First Direct U.S.-Venezuela Flight in 7 Years Takes Off From Miami

MIAMI—The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela in nearly seven years departed Thursday from Miami International Airport, reopening a route suspended in 2019 and restoring one of the most important air links for Venezuelans in South Florida.

American Airlines Flight AA3599, operated by American Eagle, left Miami for Caracas on an Embraer 175 aircraft after a sendoff ceremony attended by U.S. transportation officials, American Airlines executives, Venezuelan representatives, and Miami-Dade officials. The flight was scheduled to land at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía at 1:36 p.m.

The route will operate daily, with the Miami-Caracas flight departing at 10:16 a.m. and the return flight leaving Caracas at 2:40 p.m., landing in Miami at 6:13 p.m., according to American Airlines.

The relaunch ends a nearly seven-year interruption in direct commercial air service between the two countries. U.S. airlines were barred from flying to Venezuela under a 2019 order, which Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy rescinded in January after President Donald Trump directed him to reopen air links, according to Reuters. The U.S. Department of Transportation approved American's request in March to operate flights from Miami to Caracas and Maracaibo through Envoy.

At Miami International Airport, the departure was marked with Venezuelan flags, balloons in the country's yellow, blue and red colors, and a breakfast that included arepas. A "Caracas Check-in" sign returned to the terminal for the first time since the suspension, while passengers took photos before boarding.

For many Venezuelan travelers, the route's return changes a trip that had become costly, long and unpredictable. Since 2019, travel from the U.S. to Venezuela often required connections through Panama, the Dominican Republic, Colombia or other countries, with separate tickets, long layovers and added risk of missed connections.

Still, the first flight did not leave full. High fares remain one of the first obstacles for travelers. NBC6 reported that recent searches on American's system showed round-trip tickets for late April above $2,700, with May fares dropping to just over $1,000.

American Airlines said the flights will be operated on a dual-class Embraer 175 with a premium cabin and free Wi-Fi. The company began flying to Venezuela in 1987 and was the largest U.S. airline in the country before suspending service in 2019.

"American is proud to be the first airline to resume service between Venezuela and the U.S.," Nate Gatten, American's executive vice president of American Eagle, Corporate Real Estate and Government Affairs, said in a statement released by the Transportation Department.

Duffy called the flight "more than just another flight" and described it as "a critical milestone in strengthening the United States relationship with Venezuela and unleashing economic opportunity in both countries."

The Transportation Department said other U.S. carriers have also expressed interest in restoring service to Caracas and other Venezuelan destinations.

For now, the Miami-Caracas route returns with one daily flight, limited seats and high prices. But for Venezuelans who spent years reaching home through third countries, Thursday's departure marked the practical return of something that once felt routine: a direct flight home.