The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years touched down in Caracas on Thursday, closing a chapter of severed ties and signalling a significant shift in relations between Washington and the South American nation.
Flight AA3599, operated by Envoy Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, departed Miami International Airport at 10:11 am Eastern Time and landed at Simón Bolívar International Airport roughly three hours later. On board were civilian passengers as well as Jarrod Agen, director of the United States National Energy Dominance Council, who is scheduled to meet Venezuelan officials and executives from the country’s energy and mining sectors.
The resumption of direct travel comes months after a United States military operation seized former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a nighttime raid on his residence in Caracas on January 3, 2026. Maduro, who faces drug trafficking and narcoterrorism charges in New York, has pleaded not guilty. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who served as vice president under Maduro, has since cooperated with Washington’s phased approach to normalising bilateral relations.
The Trump administration has progressively eased sanctions in response. In March, the United States Treasury authorised the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) to sell Venezuelan oil directly to American companies, reversing years of broad restrictions. In late March, the United States formally reopened its embassy in Caracas, followed by the lifting of personal sanctions against Rodríguez in early April.
The Department of Homeland Security rescinded the 2019 flight ban two weeks ago, determining that conditions in Venezuela no longer posed a threat to the safety of passengers and crew. American Airlines, which had been the last United States carrier operating in Venezuela before suspending service in 2019, was the first to restore the route.
At Miami International Airport, staff decorated the departure gate with Venezuelan flags and balloons in the national colours of yellow, blue and red. Passengers were served arepas on board. A second daily round-trip flight between Miami and Caracas is scheduled to launch on May 21.
Return fares currently start above $1,200, a significant premium over connecting routes through Bogotá or Curaçao, though prices are expected to fall as services expand. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the resumption as a milestone in strengthening relations and expanding economic opportunity in both countries.
The diplomatic progress carries complexity. The Trump administration has simultaneously moved to terminate programmes that shielded Venezuelan migrants from deportation, and the State Department continues to advise caution regarding crime levels inside Venezuela.
