US-Venezuela passenger flights resume after seven-year hiatus

Regular passenger flights between the United States and Venezuela resumed on Thursday after a seven-year suspension, according to Flightradar24 News. The first flight, operated by American Airlines, departed from Miami and landed at Maiquetia International Airport near Caracas on April 30, restoring a key air link between the two countries. American Airlines plans to operate daily service initially and increase frequencies later in May. The resumption follows the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces and the subsequent easing of some aviation restrictions on Venezuela.

Aircraft and operators

American Airlines will use Embraer 175 aircraft configured to carry 76 passengers. At its peak, the carrier operated about 10 daily flights to Venezuela from multiple US cities. Cargo flights have already resumed in recent weeks, with airlines including SkyLease Cargo and Cargojet Airways operating services to Caracas. Venezuela-based Laser Airlines is also planning to launch Miami-Caracas services in May using leased Airbus A320 aircraft. However, Venezuelan carriers remain barred from operating their own aircraft to the US due to their FAA Category 2 safety rating.