American Airlines resumed its route between Miami International Airport and La Chinita International Airport in Maracaibo on Wednesday, as part of efforts to restore air connectivity in Venezuela following the earthquakes that devastated the country on June 24.
According to the information released by the Ministry of Popular Power for Communication and Information (MIPPCI), the airline operates the route with daily flights in both directions: the flight from Miami departs at 10:10 a.m. and arrives in Maracaibo at 1:30 p.m., while the return flight leaves at 2:10 p.m. and lands in the United States at 5:15 p.m.
The assigned aircraft are Embraer 175, equipped with a premium cabin and high-speed internet connection.
The context that led to both the suspension and the resumption of these flights is the worst seismic disaster Venezuela has experienced in over a century: two consecutive earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, separated by just 39 seconds, shook the central-northern part of the country with the epicenter in the Yaracuy-Carabobo region.
The official balance reports more than 4,500 deceased, 16,740 injured, and nearly 19,000 people without housing, while the UN estimates up to 50,000 missing.
The Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, the country's main airport terminal, was rendered out of service on June 24 due to severe structural damage: collapse of roofs, cracks in the runways, and the fall of the Area Control Center.
The closure of Maiquetía caused panic among passengers and crew members and forced the cancellation of over 100 flights, affecting around 15,000 passengers on June 25 alone.
American Airlines suspended its flights AA 3759 and AA 3599 between Miami and Caracas on that date, with cancellations extending through July 10 inclusive.
La Chinita Airport in Maracaibo, on the other hand, did not suffer any damage to its runway and resumed commercial operations on June 26, becoming one of the main air entry alternatives to the country.
On July 1, the U.S. Southern Command took operational control of the Maiquetía air traffic tower with 110 specialized aviators to restore humanitarian cargo traffic, while Washington committed 386 million dollars in aid to Venezuela.
The reactivation of the Miami-Maracaibo route is particularly significant because American Airlines had only returned to Venezuela on April 30, 2026, after a seven-year absence since March 2019, making it the first American airline to resume operations in the country.
The airline justified the reactivation of this air bridge with an argument that combines commercial and humanitarian aspects: "The importance of reactivating this air bridge and maintaining strong communication channels following the recent earthquakes reaffirms the airline's not only its commercial confidence in the Venezuelan market but also its social commitment to facilitate the flow of aid, family reunions, and corporate travel at a crucial time for the country's recovery."
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