Delta unveils major travel change for 13 top destinations, including Aruba and Puerto Rico
Delta Airlines has announced a "travel waiver" for passengers traveling to or from 13 impacted airports between January 3 and 6. This decision came after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shut down airspace over the Caribbean, leading Delta and other major airlines to cancel flights to popular beach destinations such as Aruba, Puerto Rico, and others.
Customers with travel bookings during this period will receive a notification from Delta with instructions on how to make changes to existing bookings. The affected airports on January 3 included:
- Barbuda
- Aruba
- Barbados
- Bonaire
- Curacao
- Grenada
- Puerto Rico
- St. Kitts
- St. Thomas
- Saint Croix
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sint Maarten
- Saint Lucia
Passengers are advised to continue monitoring the status of their flight via the Fly Delta app and Delta.com, where they can also make adjustments to their itineraries. Delta emphasized that its teams are closely monitoring the situation, prioritizing the safety and security of customers and employees.
According to The Associated Press, Delta is not alone in its response. Major airlines canceled hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean region on January 3, warning passengers that disruptions could continue for days due to the FAA's restrictions following the U.S. action in Venezuela.
Flights were canceled to and from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba, and more than a dozen other destinations in the Lesser Antilles island group located north of Venezuela. Delta began canceling flights on early Saturday morning, January 3, after the U.S. action in Venezuela. The airline stated that it did so "in compliance with FAA airspace closures in the Caribbean."
As cancellations are processed, customers will receive notifications via the Fly Delta app and contact information listed in their reservation. FlightAware published a list showing all of the cancelled Delta flights, some of which originated in or were going to Aruba or Puerto Rico. Overall, only 4% of Delta’s total flights were cancelled, totaling 146, although 23% were delayed on January 3, according to FlightAware.
More than 7,000 flights were cancelled throughout the U.S. on January 3, although not all of them were to Caribbean destinations. The FAA’s airport closure page provides further details.
Delta explained that when rebooked travel occurs on or before January 9, 2026, in the same cabin of service as originally booked, the fare difference will be waived. If travel cannot be rescheduled within these guidelines, customers may cancel their reservation and apply any unused value of the ticket toward the purchase of a new ticket for a period of one year from the original ticket issuance. Applicable fare difference may apply for new travel dates, and final travel must be completed by the end of ticket validity.
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley addressed the impact of the conflict at a news conference, stating that “the consequences of the conflict have been exceedingly disruptive to both of our ports of entry,” referring to airports and cruise ports.
