Travelers moving through Argentina at the start of the Southern Hemisphere summer are facing a fresh wave of air travel disruption, as ten key flights were cancelled on January 5 and January 6, 2026, affecting both domestic and international routes.

The latest cancellations involve American Airlines and regional carriers operating under codes ARG and FBZ, and are hitting popular corridors such as Iguazú to Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires to Rosario, and long-haul services to Lima and Dallas–Fort Worth.

Passengers are encountering last minute changes, missed connections, and packed rebooked services across several of the country’s busiest airports.

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What Happened: The Latest Round of Cancellations

According to operational updates compiled from Argentine airport authorities and airline status boards on January 6, a total of ten flights were removed from schedules within roughly a 36 hour window.

The problems have centered on three hubs: Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport in Puerto Iguazú, Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in central Buenos Aires, and Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Ezeiza, which handles most long haul departures.

At Iguazú, at least two key departures were cancelled. Flight ARG1785 from Puerto Iguazú to Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, scheduled for late Tuesday morning, was pulled from the board, while flight FBZ5880 from Iguazú to Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport, due to leave early Monday, was also cancelled.

These routes are important both for domestic tourism flows to the capital and for international passengers using Iguazú as a gateway between Brazil, Argentina, and Peru.

In Buenos Aires, Aeroparque saw multiple cancellations of FBZ branded services and at least one additional ARG flight, including services due to operate from the city to Iguazú and to regional airports such as Vicecomodoro Ángel de la Paz Aragonés in Santiago del Estero and Domingo Faustino Sarmiento in San Juan.

At Ezeiza, the international impact became clear with the cancellation of American Airlines flight AAL996 to Dallas–Fort Worth and an Aerolíneas Argentinas service, ARG1708, to Rosario’s Islas Malvinas International Airport.

The cancellations follow a similar pattern seen in late December, when another cluster of more than ten flights across Argentina was scrubbed within just a few days.

Taken together, they point to fragile operating conditions as airlines work to balance high seasonal demand with staffing, aircraft utilization, and maintenance needs.

Key Routes Affected: From Iguazú Falls to Dallas–Fort Worth

The current disruption is especially painful for travelers planning to visit Argentina’s flagship tourism sites and for those connecting between South America and the United States.

Iguazú Falls, one of the region’s biggest international draws, relies heavily on frequent narrow body flights linking Puerto Iguazú with Buenos Aires and onward connections.

With both ARG1784 (Buenos Aires to Iguazú) and ARG1785 (Iguazú to Buenos Aires) impacted in this wave of cancellations, many passengers are being forced to accept later departures, rebook via alternative carriers, or in some cases travel overland.

On the international side, the cancellation of American Airlines flight AAL996 between Ezeiza and Dallas–Fort Worth has ripple effects far beyond Argentina. Dallas is a major North American hub, feeding passengers into onward services across the United States and to Europe and Asia.

Travelers who had planned same day connections in Texas are now being pushed onto alternative itineraries, often involving overnight stays or longer routings through Miami, Houston, or New York.

Regional connectivity has also taken a hit. The scrapped ARG1708 flight linking Buenos Aires Ezeiza with Rosario disrupts business and family travel in one of Argentina’s most heavily trafficked domestic corridors.

Meanwhile, FBZ branded operations from Aeroparque to Vicecomodoro Ángel de la Paz Aragonés in Santiago del Estero and to Domingo Faustino Sarmiento in San Juan, both provincial capitals, are key for government, commercial, and visiting friends and relatives traffic.

With these services removed, provincial airports face short term gaps in capacity at the height of the summer period.

Lima has emerged as another pressure point. The cancelled FBZ5880 flight between Iguazú and the Peruvian capital was part of a growing web of regional links connecting the Southern Cone with Andean markets and North American hubs beyond.

Passengers using Lima to reach destinations in the United States and Mexico now find themselves rerouted back through Buenos Aires or São Paulo, adding hours and complexity to their travel days.

Why Airlines Are Cancelling: Capacity, Staffing, and Operational Strain

Airline and airport officials have not attributed this cluster of cancellations to a single disruptive event such as severe weather or a strike. Instead, people familiar with the operations describe a familiar cocktail of challenges that have been visible across Argentina’s aviation network in recent months.

High summer demand has pushed load factors and utilization rates close to their limits, while staffing pipelines have struggled to keep up with the surge.

Ground handling teams, maintenance crews, and flight operations staff are all operating under tight schedules, and any delay early in the day can cascade into later cancellations.

Aircraft undergoing scheduled or unplanned maintenance may not return to service quickly enough to meet the assigned timetable, forcing airlines to consolidate flights or remove certain rotations from the schedule altogether.

Domestic routes like Buenos Aires to Iguazú are especially vulnerable, since they are often operated by the same aircraft cycling through multiple city pairs in a single day.

The pattern also suggests that carriers are using cancellations as a last resort to reset their networks when punctuality and on time performance have deteriorated beyond acceptable levels.

By cancelling select flights, airlines can free up crews and aircraft for other services, attempt to reduce knock on delays, and concentrate capacity on the highest demand departures.

This approach may help restore overall reliability in the medium term, but it comes at the immediate cost of disrupted itineraries and frustrated travelers.

In parallel, Argentina’s wider economic environment continues to influence airline planning. Exchange rate volatility and inflationary pressures have raised operating costs, while demand from international visitors remains strong after a rebound in tourism.

Carriers are attempting to balance these factors by fine tuning schedules, adjusting frequencies, and in some cases experimenting with new products such as red eye low cost services to tourism destinations. The system, however, remains sensitive to even modest disturbances.

Impact on Travelers: Missed Holidays, Long Queues, and Packed Alternatives

For passengers, the cancellations are being felt most immediately at check in counters and boarding gates. Travelers arriving at Iguazú or Buenos Aires expecting routine domestic hops are instead being met with announcements of flight removal and limited immediate alternatives, especially on routes where frequency is already constrained.

In some cases, same day rebooking is possible only via detours through other hubs or with third party carriers, which can involve additional costs or extended journey times.

Inbound tourists heading to iconic destinations like Iguazú Falls risk losing valuable time on carefully choreographed itineraries. A cancelled morning flight from Buenos Aires to Iguazú can erase a full day from a two or three day visit, forcing last minute changes to hotel bookings and guided excursions.

Families traveling over school holidays and groups organized by tour operators are particularly exposed, although larger agencies often have contingency plans and reserved block space on alternative flights.

International travelers connecting through Ezeiza face a different set of headaches. Those whose transcontinental segments to or from Dallas–Fort Worth have been cancelled may find themselves rebooked via Miami, Houston, or other gateways, sometimes adding an extra stop.

Tight onward connections in the United States become harder to protect, and checked baggage may be slower to follow rerouted passengers.

With many long haul flights close to full, airlines have limited flexibility to absorb displaced travelers on the same travel day.

On the ground, customer service centers and airline call lines are experiencing surges in demand as people seek clarification and alternatives. Airport lounges and public waiting areas are more crowded than usual, particularly at peak times when multiple departures are being reconfigured.

For travelers without strong Spanish language skills or local support, navigating the rapid changes can be especially stressful.

How Airlines and Airports Are Responding

Carriers involved in the cancellations have been rolling out a series of short term measures intended to lessen the blow for affected passengers.

These typically include free rebooking on the next available flight in the same cabin, waivers on change fees and fare differences under certain conditions, and options to reroute through alternative hubs.

In circumstances where no same day solutions exist, some airlines are also offering hotel accommodation and meal vouchers, although the details vary by carrier and route.

American Airlines, whose Dallas–Fort Worth link is one of the most significant long haul routes involved, is redirecting many travelers onto its other South America services and on partner flights where alliances permit.

Regional operators using the ARG and FBZ codes are attempting to protect key domestic connections, often by consolidating lightly booked services or deploying larger aircraft where possible.

Given the already strong seasonal demand, however, spare seats are limited and some passengers are being asked to travel on subsequent days.

Airport authorities at Iguazú, Aeroparque, and Ezeiza have increased staffing at information desks and are coordinating with airlines to keep departure boards and public announcements up to date.

Ground transport operators, including intercity bus companies, are also seeing a small uptick in demand from travelers who choose to abandon their flight plans altogether on short domestic sectors, particularly between Buenos Aires and nearby provincial capitals.

Travel industry analysts say these responses are necessary but not sufficient to fully protect travelers in a period of structural strain.

They argue that airlines will need to reassess schedule robustness, including longer turnaround times and more reserve capacity, if Argentina’s aviation system is to cope reliably with peak seasons in the coming years.

Practical Advice if You Are Flying To or Within Argentina Now

Travelers with upcoming itineraries touching Argentina in the next several days should take a proactive approach. The first recommendation from travel advisors is to monitor flight status closely through airline apps and airport information pages, starting at least 24 hours before departure and continuing until boarding.

Same day cancellations are often flagged first in digital channels before being updated on physical departure boards.

Where possible, passengers are encouraged to leave wider buffers between connecting flights, particularly when self connecting between domestic and international segments in Buenos Aires.

Allowing several hours between arriving in Aeroparque or Ezeiza and departing on onward long haul services reduces the risk of a delay or cancellation causing a missed international connection.

For itineraries that involve separate tickets on different airlines, this kind of buffer is especially important.

Travel insurance that includes coverage for missed connections, cancellations, and additional accommodation costs can provide an important safety net. Policies vary widely, so passengers should review the fine print to understand whether disruption caused by operational decisions, rather than weather or strikes, is covered.

Keeping receipts for meals, taxis, and hotels incurred as a result of flight changes is essential if seeking reimbursement later.

Finally, travelers should maintain flexibility where they can. Being open to alternative routings, including traveling a day earlier or later or using regional hubs such as São Paulo or Santiago for transcontinental connections, can increase the chances of finding workable solutions when direct routes are constrained.

For domestic trips of moderate distance, long distance buses and overnight services remain a viable backup, particularly between Buenos Aires and major provincial cities.

FAQ

Q1. Which airports in Argentina are most affected by the latest cancellations?
Buenos Aires Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini, and Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport in Puerto Iguazú have seen the largest concentration of cancelled flights in the most recent disruption.

Q2. Which airlines are involved in the current wave of cancellations?
American Airlines is affected on the Dallas–Fort Worth route, while regional operations branded under ARG and FBZ codes have cancelled multiple domestic and regional flights linking Iguazú, Buenos Aires, Rosario, and Lima.

Q3. Are flights to tourist destinations like Iguazú Falls still operating?
Yes. While specific services such as ARG1784 and ARG1785 between Buenos Aires and Iguazú were cancelled, other flights on the route continue to operate. However, seat availability may be tight and schedules may change at short notice.

Q4. How are passengers from the United States to Argentina being affected?
The main impact is on travelers using Dallas–Fort Worth as their gateway, where at least one American Airlines flight between Dallas–Fort Worth and Buenos Aires Ezeiza has been cancelled. Many affected passengers are being rerouted through alternative U.S. hubs such as Miami or Houston.

Q5. What compensation or assistance can affected travelers expect?
Most airlines are offering free rebooking to the next available flight in the same cabin, and in some cases waiving change fees and fare differences. Hotel accommodation and meal vouchers may be provided when overnight delays are unavoidable, depending on the airline and circumstances.

Q6. How far in advance are airlines informing passengers about cancellations?
The timing varies. Some cancellations are notified a day in advance through email or app alerts, but others occur on the day of departure. This is why experts strongly recommend checking flight status repeatedly in the 24 hours leading up to your trip.

Q7. Is it safe to book new flights to or within Argentina right now?
It is generally safe to book, but travelers should be prepared for a higher than usual risk of schedule changes. Booking flexible fares, choosing longer connection windows, and taking out suitable travel insurance can help mitigate the risk.

Q8. Are other South American countries experiencing similar disruptions?
While the current focus is on Argentina, regional networks are interconnected, so cancellations involving Lima and other hubs can have knock on effects in neighboring countries. However, the latest reported cluster of ten cancellations is concentrated within Argentine territory.

Q9. What should I do if my flight is cancelled at the airport?
Head immediately to your airline’s service desk or contact center, while simultaneously checking rebooking options in the airline app. Keep boarding passes and receipts, and ask clearly about entitlements to meals, accommodation, and ground transport if you are facing an overnight delay.

Q10. How long are these disruptions expected to last?
There is no official end date, but recent patterns suggest that waves of cancellations can persist intermittently during peak travel periods. Travelers in January 2026 should assume conditions may remain fluid for at least several weeks and plan accordingly.