El Paso International Airport
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The Federal Aviation Administration abruptly suspended all flights to and from El Paso International Airport in Texas for 10 days starting Wednesday morning, citing “special security” instructions — then lifted the order hours later.
A Trump administration official said the Defense Department has neutralized Mexican cartel drones that violated U.S. airspace and that there is currently no threat to commercial air travel.
“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted,” the FAA said in a message on X. “There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.”
Security personnel outside El Paso International Airport after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifted its temporary closure of airspace over El Paso, saying all flights would resume normally and there was no threat to commercial aviation, in El Paso, Texas, United States, February 11, 2026.
José Luis González | Reuters
The airport is adjacent to Biggs Army Airfield and near the Mexican border, approximately 12 miles (19 km) from Juarez, Mexico. The Pentagon asked about the nature of the safety problem at the FAA.
Flights were initially halted until the end of February 20 and the ban applied to a 10 nautical mile zone around the airport. The FAA did not immediately reveal what the safety reasons for the sudden, temporary shutdown were or why it was set for so long.
While the FAA routinely shuts down flights at airports due to weather, traffic or even rocket launches, a safety issue is highly unusual, as is announcing an effective airspace closure this long.
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat whose district includes much of El Paso, said the decision to suddenly close the airspace was “unprecedented.”
“No notice was provided to my office, the City of El Paso or anyone involved in airport operations,” she said in a statement.
EL PASO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 25: A sign at El Paso International Airport (ELP) on December 25, 2025 in El Paso, Texas.
Kirby Lee | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Nearly 3.5 million passengers passed through the airport in the first 11 months of 2025 and it is served by Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, American airlines, United Airlines And Border Airlinesaccording to airport data.
According to aviation data company Cirium, 1,314 departures were scheduled for the El Paso airport this month, including about 40 departures on Wednesday.
Southwest has 23 flights scheduled at the airport Wednesday, out of more than 3,000 systemwide. The airline announced Wednesday that it was resuming operations to and from El Paso and encouraged travelers to check its website for updated information.
“Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees,” he said.
United said it had not canceled any flights and had canceled an earlier travel waiver.