Photo: American Airlines
American Airlines has restored daily nonstop flights between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Cap-Haïtien, Haiti (CAP), reopening a direct air link between South Florida and Haiti’s second city.
The service began Sunday, Nov. 1, and was announced by American and Miami International Airport on Monday, Nov. 2. For South Florida, home to one of the nation’s largest Haitian diaspora communities, the route offers a direct connection for travelers visiting family, conducting business or traveling onward through Miami.
American will operate the route daily with Boeing 737 aircraft. The airline says passengers can connect in Miami to more than 90 destinations across the United States. The flights include premium-cabin service and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi sponsored by AT&T, according to the airline and MIA.
The return adds a direct Haiti destination to Miami’s international network. But reports describing the service as returning after a “two-year hiatus” or a “six-year pause” refer to different timelines.
Why reports cite both two years and six years
The South Florida Business Journal described American’s return as following a two-year hiatus. TravelPulse framed it as a six-year pause on the Cap-Haïtien route.
Those timelines are not describing the same interruption. American says it last flew to Cap-Haïtien in early 2020, making the gap for this specific route more than six years. The roughly two-year figure refers to the broader suspension of U.S. airline service to Haiti after aircraft operated by American, JetBlue and Spirit were hit by gunfire near Port-au-Prince in November 2024.
That distinction matters: MIA–CAP is a specific route, while the two-year timeframe reflects a wider stoppage in U.S.-Haiti commercial air service. The new flights go to Cap-Haïtien, not Port-au-Prince. U.S. restrictions around Port-au-Prince have continued amid security concerns, according to TravelPulse’s coverage of FAA restrictions.
Photo: American Airlines. The inaugural flight was operated by an all-Haitian, Creole-speaking crew.
A connection with particular meaning for South Florida
The Miami–Cap-Haïtien route links two places with long-standing family, cultural and commercial ties. Miami-Dade’s airport announcement notes that South Florida is home to the largest Haitian American population in the United States. The Miami hub also creates one-stop connections for travelers coming from other U.S. cities.
American called the inaugural flight a milestone for the airline as well: Cap-Haïtien became its 100th destination in the Caribbean and Latin America network. The company said the launch is part of its broader investment in Miami, where it operates more than 410 peak daily flights to over 170 destinations across 46 countries.
The MIA announcement said the route would also make travel to Cap-Haïtien more convenient for communities including New York City and Orlando through connections in Miami. Travelers should check American’s current schedule for departure times, ticket availability and any operating changes.
Photo: Miami International Airport
Regional aviation investment extends beyond MIA
The airline restart is one part of a wider aviation picture in Miami-Dade. At Miami Executive Airport (TMB), Ocean Aviation broke ground Oct. 7 on a planned $67 million private aviation campus.
Miami-Dade County says the project is expected to create roughly 2,900 construction jobs and 250 permanent positions. Plans call for up to 400,000 square feet of communal and private hangar space, a premium fixed-base operator (FBO) terminal and a fuel farm. The project also includes a common-use taxi lane and ramp serving U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as the relocation of the Wings Over Miami Air Museum.
The county’s project announcement describes the development as a 40-acre investment. It is separate from American’s commercial route and does not change the Miami–Cap-Haïtien schedule. Together, the projects reflect distinct parts of the region’s aviation economy: international passenger connections at MIA and private, corporate and general aviation at TMB.
South Florida’s airport network serves a region stretching from Miami and Fort Lauderdale to communities near the Everglades. The commercial route and private-aviation campus are different projects, but both highlight ongoing demand for air access and aviation infrastructure across the area.
Rendering: Miami International Airport
What travelers should know
- Route: Miami International Airport (MIA) to Cap-Haïtien International Airport (CAP)
- Schedule: Daily nonstop service
- Aircraft: Boeing 737, according to American Airlines
- Connections: More than 90 U.S. destinations via American’s Miami hub, according to the airline
- Start date: Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026; the return was announced Monday, Nov. 2
The essential distinction is straightforward: American’s Cap-Haïtien route had been absent for more than six years, while the broader interruption to U.S. airline service to Haiti was about two years. The daily nonstop service is now back, restoring a direct Miami link to Cap-Haïtien and reconnecting South Florida travelers with a city central to the region’s Haitian community.
