American Airlines Lands First US-Venezuela Commercial Flight in Caracas After Seven-Year Ban

The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years touched down in Caracas on Thursday, April 30, 2026, marking a major breakthrough in the restoration of travel links between the two countries following years of diplomatic rupture.

American Airlines Flight AA3599, operated by Envoy Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of the airline, departed Miami International Airport at 10:11 a.m. EDT, five minutes ahead of its scheduled departure time, and landed at Caracas’ Simon Bolivar International Airport approximately three and a half hours later . The aircraft, an Embraer 175 dual-class jet, will operate daily service between Miami and Caracas, with a second daily flight scheduled to begin on May 21.

The resumption of nonstop travel comes months after a dramatic shift in Venezuela’s political landscape. In early January 2026, US military forces carried out a deadly raid in Caracas to capture then President Nicolas Maduro, who was subsequently ousted from power. Maduro was replaced by interim President Delcy Rodriguez, his former vice president, who has since enacted a series of political and economic reforms, including an amnesty law that released hundreds of political prisoners and a hydrocarbons law designed to attract foreign investment.

The United States formally rescinded its commercial flight ban two weeks ago after the Department of Homeland Security determined that “conditions in Venezuela no longer threaten the safety and security of passengers, aircraft, and crew” . The ban had been in place since May 2019, when the US suspended all passenger and cargo flights to Venezuela citing ongoing political instability and associated risks to flight operations. Delta and United Airlines had already exited the Venezuelan market in 2017 amid the deepening political crisis.

Speaking at the White House in late January, President Donald Trump announced his decision to reopen Venezuelan airspace to commercial travel. “American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there,” Trump said at the time . He had instructed the Department of Transportation and the military to take necessary steps to reestablish air service.

The inauguration flight was marked by celebration at Miami International Airport, where American Airlines staff handed passengers small Venezuelan flags and balloons in the country’s national colours of yellow, blue and red decorated the boarding gate. Among the passengers on board was Jarrod Agen, director of the US National Energy Dominance Council, who was scheduled to meet with Venezuelan officials and energy executives as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to facilitate US company entry into the South American country.

For the Venezuelan diaspora in the United States, the flight represents an emotional reunion after years of relying on indirect routes through neighbouring Latin American countries and international carriers. “I’m very excited to go and see the family and I’m looking forward to see the country,” passenger Lennart Ochoa of Miami said shortly before boarding. “Just to go and see the family on a direct flight from Miami to Caracas is priceless,” he added.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava underscored the significance of the restored connection for the local community. “Parents will be able to connect with children, grandparents with grandchildren, and entire families with a home that shaped and raised them,” she said before boarding began. “Miami-Dade is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States”.

Liz Rebecca Alarcon, a Venezuelan-American entrepreneur in the Miami area who founded the media outlet Project Pulso, welcomed the resumption of flights. “Anything that brings the diaspora closer to people in Venezuela is positive news,” she said. “I hope American’s flights are fairly priced and that these changes are part of the transition to democracy we all want”.

American Airlines had announced its intent to resume flights in January, the same day President Trump instructed the Department of Transportation to take steps to reestablish air service. The airline, once considered the largest US carrier operating in Venezuela, had suspended its service in 2019. “American’s Miami hub is the preeminent US gateway to Latin America, and our service to Venezuela is a key part of our history and our future,” said Nat Pieper, the airline’s chief commercial officer, in a statement announcing the move. “Our commitment to connecting Venezuela with the US spans more than 30 years, and we look forward to the new opportunities for commerce and strengthened ties with family and friends that our service will provide”.

The flight resumption coincides with the US formally reopening its embassy in Caracas last month following the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Venezuela . As of mid-2024, an estimated 764,000 Venezuelan migrants were living in the United States, according to the Migration Policy Institute.