American Airlines announced that it plans to resume its daily flights to Venezuela after obtaining authorization from the United States government and while awaiting the safety assessments to be conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The American president Donald Trump ordered the Department of Transportation this Thursday to lift the restrictions that were preventing commercial flights to the South American country, following a conversation with the interim Venezuelan president Delcy Rodríguez, who is leading the political transition after the capture of Nicolás Maduro in early January, reported Reuters.
“U.S. citizens will soon be able to travel to Venezuela, and they will be safe there,” Trump stated while announcing the measure from Washington.
American Airlines suspended its operations in Venezuela in 2019 when flights between the two countries were prohibited for security reasons.
The company, which began operating in the country in 1987, was for years the leading American airline in Venezuelan territory.
The company announced that the flights will provide opportunities for business travel, tourism, and humanitarian missions, at a time of economic reopening and gradual normalization of relations between Washington and Caracas.
Before resuming operations, the FAA must conduct safety assessments at Venezuelan airports and airspace, a process that could take several months.
In mid-January, the FAA issued caution alerts to U.S. airlines flying over Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America, due to the risk of GPS interference and ongoing military activities in the region.
The announcement from American Airlines comes amidst a new phase of rapprochement between the United States and Venezuela, driven by the Trump administration as part of the plan to stabilize the country and reactivate its energy industry under international oversight.
The reopening of direct flights between Miami and Caracas also symbolizes a gesture of confidence in Rodríguez's interim management and represents another step toward restoring air connectivity with the continent.
In parallel, the Venezuelan airline Laser Airlines also requested authorization from the U.S. Department of Transportation to operate regular and charter flights between Miami and Caracas, reflecting the growing interest among airlines to return to a historically strategic route between the two countries.
Furthermore, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Thursday the reopening of Venezuelan airspace for commercial flights, a decision that could signify a key turning point in regional mobility and in the relationship between Washington and Caracas.
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