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how long will airspace be closed in caribbean

Airspace in the Caribbean linked to the recent U.S. restrictions has already reopened , and the broad closure itself only lasted roughly until midnight Eastern Time going into January 4, 2026.

What actually closed – and when

  • The FAA temporarily restricted a large portion of Caribbean airspace to U.S.-registered aircraft due to military operations involving Venezuela.
  • U.S. airlines cancelled and rerouted many flights on January 3, 2026, affecting popular Caribbean routes at the peak of holiday travel.

How long the closure lasted

  • The FAA notice lifting the Caribbean airspace closure states that the closures in the San Juan, Curaçao, Piarco and Maiquetía FIRs “have been lifted as of January 4, 0501z,” which is just after midnight ET on January 4, 2026.
  • U.S. authorities also told airlines that the Caribbean airspace curbs would expire at midnight ET and that flights could resume afterward.

So in practice, the main blanket closure for U.S.-registered aircraft lasted about one day, into the early hours of January 4, 2026.

What the situation is now

  • The full closure has been replaced with advisory NOTAMs warning of “potentially hazardous situations” and advising extra caution due to ongoing military activity, with current advisories running until early February 2, 2026 (0500z).
  • Airlines and private jet operators expect knock‑on delays for several days as they work through the backlog and re-balance aircraft and crews, even though the airspace technically reopened.

What this means if you’re flying

  • Major U.S. airlines have issued travel waivers for trips to and from various Caribbean airports for travel dates around January 3–6, 2026 , allowing changes without fees in many cases.
  • If you have travel in the next few days, you should:
    1. Check your airline’s travel advisory / waiver page for your specific airport and dates.
2. Watch for schedule changes or reroutes even though the airspace is open, because crews and aircraft may still be out of position.

TL;DR: The broad Caribbean airspace closure tied to the Venezuela crisis has already ended (just after midnight ET on January 4), but advisories and operational disruptions are likely to continue for days, and cautionary NOTAMs are in place into early February.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.