There have been no commercial flights between the United States and Venezuela since 2019, the year of the diplomatic rupture between the two countries
The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela in the last seven years landed this Thursday at Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía airport, near Caracas, from Miami, in a new stage in relations between the two countries.
Businessmen, representatives of the US government, as well as a crowd of journalists, were on board flight 3599 of Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines, which departed from Miami in the morning and landed at 1:15 pm local time (5:15 pm GMT), at the airport in the Venezuelan capital.
As tradition dictates for the inauguration of a new route, the plane was “christened” on the runway, in this case, by two fire trucks.
There have been no commercial flights between the United States and Venezuela since 2019, the year of the diplomatic rupture between the two countries.
Several Venezuelan and North American officials welcomed the plane on the tarmac today, while numerous travelers took selfies.
The landing of the flight marks the end of Venezuela’s isolation from the United States, but also the country’s reintegration into global air trade, after its departure at the end of 2025.
Since the capture of the former President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, in January 2026, Washington and the government of Venezuelan Interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, have strived to normalize ties in all areas.
President Donald Trump has gradually eased sanctions on Venezuela, which has approved new laws for hydrocarbons and the mining sector, opening these sectors to private companies, in a country with the largest oil reserves in the world.
“Today marks a new historic stage in relations” between the two countries, assured the head of the North American diplomatic mission in Venezuela, John Barrett, at Maiquetía airport.
“We are sending a new clear signal to the world market: ‘Venezuela can be open for business’. By reestablishing the link between Miami and Caracas, the United States and Venezuela retake an essential commercial artery that will accelerate investment, rebuild supply chains and strengthen ties between our peoples,” he added.
The Venezuelan Minister of Transport, Jacqueline Faria, highlighted that the country is gradually coming out of isolation, and should receive “more than 100,000 passengers per year”.
“The European companies have already returned, the North American company is arriving. South America, Asia, Africa… It is a pleasure to receive these flights, because they mean connections, development, productivity”, said Faria.
Envoy Air will ensure a daily route with Florida, where an important Venezuelan diaspora lives (around 250,000 people).
The Venezuelan airline Laser Airlines will offer the same service from May 1st.
Tickets for the inaugural flight were sold for 3,000 US dollars, but prices are expected to fall as connections increase, particularly to Texas or from Maracaibo, the Venezuelan oil capital.
“It’s wonderful. It will make our lives easier”, says Oscar Fuentes, a 64-year-old lawyer, who was in the check-in line for the flight back to Miami.
“Before, I had to travel to Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), from Punta Cana to Fort Lauderdale (Florida), from Fort Lauderdale to my destination, Houston (Texas). Tonight, I’m going to sleep at home! On other trips, we didn’t even know where we were going to sleep,” he continued.
However, the US State Department continues to advise against US citizens traveling to Venezuela, according to its latest travel advisory dated March 19.
