US Approves American Airlines Venezuela Flights

The newly approved daily, non-stop services will connect Miami with Caracas and Maracaibo. These routes will be operated by Envoy Air, a wholly-owned regional carrier of American Airlines, utilizing Embraer regional jets. This marks the first time in over six years that a U.S. airline will operate flights to Venezuela. All passenger and cargo flights by U.S. carriers were suspended by the Department of Transportation in May 2019 due to safety and security concerns amid political instability. American Airlines was the last major U.S. carrier to halt its Venezuelan operations in March 2019. This followed a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory from the U.S. State Department and the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. Other major airlines, United and Delta, had already ceased their flights to the country in 2017. The decision to potentially resume flights came after President Donald Trump directed the Secretary of Transportation to rescind the 2019 order in January 2026. This move followed a U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Prior to the flight suspension, American Airlines had a significant presence in the country, operating there for over 30 years since 1987. In 2018, the airline accounted for approximately 58% of the total seat capacity between the U.S. and Venezuela. Before the approval, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration visited Caracas to review airport security procedures, a necessary step for the resumption of flights. While American Airlines is the first U.S. carrier to receive this approval, a number of international airlines already operate in Venezuela. These include carriers from South America and Europe, providing connections to various destinations. Despite the flight approval, the U.S. State Department's "Do Not Travel" advisory for Venezuela remains in effect.