Newark to Cap-Haïtien: the New Jersey guide to flying to Haiti

Jetvala is based in Plainfield, New Jersey, so this is our home route, and it is changing. Sunrise Airways has announced that its Newark operations end on October 25, 2026, and that its direct Cap-Haïtien to New York service moves to JFK starting winter 2026. This guide explains what that means for families in Union, Essex and Hudson counties, and what to book on either side of that date.

What changes on October 25, 2026

Until October 25, Sunrise Airways flies Newark to Cap-Haïtien (CAP) nonstop from Terminal B. After that date, Sunrise no longer operates at Newark, and its New York nonstop moves to John F. Kennedy International (JFK). Sunrise has not yet published the first JFK date, the JFK terminal or the weekly days, so the schedule you see when you search is the one that counts. We will update this page when Sunrise publishes them.

Cap-Haïtien remains Haiti's working international airport while Port-au-Prince stays closed to US carriers until March 2, 2027 under FAA NOTAM A0046/26. Sunrise, a Haitian carrier, is not bound by that order but has suspended its own Port-au-Prince flights until further notice. Our Haiti flight status page tracks all of it with the date we last checked.

If you fly before October 25: Sunrise from Newark

The Newark flight runs on Airbus A320 family aircraft, about four hours in the air, a few days a week rather than daily. Check-in at Terminal B opens three hours before departure and closes 60 minutes before. Be there when it opens: every bag is weighed, the line moves slowly on full flights, and Sunrise will not hold the flight for late passengers.

If you already hold a Sunrise ticket from Newark for a date after October 25, contact Sunrise or us before you travel. Do not go to Newark for that flight without confirming where it now departs.

After October 25: two ways to Haiti from New Jersey

American Airlines through Miami, from Newark. From November 1, 2026, American flies Miami to Cap-Haïtien daily. From Newark you connect in Miami on one ticket, with bags checked through. It adds a change of planes and several hours, but it runs every day, which matters for a funeral or a fixed date. You clear US immigration in Miami on the way home, so leave at least two and a half hours for that connection.

Sunrise nonstop from JFK. Once Sunrise starts at JFK, it will be the New York area's only nonstop to Haiti. For most New Jersey families that means a longer drive to the airport in exchange for no connection. From Plainfield, plan on 75 minutes to two hours to JFK depending on traffic, more on Friday evenings.

Live fares are on our Newark to Cap-Haïtien and New York to Cap-Haïtien pages. Indicative one-way totals, taxes and our service fee included, run around $550 to $600 in low season and 25 to 45 percent more from December 15 to January 8 and in July and August. Book by mid October for Christmas, and for Christmas travel this year, check which airport your flight actually uses before you book.

Getting to Newark

By car. From Plainfield, Scotch Plains and Westfield, Route 22 east to I-78 east to the airport is 30 to 40 minutes outside rush hour. From Elizabeth and Hillside it is closer to 15. Parking options and current rates are on the Port Authority's Newark airport site; the economy lots are cheaper with a shuttle. Give yourself an extra 30 minutes on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, and check your airline's terminal on the day.

By train. From Plainfield, Dunellen, Westfield or Cranford, take the NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station, then a Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast Line train one stop to Newark Liberty Airport station, and the AirTrain to your terminal. Buy the ticket to Newark Airport so it includes the AirTrain. Allow 75 to 90 minutes from Plainfield door to terminal.

Bags

Sunrise includes one checked bag of 23 kg (50 lb) on international fares. Extra bags cost $40 for the first, $65 for the second and $115 each for the third and fourth. No single bag over 32 kg (70 lb) is accepted, and allowances are not pooled between passengers. Barrels and boxes are accepted as checked pieces within the same limits and are the first things left behind when a flight is full. American's allowance differs by fare. Our baggage guide compares every airline serving Haiti.

For the documents to carry, US and Haitian passports, green cards, children traveling with one parent, see our documents guide.

Winter departures

De-icing delays are real at Newark and JFK from December through February. A morning departure that lands in Cap-Haïtien in the afternoon is safer than an evening one, because Cap-Haïtien's small terminal and the drive to Milot or Limbé are easier in daylight. If your flight is cancelled for weather, the airline rebooks you on the next available departure; ask us to check the other carrier as well.

Our honest take

Losing the Newark nonstop is a real loss for New Jersey. For a family in East Orange or Irvington, the choice after October 25 is between a connection through Miami from the airport down the road and a nonstop from an airport an hour or more away. Neither is wrong. If you are traveling with a parent who should not do a Miami connection, JFK is worth the drive. If your date is fixed, the daily American flight is the safer bet.

Message us on WhatsApp in English, Kreyòl or French and we will compare both for your dates. We are 30 minutes from Newark and we will keep this page current as Sunrise publishes its JFK schedule.