American Airlines has returned to Haiti after an absence of nearly two years, launching daily flights between Miami and Cap-Haïtien while Port-au-Prince remains off limits to US carriers.
Flight AA2492 departed Miami on November 1 for Cap-Haïtien, restoring American’s presence in a country it had served since 1971 before suspending operations in late 2024. The inaugural service was operated by Boeing 737-800 N957NN, although the 737 MAX 8 is scheduled for the regular route.
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According to American, Cap-Haïtien became its 100th destination in Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. The inaugural flight also had an all-Haitian, Creole-speaking crew led by Captain Oliver Jean.
American previously served Cap-Haïtien from 2014 until 2020, when the route was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its return to the northern city is possible because the airport lies outside the area where the Federal Aviation Administration still restricts US civil aviation operations.
Port-au-Prince remains off limits
US airlines stopped flying to Haiti in November 2024 after three commercial aircraft were hit by gunfire around Port-au-Prince. A Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 approaching the capital was struck several times and diverted to Santiago, Dominican Republic, with a flight attendant suffering minor injuries.
Bullet damage was also discovered on JetBlue and American aircraft after separate flights from Port-au-Prince. The FAA initially prohibited US civil aviation operations throughout Haiti before limiting the restriction to the region around the capital.
The current prohibition covers operations below 10,000 feet in specified areas around Port-au-Prince and is scheduled to remain in effect until March 2, 2027. The FAA says armed groups control much of the capital and have weapons capable of threatening aircraft at low altitude.
Cap-Haïtien, about 85 miles (135 km) north of Port-au-Prince, lies outside that area and has retained international service, including flights by Haitian carrier Sunrise Airways.
When American announced the route in June, it described Haiti as the largest Caribbean market by passenger demand without service from a US airline. The daily flight also connects Cap-Haïtien with more than 90 US destinations through Miami.
