Overview:
American Airlines will resume daily flights between Miami and Cap-Haïtien on Nov. 1, expanding air travel options for Haiti. The Haitian diaspora community in South Florida, one of the largest in the United States, applauds the carrier’s return, which brings much-needed competition to a sector that has lacked it for nearly two years.
Primary Category: Haiti News
MIAMI — American Airlines will resume daily service between Miami and Cap-Haïtien on Sunday, Nov. 1, restoring a major U.S. airline’s connection to Haiti after it halted operations in the country for nearly two years due to security concerns.
The company will operate flights from its Miami hub using Boeing 737 aircraft, spokesperson Laura Masvidal confirmed in an email to The Haitian Times Wednesday. She said the airline plans to hold inaugural events at both Miami International Airport (MIA) and Cap-Haïtien Hugo Chazez International Airport (CAP).
“We are thrilled to be resuming service to Haiti this weekend with daily service from our Miami hub to Cap-Haïtien,” Masvidal said.
The American Airlines return comes as travelers have awaited another reliable option to reach Haiti from the United States after a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ban on U.S. commercial carriers restricted flights to the country’s capital and sharply constrained air connections amid a gang-fueled security crisis.
For Haitian immigrants and their families, the route could make visits home, family emergencies and other travel to Haiti easier to plan. It could also support business and tourism by restoring a direct connection between a major U.S. travel hub and Haiti’s second-largest city.
Travelers have relied on a narrower mix of smaller airliners and charter services since the three major U.S. carriers serving Haiti’s routes, including American Airlines, JetBlue and now-defunct Spirit Airlines, suspended service in late 2024 over security concerns. The main options have been Haiti’s Sunrise Airways and Fort-Lauderdale-based IBC Airways, which serves the southern region through the revamped Les Cayes Antoine Simon International Airport. American’s return expands those choices, although ticket prices and seat availability will remain important factors for passengers.
Travelers welcome another option but weigh ticket prices
The return of a major U.S. carrier appeals to passengers like Gilson Morusma, a Fort Lauderdale resident, who prioritize flight schedules, baggage handling, and flying with an airline they say is known for reliable, quality service, even if fares are sometimes higher.
“I am happy over the news of American Airlines resuming its operations in Haiti,” Morusma told The Haitian Times. “That means better service to travelers. Some of my relatives once traveled with Sunrise; it took them six months before receiving their luggage,” he added, describing his concerns about baggage handling and uncertainties passengers often face with the Haitian carrier.
Morusma, an electrician and native of Haiti’s Northwest who often travels through Cap-Haïtien, also said he was glad American has already offered competitive airfare to Sunrise’s ticket prices.
However, a comparison of available round-trip tickets on both companies’ sites for Nov. 1-8 showed a slight difference. American Airlines round-trip fares between Miami and Cap-Haïtien ranged from about $650 to $1,433. Similar Sunrise Airways itineraries operated by GlobalX were listed at approximately $730 to $1,264. Those ticket prices, however, reflect a search conducted for those dates and may change depending on availability, timing and booking conditions.
Cap-Haïtien is a key commercial and cultural center in northern Haiti, serving surrounding communities and travelers visiting family, conducting business or exploring the region. A daily connection to Miami links the city to a major international hub and a gateway for Haitian travelers in the United States.
Still, the resumption comes as airlines continue to navigate the risks of Haiti’s security crisis amid the FAA’s extended ban on the country’s largest airport in Port-au-Prince, the capital, until March 2027.
“While American Airlines’ return offers a new option, it does not resolve the broader challenges facing the country’s aviation sector or restore service to the capital,” Morusma said.
