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American Airlines has received approval from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to resume commercial flights between the United States and Venezuela. This marks the first step toward restoring direct air service between the two countries.
The authorization allows the airline to operate flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) to both Caracas’ Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS) and Maracaibo’s La Chinita International Airport (MAR). The routes will be operated by American’s regional subsidiary Envoy Air under the American Eagle brand.
The approval follows a January decision by US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to rescind a 2019 order that had banned US airlines from flying to Venezuela due to safety and diplomatic concerns. That directive had halted both passenger and cargo flights between the two countries for nearly seven years.
American Airlines formally submitted its application to restore the routes on February 13th. With the DOT’s approval now granted, the airline can begin planning service (though it has not yet announced a specific launch date for the flights). The authorization is valid for two years and permits Envoy Air to operate scheduled passenger, cargo, and mail service between Miami International Airport (MIA) and the two Venezuelan cities. The regional carrier is expected to use Embraer E170 and E175 aircraft for the routes as American tests demand before potentially expanding service.
Before the suspension of flights in 2019, American Airlines was the last US carrier still serving Venezuela and had been one of the largest operators in the market. The airline first began flying to the country in 1987 and offered regular service for decades. The return of flights could restore an important travel link between South Florida and Venezuela, particularly for family visits, business travel, and humanitarian travel. However, the US State Department still maintains a travel advisory warning Americans against visiting Venezuela due to ongoing safety concerns. Before the approval was issued, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials visited Caracas to review airport security procedures, which was a necessary step before US carriers could restart flights to the country.
Anthony’s Take: If the routes launch as planned, American Airlines will become the first US airline to restore scheduled passenger service to Venezuela since the suspension of flights in 2019.
(Featured Image Credit: American Airlines and Envoy Air.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
