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American Airlines has resumed flights as Donald Trump moves to rebuild relations after the kidnapping of Nicolas Maduro.
The first direct flight between the United States and Venezuela has arrived in Caracas, ending a seven-year suspension imposed by the US Department of Defense for security reasons.
Flight AA3599, operated by Envoy Air, the regional branch of American Airlines, took off from Miami at 10:11am ET (14:11 GMT) on Thursday, five minutes early, according to airport data.
It arrived in the Venezuelan capital three hours later and was scheduled to return to Florida in the afternoon. Earlier, the airline said the second daily flight between Miami and Caracas will start on May 21.
The return of non-stop flights comes a few months after a major shift in US-Venezuela relations, following Washington’s January operation that preceded it. take over of former President Nicolas Maduro, and is the first sign of an air connection between the two countries since their relations were terminated in 2019. For many years, travelers have been using other routes through other Latin American destinations.
Translation: “For almost seven years, there were no direct commercial flights between the United States and Venezuela. Under the leadership of President Trump, we are changing today. Flights between Miami and Caracas have resumed,” the US State Department wrote on X.
Coffee and arepas on the plane
At Miami International Airport, American Airlines celebrated the event with a small ceremony, decorating the departure gate with Venezuelan flags and balloons in the country’s yellow, blue and red colors.
Passengers were served coffee and arepas, a traditional Venezuelan food, on the plane.
Thursday’s service was operated by an Embraer E175 aircraft with approximately 75 passengers.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P Duffy said the flight represented more than just the return of the airline.
“Today is almost another flight, it’s a very important thing to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Venezuela and to generate economic opportunities for both countries,” added Duffy.
He said that the resumption follows the great work of the department and praised American Airlines for restoring the route which he described as important, saying that more flights are expected in the coming months.
Ticket prices
While exciting, high ticket prices remain a major barrier, along with US visa requirements that have left many travelers without the necessary documents to fly.
Recent searches on the airline’s website show fares returning in early May from $1,200, before dropping to more than $1,000 later in the month, suggesting fares may drop as operations pick up.
In comparison, flights through Bogota usually range from $390 to $900 round trip, with Avianca among the major carriers.
American Airlines was the last US carrier in Venezuela before it suspended flights in 2019, while Delta and United had already left in 2017 amid political unrest that has forced millions to leave the country.
“Parents will be able to reunite with children, grandparents and grandchildren, and families with the places they once called home,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine said before Cava’s departure. “Miami-Dade is home to the largest number of Venezuelans in the United States.”
