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American Airlines has taken a formal step to restore its commercial operations between the United States and Venezuela, a move that could signify the end of nearly seven years of interruption in direct air traffic between the two countries.
The airline requested authorization from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to resume regular flights from Miami to Caracas and Maracaibo, the company reported in documents submitted this Friday.
The request was made through Envoy Air, the regional subsidiary of American Airlines, which would initially handle the service once it is formally approved.
Although a specific date has not yet been set, this would be the first flight after nearly seven years of interruptions since 2019.
"The approval of this request would further advance President Trump's goal of reopening air service to Venezuela and serve the public interest by providing opportunities for business, leisure, and humanitarian travel to the region," the text states, which was accessed by EFE.
The airline recalled that it was the largest in the U.S. operating in Venezuela before suspending flights in 2019 for security reasons. It had been flying there since 1987.
In the past, I had authorization to operate routes from Florida, a state with the largest Venezuelan community in the United States.
In its application, the company predicted that the flights "will not face energy or environmental issues" and that it does not anticipate "difficulty in obtaining fuel" for the Miami–Caracas or Miami–Maracaibo routes, emphasizing the technical feasibility of reinstating these services.
The request to the DOT follows an order issued on January 29 that lifted the ban imposed in 2019 on commercial and cargo flights between the United States and Venezuela, a decision made to restore air connectivity between the two countries after years of tensions and restrictions.
At that moment, the company announced that the flights will provide opportunities for business travel, tourism, and humanitarian missions, during a time of economic reopening and gradual normalization of relations between Washington and Caracas.
Signs of normalization following Maduro's capture
The initiative also comes in the context of a rapprochement between Washington and Caracas following a period of strong tensions.
President Trump has indicated that the United States maintains "a very good relationship" with the designated president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, and has celebrated that "oil is starting to flow" between the two countries after years of sanctions and restrictions.
Trump even announced on Friday that he will make a visit to Venezuela, without specifying a date or confirming details of the potential trip.
These statements place the potential resumption of flights within a broader effort for commercial and diplomatic normalization.
Although American Airlines' application is still pending final approval and security evaluations by U.S. authorities, it represents a concrete step towards the reactivation of air connectivity between Miami, one of the main international traffic hubs in South Florida, and two of the most important cities in Venezuela: the capital Caracas and Maracaibo in the western part of the country.
The restoration of these direct flights has been eagerly anticipated by the large Venezuelan diaspora residing in the United States, particularly in Florida, which for years has had to rely on indirect connections or layover routes to travel between the two countries.
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