Travelers Stranded in Caribbean as Trump Attack Plunges Flights Into Chaos

The Trump administration’s Venezuela operation has led to severe travel delays for thousands of tourists after the abrupt closure of Caribbean airspace during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

Hundreds of flights across the Caribbean were cancelled on Saturday after American forces bombed Caracas and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, resulting in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposing a temporary ban on commercial flights over the weekend.

Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. The United States military was behind a series of strikes against the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Saturday, US media reported. The White House and Pentagon have not commented on the explosions and reports of aircraft over the city. — The U.S. launched military action in Venezuela over the weekend. AFP via Getty

The restrictions, which banned Caribbean flights from crossing Venezuelan airspace, led to widespread cancellations at other travel hubs in the region, including Puerto Rico, Aruba, and the Virgin Islands.

Not a single flight crossed over Venezuela on Saturday, according to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, and although limited service has since resumed, airlines have warned the disruption could continue for several more days.

NEWBURGH, NEW YORK - JANUARY 03: A Department of Justice aircraft arrives with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores at Stewart Air National Guard Base on January 3, 2026 in Newburgh, NY, New York. President Trump confirmed in a news conference that the U.S. military carried out a large-scale strike in Caracas overnight resulting in their capture. (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images) — Hundreds of flights across the Caribbean have been cancelled. Kena Betancur/Getty Images

CORRECTION / Passengers wait at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport as all flights are cancelled following US military action in Venezuela, on January 3, 2026, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. President Donald Trump said Saturday that US forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a "large scale strike" on the South American country. "The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country," Trump said on Truth Social. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images) / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Luis Munoz Marin International Airport] instead of [José Aponte De la Torre Airport]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require." — The disruption is expected to continue until Tuesday. MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images

“I found out about the whole situation from other people,” passenger Julie Hurtwitz told CNN after her Delta flight to the U.S. from the Virgin Islands was abruptly cancelled at 3 a.m., leaving her party of 12 stranded without accommodation.

“My niece’s fifth birthday is on Tuesday, so we’re hoping that it doesn’t delay her party,” she added.

“Everything’s shut down,” said John Maher from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, who was stranded with his wife Kelly in Anguilla. They learned of their flight’s cancellation while about to board a ferry to the airport, left to piece together news from “whispering amongst the people” about the military action.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was also affected by the restrictions, reportedly finding himself stranded at St. Barts on Saturday and forced to miss the Palm Springs International Film Festival over the weekend, Variety reports.

JetBlue announced it had canceled 215 flights due to “airspace closures across the Caribbean related to military activity,” while Southwest halted all flights from Aruba and most to Puerto Rico while the restrictions were in place.

American, United, and Delta have all issued broad travel waivers, allowing passengers to rebook or refund their flights as they scramble to arrange dozens of extra flights to address the backlog of passengers.

“It’s all hands on deck,” American Airlines said in a statement after announcing it was adding 43 extra flights with nearly 7,000 seats to the region, deploying its largest Boeing 777-300 jets to help ease the disruption.

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