US resumes direct flights to Venezuela after 7-year gap

The first direct commercial flight from the United States to Venezuela in seven years touched down in Caracas, on Thursday. This action reinstates a route that was halted in 2019 due to security concerns raised by US officials.

The service is being operated by American Airlines through its regional subsidiary, Envoy Air, on an Embraer 175 aircraft. The return leg is scheduled later in the day.

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Policy U-turn clears runway

Reuters reported that the resumption followed a January decision by US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to lift the 2019 order after President Donald Trump directed the move.

American Airlines had won approval in March to restart the route, and the carrier plans to add a second daily Miami-Caracas flight from May 21. The Transportation Security Administration reviewed airport security in Caracas in March before the service resumed.

Arepas onboard, optics on point

The White House framed the move as a policy shift, posting on X, “Off to Venezuela." American Airlines is resuming direct flights from the US to Venezuela for the first time in seven years.”

The launch was marked by small ceremonies at Miami International Airport, where American Airlines staff handed out Venezuelan flags and decorated the gate in the country’s yellow, blue, and red colours, Al Jazeera reported.

Passengers were served coffee and arepas onboard. Before departure, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said: “Miami-Dade is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States.”

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Flights are back, but barriers aren’t

Although high fares and strict US visa requirements remain obstacles for many travelers, the restored link is expected to ease family travel and support limited commercial movement between the two countries.

American Airlines was the last US carrier operating in Venezuela before it suspended service in 2019. Delta and United had already withdrawn in 2017 as the political crisis deepened.