Thousands of travelers stranded as US strikes on Venezuela push airlines out of Caribbean airspace

• The US raid on Venezuela is causing flight delays, especially in the Caribbean.
• Delta, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines said they canceled flights to the Caribbean.
• Many travelers are stranded as airlines reassess routes and waive change fees.

The US raid on Venezuela that netted President Nicólas Maduro and his wife on Saturday has sent surprised travelers into a mild tailspin.

Flightradar24 data shows Venezuela's airspace is empty following the strikes. While US airlines haven't flown there for years, the Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday formally barred operations in Venezuelan airspace, essentially codifying an already de facto no-fly zone.

But the impact extends beyond Venezuela.

Airlines are also avoiding nearby southern Caribbean airspace due to heightened security risks. Delta, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines said they canceled flights to the Caribbean on Saturday morning following the US strike on Venezuela.

The strikes have left students in the lurch

The cancellations have inconvenienced many travelers, particularly students returning for the start of the new semester.

"I don't know what I'm doing right now," Catalina Rodriguez, a veterinary student at Ross University School of Medicine in St. Kitts and Nevis, said in a video she posted to TikTok. "One of my flights is good, my other flight is delayed, am I supposed to change my trip?"

Rodriguez, 34, later told Business Insider in a call that she is supposed to start her third semester of veterinary school on Monday. She is scheduled to fly on American Airlines at noon on Sunday, but her flight is now delayed. She said she's also been in touch with several classmates who are stuck in airports due to cancellations and delays.

"We're just waiting to see what's going to happen," she said. "It's a little stressful for sure."

Another student, who goes by "dani la doctorcita" on TikTok, said in a video that her Delta flight to St. Kitts was canceled. "All US flights have been canceled," she said. "Delta won't fly even from Puerto Rico."

The Wall Street Journal reported that aviation risk-intelligence firm Osprey Flight Solutions — a widely used industry service that tracks safety and security hazards for airlines — recently upgraded its risk assessment for the Southern Caribbean Sea from "moderate" to "high" amid escalating tensions.

That higher-risk zone includes places like Puerto Rico, Aruba, Curaçao, the British and US Virgin Islands, Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Thomas, Grenada, Barbados, and parts of Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana. Mass disruptions to and from these destinations have left thousands stranded as airlines reassess safety risks and insurance exposure.

Travelers are scrambling to find a backup plan

Stranded travelers have few options to depart Caribbean nations — and little help from airlines while they wait.

Because the disruptions stem from government action outside the airlines' control, carriers do not legally owe passengers compensation. That means meals, hotels, and ground transportation are not required under federal law, though airlines may offer assistance as a gesture of goodwill.

One X user who goes by Nate_F_Thurmond posted a photo of a group of stranded travelers in St. John.

"Passengers stranded in St John just learning that Caribbean Airspace is closed," they wrote. "American, JetBlue, and Delta canceled flights. People are scrambling to find places to stay. Being told 3-5 days by the airlines. All this because of Venezuela??"

In most cases, the only guaranteed option is rebooking, and travelers may struggle to find alternative accommodations while waiting for the next available flight.

Some flights are still operating, but they are taking significant detours to avoid the region. American Airlines Flight 1512 from Georgetown, Guyana, to Miami on Saturday, for example, ditched its usual route east of Venezuela through the southern Caribbean and instead flew west around the area, adding roughly an hour of flight time.

For travelers who want to cancel or postpone their Caribbean holidays, most airlines — including Delta, United, American, Southwest, and JetBlue — are waiving change and cancellation fees as the situation continues. Some western Caribbean countries, such as the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, are not included on waiver lists.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Saturday afternoon that the FAA will lift airspace restrictions over the Caribbean and Venezuela "when appropriate." His update came about 15 hours after the FAA issued an emergency notice in the region.

"Early this morning in support of the Department of War, the FAA restricted the airspace in the Caribbean and Venezuela to ensure the SAFETY of the flying public," Duffy wrote on X. "When appropriate, these airspace restrictions will be lifted. Please work with your airlines directly if your flight has been impacted."