Editor’s note: The temporary flight restriction was lifted as of Wednesday morning, February 11. Click here for the latest updates.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and neighboring Santa Teresa, New Mexico, city officials said.
The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations, including commercial, cargo and general aviation flights, from 11:30 pm MST on February 10 until 11:30 pm MST on February 20. The restriction was issued for “special security reasons,” according to an FAA notice, a move that is rare for an airport in a major U.S. city.
El Paso is the 23rd largest city in the United States, and the total airspace shutdown is expected to cause considerable disruption to the national aviation network.
At 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 11, El Paso International Airport seemed almost deserted. Employees at the scene said they were unsure what caused all flights to be grounded.
Noah Velasquez, a Lower Valley resident, was scheduled to leave for New York at 7 a.m. Like many travelers, he was notified around midnight that his flight had been cancelled.
Velasquez said he and other passengers were among the first to alert American Airlines about the situation at the El Paso airport.
“American Airlines wasn’t even notified,” Velasquez said. “We were the ones who told them. It’s very confusing. I don’t know what’s going on either.”
The announcement, in part, reads: “THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS ‘NTL DEFENSE AIRSPACE.’ PILOTS WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROC MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETENTED AND INTERVIEWED BY PERSONS. THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTION MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AGAINST A PILOT WHO DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE RQMNS OR ANY INSTRUCTIONS OR SPECIFIC PROC IN THIS NOTAM.”
It further states that the FAA can take administrative action and use “deadly force against airborne acft if it is determined that the ACFT poses an imminent threat to security.”
The exclusion does not affect Juárez and Mexican airspace.
More: El Paso is now a detention and deportation center
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and nearby Santa Teresa, New Mexico. It bans all aircraft operations, including commercial, cargo and general aviation flights, from 11:30 pm MST on February 10 until 8:30 pm MST on February 20.
The FAA notice does not explain why the closure order was issued. Information shared on El Paso International Airport’s social media accounts matched details released by the city about the restriction.
The City of El Paso issued a statement regarding the restriction at 12:35 p.m. Wednesday, February 11.
“Airport personnel have contacted the FAA and we await further guidance.” according to the city statement. “In the meantime, commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being advised of the restriction, which appears to be security-related. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines for the latest information on the status of their flight.”
The restriction covers a 10-mile zone around El Paso and applies to all airspace from the ground to nearly 18,000 feet. Under the restriction, aircraft are not allowed to fly in the area unless they receive specific authorization from federal officials.
Creative new lighting fixtures were installed at El Paso International Airport on August 7, 2025.
El Paso International Airport officials said they have contacted the FAA and are awaiting further guidance. Commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being notified of the restriction.
Travelers are encouraged to contact airlines for the latest information on flight status and rebooking options.
This closure of El Paso’s airspace is similar to government actions taken after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on several US civilian and military sites.
Just minutes after this attack, the FAA banned all departing flights and ordered all planes in the air to land at the nearest airport. El Paso International Airport has canceled nearly 70 departing flights. Seven planes landed at the El Paso airport, carrying a total of more than 700 passengers, according to the data El Paso Times archives.
Travelers at El Paso airport seek explanation for closure
The airport, deserted in the early hours of Wednesday morning, February 11, was little more than a reference point for travelers seeking answers about their plans.
At 2:30 in the morning, only a handful of people were queuing at airline counters, many of them unstaffed and dark. The quiet provided little warning of the disruption to come, as thousands of El Paso travelers would soon learn that all flights had been grounded for 10 days.
The quiet presence of employees, passengers and security personnel underscored a wider uncertainty: No one was told why the shutdown had been ordered.
El Paso, Texas airport information
The airport handled 3.49 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025. Major US airlines, including Southwest, Delta, United and American, serve the airport. Airlines connect to major hubs in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Houston and Denver.
The story develops. Check back for updates.
This article originally appeared on the El Paso Times: El Paso airport news: FAA halts all flights amid rarefied airspace