First U.S.-Venezuela Flights Land in Caracas After Seven-Year Ban, Following Maduro Capture
American Airlines resumed direct Miami-Caracas service on April 30, 2026, ending a flight suspension that began in May 2019. The resumption followed the January 2026 U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro, a TSA security assessment at Simón Bolívar Airport, and a State Department travel alert downgrade.
American Airlines operated the first direct U.S.-Venezuela commercial flight in seven years on April 30, 2026, landing in Caracas after a suspension imposed in May 2019 over security conditions under the Maduro government. The flight — Miami to Caracas's Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport — was operated by Envoy Air, American's regional subsidiary, using an Embraer 175. American announced a second daily Miami-Caracas departure starting May 21.
The resumption of flights followed a sequence of diplomatic, military, and regulatory steps that began in January 2026.
The 2019 Ban
On June 4, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security published a Federal Register notice stating that conditions in Venezuela threatened the safety and security of passengers, aircraft, and crew. The determination cited civil unrest near airports, Venezuela's refusal to grant TSA access for security assessments, the U.S. Embassy's suspension of operations, a State Department Do Not Travel advisory, and the FAA's May 1, 2019 restriction on U.S. air carrier operations below FL 260 in Venezuelan airspace. The Department of Transportation issued Order 2019-5-5 (Docket DOT-OST-2019-0072) suspending all direct commercial passenger and cargo flights between the United States and Venezuela, effective May 15, 2019.
Maduro's Capture and Diplomatic Reset
On January 3, 2026, President Trump announced that U.S. military strikes had culminated in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Maduro and Flores were transferred to New York to face narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons charges. Venezuela's new interim government subsequently re-established diplomatic and economic relationships with the United States.
On January 29, 2026, Trump directed the Department of Transportation and other agencies to take steps to re-establish air service to Venezuela. The Secretary of Transportation issued Order 2026-1-24 the same day, rescinding the 2019 suspension.
On March 14, 2026, the U.S. Embassy in Caracas raised the American flag, marking the resumption of formal diplomatic operations. On March 19, 2026, the State Department downgraded its Venezuela travel alert from Level 4 (Do Not Travel) to Level 3 (Reconsider Travel).
TSA Assessment and Rescission
Between February 22 and 24, 2026, TSA conducted an on-site security assessment at Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport. TSA made several recommendations to Venezuela's National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) and concluded that sufficient security measures had been implemented to commence commercial flight operations from the United States to Caracas. TSA stated it is continuing to assess other Venezuelan airports for future route approvals.
DHS published the rescission notice in the Federal Register on April 17, 2026 (91 Fed. Reg. 20698), effective April 15, 2026. The notice cited the changed conditions in Venezuela, the TSA assessment's findings, and the State Department's travel alert revision.