(PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA) The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed a new, location-specific security rule in Florida: a permanent 24/7 restriction on flights within one nautical mile of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach County. The rule took effect on October 20, 2025, and it applies at all times, whether or not President Trump is in residence.
The step ends years of on-and-off temporary limits and creates a fixed security zone over and around the estate. The FAA stressed there is no nationwide order affecting all major airlines; instead, the change is targeted to one area. This move has drawn wide attention in Palm Beach County because it reshapes local airspace for private pilots, drone operators, and low-altitude traffic year-round.
Security zone around Mar-a-Lago becomes permanent
Under the new permanent 24/7 restriction, aircraft and drones are barred from flying within a one nautical mile radius of Mar-a-Lago. The FAA cited security needs tied to the property’s status as the private club owned by President Trump.
Officials warned that violations can lead to criminal penalties, a standard note for protected sites and Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) tied to VIP movements. When President Trump is in residence, even tighter rules can activate, including a layered air defense area that can expand up to 30 miles, grounding most private aircraft and drones for the duration of the visit.
For Palm Beach County pilots, the change removes guesswork about when a TFR might appear and instead creates a standing safety bubble. Many in the local flying community had adjusted over the years to short-notice presidential TFRs. Now, they face a round-the-clock no-fly radius.
Affected local aviation groups and activities include:
– Helicopter operators
– Banner towing operators
– Flight schools
– Hobbyist drone users
Commercial airline operations at Palm Beach International Airport, which sit well outside the one-mile circle, are not halted by the local rule. However, air traffic controllers may issue vectors to keep any low-altitude or visual traffic well clear.
The FAA continues to post real-time notices in its national system. Pilots should check the FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions database before departure. The database remains the most direct source to confirm the active shape of protective airspace and any related conditions or times.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the Mar-a-Lago flight restrictions reflect a trend toward fixed rules at high-profile locations, reducing last-minute changes but placing ongoing limits near the protected site.
Operational caps in the New York region continue
Separate from security rules in Florida, the FAA extended operational limits at Newark Liberty International Airport through October 24, 2026. The hourly cap moved from 68 to 72 flights per hour, still below pre-2023 levels. These measures address staffing and technology demands in one of the busiest regions of the United States.
United Airlines and the FAA have supported these caps to reduce delays and maintain safety margins while the system continues upgrades and recruitment for air traffic control.
At New York’s other major airports, the agency is also keeping slot usage waivers in place at JFK and LaGuardia through Summer 2026. These waivers allow airlines to trim schedules by about 10% without losing their slots. The goal is to ease congestion while the region works through staffing shortages and system improvements. Airlines can then run more reliable schedules instead of overloading the system and canceling flights later.
Together, the Newark caps and New York slot waivers:
– Shape traffic in and out of the region
– May lower the number of available seats on certain routes during busy periods
– Help keep day-to-day operations steadier and reduce last-minute cancellations
For travelers, the effect is mixed: fewer last-minute cancellations and potentially more predictable connections, but less flexibility on peak-day departures. None of these measures amount to a blanket restriction on flight activity nationwide.
No nationwide 24/7 ban, but localized rules matter
The FAA made clear there is no new blanket 24/7 flight restriction for all major US airlines. The prominent new rule is the fixed one-mile security ring over Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach County, plus the ongoing operational steps at Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia.
Elsewhere, the FAA continues to use TFRs, often around Washington, D.C., or during special events. Those are time-limited and event-driven, not permanent. For local communities, though, the difference between a rolling TFR and a permanent 24/7 restriction is large. It changes training routes, shifts banner towing paths in the busy South Florida shoreline airspace, and affects drone use for real estate, news, and hobby filming.
Impacts for different groups:
– Residents: fewer low-flying helicopters or small planes near the club; quieter shoreline airspace.
– Small aviation businesses: one more fixed box on the map that reduces flexibility for operations and training.
– Pilots in Palm Beach County: more preflight planning to plot detours in congested airspace shared by Palm Beach International, Boca Raton, and several heliports.
– Drone operators: need to monitor mapping apps and airspace authorization tools to avoid breaching the ring, especially when filming properties or events near the island.
Travelers should also note how the New York–area policies affect broader schedules. When airlines can keep a 72-per-hour flow in Newark and use waivers at JFK and LaGuardia, they may shift flights across the three airports to balance gates, crews, and maintenance. That can change connection options without warning.
Practical steps and recommendations
Practical steps for those affected include:
1. Check the TFR database before any flight near Palm Beach County: https://tfr.faa.gov.
2. Give yourself extra buffer when flying to or through Newark, JFK, or LaGuardia during peak travel periods.
3. If you fly drones for work, set geofencing alerts near the Mar-a-Lago zone and review local operating rules.
Officials say the mix of security-driven and staffing-driven steps aims to keep skies safe while the system keeps up with demand. The permanent 24/7 restriction at Mar-a-Lago is about predictable protection for a sensitive site. The New York caps and waivers are about keeping schedules workable and delays lower.
VisaVerge.com reports that while these measures can feel strict, they’re targeted and time-bound in most cases, and not a sign of a sweeping national ban on airline operations.
Bottom line: Palm Beach County now hosts a fixed one-mile security ring that operates around the clock, and the New York region continues managed schedules to match resources. Everyone else should keep an eye on routine TFRs that pop up across the country for short windows tied to events or VIP travel. The FAA’s public notices are the best guide for what applies on a given day and hour.
This Article in a Nutshell
The FAA has made permanent a 24/7 flight restriction within a one nautical mile radius of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach County, effective October 20, 2025. The change replaces on-and-off TFRs and applies at all times; when President Trump is in residence, an expanded layered restriction can reach up to 30 miles. Violations carry potential criminal penalties. Separately, the FAA extended operational controls in the New York region: Newark’s hourly cap rises to 72 through October 24, 2026, and slot-usage waivers at JFK and LaGuardia continue through Summer 2026 to reduce congestion. Local pilots, drone operators, and small aviation businesses must plan routes accordingly and check the FAA TFR/NOTAM databases before flight.
