Finally, Sunrise also offers 2x weekly service to Sint Maarten on a 737.

Final Thoughts

Airlines prove to be a lifeline around the world for many in certain zones. Whether it's Badr in Sudan, Yemenia in Yemen, Conviasa in Venezuela, or Sunrise in Haiti, they operate some of the riskiest flights in the world. And with the FAA extending the ban on US airlines operating to Haiti, this leaves Sunrise being one of the few airlines to operate flights into Haiti. Some might say they are taking advantage when it comes to pricing, but think about how much insurance costs...