- San Diego International Airport delayed more than 400 flights after a drone and weather balloon were spotted near the airfield.
- FAA paused arrivals and departures around 2 p.m. on September 4, 2026, then reopened the airport by 4:30 p.m.
- TSA law enforcement opened an investigation while travelers faced delays of about two hours during Labor Day travel.
San Diego International Airport delayed more than 400 flights Friday after a drone and a weather balloon appeared near the airfield, prompting the FAA to pause arrivals and departures during the Labor Day travel rush.
The objects were spotted around 2 p.m. on Friday, September 4, 2026. Airport personnel identified both of them.
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Nicole Hall, the airport’s public information officer, said “one object was a drone while the second was identified as a weather balloon.” The agency temporarily stopped traffic in both directions.
Officials cleared the airport later that afternoon. Some travelers still faced delays of about two hours.
The disruption landed as passengers headed into the Labor Day weekend. A separate account described the airport interruption as a “ground delay.”
The airfield reopened before the delays cleared
The operational sequence left airlines and passengers working through a backlog after the airspace pause ended.
| Time | Event | Reported effect |
|---|---|---|
| Around 2 p.m. | The two objects were spotted near the airport | Arrivals and departures were temporarily paused |
| By 4:30 p.m. | The agency issued an all-clear | Airport operations resumed |
| By 5 p.m. | FlightAware showed more than 400 delayed flights | Some delays reached about two hours |
The pause itself lasted less than the resulting schedule disruption. Aircraft movements resumed before the flight board returned to normal.
San Diego’s Airfield Operations coordinated with the federal aviation agency, the Transportation Security Administration and local law enforcement while personnel monitored the situation.
Hall said, “San Diego’s Airfield Operations continues to monitor the situation in close coordination with the FAA, TSA, and local law enforcement.” TSA law enforcement also opened an investigation into the reported drone activity.
Investigators kept tracking the reported drone activity
The investigation focused on the drone report, while airport personnel had already identified the second object as a weather balloon. The coordination continued after flights restarted.
The incident added another security concern during one of the year’s busiest travel periods. Travelers encountered delays even though the airport had resumed normal operations by late afternoon.
Drone operators need authorization near controlled airports
The agency says drone operators must secure airspace authorization before flying near airports in controlled airspace. Its guidance warns operators to avoid airports “because it is difficult for manned aircraft to see and avoid a drone while flying.”
That guidance addresses the safety problem behind the temporary pause: pilots may have difficulty detecting a small unmanned aircraft while operating near an active runway or approach path.
The airport’s flight disruption ended with the reported all-clear, but the delays continued into the evening travel schedule. Travelers departing during the holiday weekend faced the clearest marker of the incident: more than 400 flights had already been delayed by 5 p.m.
