U.S. passenger air services to Venezuela resumed on Thursday (30 April), as an American Airlines flight landed in Caracas, restoring a commercial link between the two countries after seven years.
The Miami-Caracas flight, operated by American Airlines through its regional subsidiary Envoy, carried government officials and reporters on its inaugural return service.
The airline has restarted daily operations using Embraer 175 aircraft, with plans to introduce a second daily flight from 21 May, according to company officials.
The resumption follows a policy change earlier this year, after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy lifted a 2019 order that had prohibited U.S. airlines from operating in Venezuela. The move came after instructions from U.S. President Donald Trump, with American Airlines later approved to restart flights in March 2026.
At a welcome ceremony at Maiquetía airport near Caracas, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires John Barrett described the flight as a milestone in bilateral relations.
“Today marks another historic milestone in relations between the United States and Venezuela. We are witnessing the rebuilding of our economic ties, the reopening of Venezuela to global trade, and the reconnecting of our two countries,” Barrett said.
The return of flights comes amid broader efforts to normalise limited economic and diplomatic engagement between Washington and Caracas after years of strained relations.
Officials estimate the renewed service could carry around 100,000 passengers annually, or roughly 7,200 to 8,000 per month.
American Airlines, which first began flying to Venezuela in 1987, was previously the largest U.S. carrier operating in the country before suspending services in 2019 following U.S. restrictions.
The airline said the restored flights would support business, tourism and humanitarian travel, as both sides move towards cautious re-engagement after years of limited connectivity.
Venezuela remains under a “Reconsider Travel” advisory due to security and infrastructure risks.
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