More than 400 flights were delayed at San Diego International Airport on Friday after a drone and weather balloon were spotted near the airfield around 2 p.m., prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to temporarily halt arrivals and departures just as travelers headed out for the Labor Day weekend.
Airport personnel confirmed both objects to the San Diego Union-Tribune: one was identified as a drone, the other as a weather balloon. The FAA paused operations in response, causing some flights to experience delays of roughly two hours, according to the agency’s advisory. By 4:30 p.m., the FAA reported an all-clear and resumed normal airport operations.
FlightAware, which tracks flights across the country, reported that more than 400 flights had been delayed by 5 p.m., with average delays reaching about 122 minutes, according to Times Now News. The San Diego airport’s Airfield Operations team monitored the situation in close coordination with the FAA, TSA, and local law enforcement. TSA law enforcement is investigating the reported drone activity.
Unauthorized drone operations near airports are a recurring challenge for the FAA. According to the agency, drone operators must receive airspace authorization prior to operating near airports in controlled airspace. The FAA advises drone operators to avoid flying near airports because manned aircraft have difficulty seeing and avoiding drones while in flight. The agency receives more than 250 reports of drone sightings monthly near U.S. airports, according to public records.
A comparable incident occurred in February 2026 at El Paso International Airport in Texas, when the FAA abruptly issued a 10-day temporary flight restriction over airspace near the U.S.-Mexico border, citing unspecified security reasons. The closure was lifted within hours after it became clear that a balloon had been mistaken for a drone. According to The Guardian, the incident created significant disruption for the city of nearly 700,000 people and its nearly 3.5 million annual passengers, with radio communications revealing confused pilots learning of the closure with minimal notice. The El Paso case underscored how quickly perceived airspace threats can trigger sweeping operational halts, though the San Diego incident was resolved more swiftly with operations resuming the same afternoon.
Sources
- San Diego Union-Tribune — confirmed drone and weather balloon sightings, FAA response timeline, and 400+ flight delays
- Times Now News — reported average delays of 122 minutes and 364 flights affected
- The Guardian — documented El Paso airspace closure precedent in February 2026
- Federal Aviation Administration — drone airspace authorization requirements and monthly sighting statistics
