American Airlines Restarts Daily Miami–Cap-Haïtien Flights

American Airlines resumed daily nonstop flights between Miami and Cap-Haïtien on Nov. 1, 2026, returning to Haiti after nearly two years away. The inaugural flight carried an all-Haitian, Creole-speaking crew, a milestone for a route closely tied to families and communities on both sides of the connection.

American Airlines describes itself as the first major U.S. network carrier to resume flights to Haiti. The Miami Herald confirmed the Sunday launch, which restores a major airline option after the November 2024 suspensions that followed gunfire striking commercial aircraft around Port-au-Prince.

The destination matters as much as the return. This is service to Cap-Haïtien in northern Haiti, not a reopening of American’s route to the capital. Federal restrictions around Port-au-Prince remain in place, according to the Miami Herald.

Daily Miami–Cap-Haïtien flights and connections

American says the route operates daily aboard Boeing 737 aircraft between Miami International Airport, MIA, and Cap-Haïtien, CAP. Through Miami, passengers have access to more than 90 connections across the United States.

That connecting network is part of the route’s design, not simply a side benefit. Juan Carlos Liscano, American’s senior vice president of MIA operations, told the Miami Herald that the airline intentionally scheduled the Cap-Haïtien flight to accommodate passengers connecting through Miami. The service is intended to draw travelers from beyond South Florida as well as serve the local Haitian community.

HaitiLibre published the following daily schedule, effective Nov. 1, 2026. All times are local:

• Miami to Cap-Haïtien: departure at 10:20 a.m., arrival at 12:28 p.m.
• Cap-Haïtien to Miami: departure at 1:28 p.m., arrival at 3:42 p.m.

HaitiLibre notes that schedules are subject to change and directs passengers to American for current information. These are the published service times, rather than a reconstruction of the inaugural flight’s actual movements.

According to Caribbean Journal, the Boeing 737 service includes premium cabin seating and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi by AT&T. The publication also reports that Sunrise Airways already serves the Miami–Cap-Haïtien corridor, giving passengers another airline to compare against American when considering schedules, connections and available seats.

Two different gaps in American’s Haiti service

The nearly two-year absence from Haiti and the longer absence from Cap-Haïtien describe different parts of American’s history. The airline says it began serving Haiti in 1971 and is returning to Cap-Haïtien after more than six years.

Air Data News reports that American previously served Cap-Haïtien from 2014 until 2020, when the route was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its more recent withdrawal from Haiti followed the November 2024 gunfire incidents affecting aircraft serving Port-au-Prince.

The Miami Herald reports that American, JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines suspended service after their aircraft were struck. The subsequent loss of major airline service left travelers facing fewer choices, higher fares and charter arrangements that could change when aircraft were unavailable.

Against that background, a daily scheduled route restores a concrete transportation option. It does not establish that fares have fallen. Neither American’s announcement nor the supplied launch reports provide a fare comparison for the restored service.

An all-Haitian crew for the inaugural flight

American confirmed that Capt. Oliver Jean led the inaugural flight’s all-Haitian, Creole-speaking crew. According to the Miami Herald, assembling that crew was Jean’s idea.

The newspaper reports that Jean was born in Port-au-Prince and had a 29-year flying career behind him when he operated Sunday’s flight. He planned to deliver announcements in both English and Creole, emphasizing passenger comfort aboard the aircraft.

That connection was visible before departure. The Miami Herald described a celebration at Miami International Airport with konpa music, balloons and photographs with the crew. In Haiti, government ministers welcomed the flight and said airport improvements had been made in recent months to prepare for American’s return.

The crew arrangement belongs specifically to the inaugural flight. American’s announcement does not present an all-Haitian, Creole-speaking crew as a standing feature of every daily departure.

Cap-Haïtien access does not reopen Port-au-Prince

American’s return should not be read as an all-clear for travel across Haiti. The operational distinction is geographic: Cap-Haïtien lies outside the area where the Federal Aviation Administration continues to restrict U.S. civil aviation operations, according to Air Data News.

The publication reports that 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. It also reports the FAA’s assessment that armed groups control much of the capital and possess weapons capable of threatening aircraft at low altitude.

For anyone evaluating this route, the arrival point needs to match the actual trip. Caribbean Journal identifies Cap-Haïtien as a gateway to Haiti’s northern coast and explicitly notes that American has not resumed Port-au-Prince flights. A ticket to CAP restores access to northern Haiti; it is not a replacement flight into the capital.

A network milestone with a local purpose

American says Cap-Haïtien is now its 100th destination in its Caribbean and Latin America network. The airline also says the restoration comes as it prepares its largest-ever winter schedule at Miami.

For this route, the more consequential detail is the connection itself. The Miami Herald’s reporting places family reunification, business travel and links with the Haitian diaspora at the center of the restart. American has restored a daily nonstop option backed by its Miami connecting network, while the restrictions that closed off the capital remain a separate, unresolved barrier.