Venezuela & Caribbean Airspace Update

It’s been a busy few days across Venezuelan and Caribbean airspace!

On Jan 3, the US FAA issued a temporary flight ban for US operators in Venezuela’s SVZM/Maiquetia FIR, the TJZS/San Juan and TNCF/Curacao FIRs, plus the TTZP/Piarco FIR west of 57W – which in practice covered the entire eastern Caribbean island chain.

The move followed US airstrikes in Venezuela and was driven by safety-of-flight concerns linked to intense military activity and misidentification risk.

Venezuelan and Caribbean airspace from late last night (local time) through this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/oxu5ha3dXs

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 3, 2026

That prohibition was short-lived. Within hours, the FAA lifted the ban and reverted to advisory Notams, returning to earlier guidance that US operators should simply exercise caution at all altitudes in the affected FIRs.

While the headline restriction is gone, the risk picture hasn’t fundamentally changed. Military aircraft continue to operate in and around Venezuelan airspace, with spillover effects into neighbouring Caribbean FIRs. EASA and several European states have also issued airspace warnings advising operators to avoid Venezuelan airspace and to exercise caution across the surrounding region.

This all sits on top of earlier airspace warnings issued since late 2025, which remain valid. Those warnings flagged GPS interference, unpredictable military traffic at all levels, and reduced ATC visibility – issues operators have been reporting and encountering in the region over the past few months.

Flights in and out of several Caribbean airports have also been impacted by the recent airspace disruption. As of Jan 5, FAA flow programs are restricting northbound Caribbean traffic via San Juan and Miami Center, affecting departures from several eastern Caribbean islands and contributing to aircraft being held on the ground.

Bottom line: even though the temporary airspace ban is over, operations haven’t gone back to normal and the risk hasn’t fully gone away. Military activity continues, and ATC flow controls are still affecting how traffic is handled across parts of the Caribbean. If you’re operating in the area and have updates to share with OPSGROUP members, email news@ops.group and we’ll update this article as things change.

Venezuela & Caribbean Airspace Update