FAA Warns of Up to 2-Hour Delays at Florida Airports Due to SpaceX Starship Launches

SpaceX's ambitious plans to significantly increase Starship rocket launches from Florida's Kennedy Space Center could profoundly impact the state's busy air travel, with federal regulators warning of potential flight delays up to two hours. A recent tweet from TechCrunch highlighted these implications for Florida's booming airports, underscoring the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) ongoing evaluation of the environmental and operational effects of the proposed high-cadence launch schedule.

The FAA's draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) indicates that Starship launches and re-entries could necessitate ground stops and reroutes at major hubs, including Orlando International, Miami International, Tampa International, and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International airports. Average delays are projected to range from 40 minutes to two hours for launches and Super Heavy booster landings, with Starship re-entries potentially causing 40-minute to one-hour delays. These disruptions stem from the need to establish Aircraft Hazard Areas (AHAs) over potentially impacted zones, which could close dozens of coastal and oceanic airways.

Previous Starship test flights, though launched from SpaceX's Starbase in Texas, have already demonstrated the potential for widespread air traffic disruption across Florida and the Caribbean. A March 2025 test failure, which saw debris scatter, led to temporary ground stops at several Florida airports, delaying hundreds of flights and incurring millions in costs for airlines. A similar incident in January 2025 also resulted in significant flight disruptions, highlighting the sensitivity of airspace to these powerful launch events.

Starship, a 400-foot-tall, fully reusable two-stage rocket, is central to SpaceX's long-term goals of enabling lunar and Martian travel. While current Starship flight testing is conducted in Texas, SpaceX seeks to expand operations to Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center. The FAA is conducting an extensive environmental review for up to 44 Starship launches annually from LC-39A, a process involving cooperation with NASA and other federal agencies.

To manage the anticipated risks, the FAA plans to establish AHAs and implement mitigation strategies such as pre-coordinated reroutes and dynamic scheduling. Despite these measures, the unique scale and early development stage of Starship mean its launches pose a greater airspace challenge compared to the more established Falcon rocket operations. The ongoing public comment period for the draft EIS underscores the significant regulatory scrutiny and public interest surrounding these ambitious space endeavors.