US commercial flight to Venezuela resumes after seven-year halt
A commercial passenger flight from the United States to Venezuela is scheduled to depart on Thursday morning, marking the first such service in nearly seven years as both countries continue rebuilding economic relations following the removal of Venezuela’s long-time leader in January.
The inaugural American Airlines service will fly from Miami to Caracas, departing at 10:16 a.m. ET and arriving at Simón Bolívar International Airport at 1:36 p.m. local time, with a return journey planned for later the same day.
American Airlines confirmed it will become the first US carrier to restart daily operations to Venezuela, using an Embraer 175 aircraft operated by its regional partner Envoy. The airline had announced plans to resume flights in January, coinciding with US President Donald Trump’s directive to the Department of Transportation to restore air links with Venezuela.
The carrier previously suspended operations in 2019 when the United States imposed a ban on passenger and cargo flights to the country.
That restriction was lifted two weeks ago after US authorities concluded that conditions in Venezuela no longer posed a threat to the safety of passengers and crews.
The policy shift follows months of gradual normalization between Washington and Venezuela’s interim administration led by President Delcy Rodríguez, the former vice president under Nicolás Maduro, who was removed from power earlier this year following a US-backed military operation.
Since then, Rodríguez’s government has introduced reforms, including an amnesty for political prisoners and new legislation to attract foreign investment into the oil sector. In response, the US has eased several sanctions, allowing Venezuela to re-engage more with global markets and increase access to foreign currency.
Despite these changes, Venezuela’s economy remains fragile after years of crisis, though officials have expressed optimism about improved employment and income levels in the near future.
Meanwhile, an estimated 764,000 Venezuelan migrants are living in the United States as of mid-2024, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Venezuelan-American entrepreneur Liz Rebecca Alarcón welcomed the resumption of flights, saying it could help strengthen ties between the diaspora and people in Venezuela, while expressing hope that the move supports a broader democratic transition.
The United States has proposed a three-phase roadmap aimed at stabilizing Venezuela, supporting recovery, and guiding it toward democracy. However, the current government has shown little indication of stepping down or calling new elections, with officials insisting they remain confident of electoral victory when polls are eventually held.
Opposition figures, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, have signaled readiness to contest any future election, with Machado confirming her intention to run for president if elections are held.
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