Haiti-DR Airspace Reopening Confirmed for May 1 — First Commercial Flights in Over Two Years

The Dominican Republic and Haiti confirmed on April 20, 2026 that their joint airspace reopening will take effect on May 1, 2026, setting a firm date for the resumption of commercial flights between the two nations after more than two years of disrupted connectivity. The Dominican Republic had closed its airspace to Haiti in March 2024 amid escalating gang violence, severely isolating the country from its most important regional trading partner. The agreement — finalized by Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin and Dominican counterpart Roberto Álvarez at the Codevi Industrial Park on April 17 — will restore direct passenger and cargo links between Cap-Haïtien's Hugo Chavez International Airport and multiple Dominican airports, including Las Américas International Airport near Santo Domingo. For Haiti's struggling economy, the May 1 reopening marks a critical logistical milestone: the Dominican Republic accounts for approximately half of Haiti's trade, and diaspora travel, humanitarian cargo, and medical evacuation routes depend on functional air connectivity. The reopening proceeds simultaneously with the Dominican Republic's construction of a 174-kilometer concrete border wall to prevent gang spillover and irregular migration along the shared land frontier — a dual-track approach of economic reengagement with physical security separation.