The American airline American Airlines announced this Thursday that it plans to begin offering daily direct flights between the United States and Venezuela as of April 30, when the necessary government and security procedures are completed.
“Once all government approvals and security checks are completed, American plans to offer daily non-stop flights between Miami (MIA) and Caracas, Venezuela (CCS), with Embraer 175 aircraft beginning April 30,” the airline said in a statement.
“Envoy, a subsidiary of American Airlines Group, will operate the service,” he added.
American Airlines will become the first US airline to resume direct flights between both countries, which had been suspended since 2019, by order of US President Donald Trump during his first term.
Last March, American Airlines received authorization from the US Government to restart flights, which will connect Caracas with Miami, where the largest Venezuelan diaspora in the United States is located.
“American Airlines’ operations center in Miami is the United States’ main gateway to Latin America, and our service to Venezuela is a fundamental part of our history and our future,” declared the airline’s commercial director, Nat Pieper.
Trump himself lifted the veto this year, after Washington and Caracas brought positions closer after the capture of the deposed president Nicolás Maduro by the US military on January 3, and he was replaced as acting president by the then vice president, Delcy Rodríguez.
“We are encouraged by the progress we have made with both governments,” added American Eagle Executive Vice President, American Airlines Corporate Real Estate and Government Affairs, Nate Gatten.
American Airlines recalled that until the 2019 interruption, it had been the largest US airline flying to and from Venezuela since 1987.
However, the US State Department maintains a level 3 alert for Americans wishing to travel to Venezuela, asking them to “reconsider traveling to Venezuela” due to the risk of “crime, kidnapping, terrorism and poor health infrastructure.”
