American Airlines resumed its direct service between Miami and Simón Bolívar International Airport this Thursday, which had been suspended since June 24 when two devastating earthquakes forced the closure of Venezuela's main airport, as confirmed by the airline to several media outlets.
The route is operated with a Boeing 737-8, an aircraft with a higher capacity than the Embraer E175 used during the inaugural flight in April, allowing for an increase in seating availability during a period of high demand.
The itinerary scheduled the departure from Miami at 10:30 am, arriving in Caracas at 1:36 pm. The return flight takes off from Maiquetía at 2:40 pm and lands in Miami at 6:13 pm.
José A. Freig, Vice President of International Operations and Commercial Partnerships at the company, emphasized the significance of the return: "We are proud to be the first U.S. airline to resume service to Caracas following the recent earthquakes and to do so with a larger aircraft," he noted, highlighting that the increased capacity arrives at a crucial time for the country's recovery.
Freig also recalled the historical connection of the company with Venezuela: "With nearly 40 years of experience in Venezuela, we remain committed to our customers."
The resumption of the route coincides with the partial reopening of Maiquetía, which resumed operations on Tuesday with provisional modular facilities set up in the airport parking lot, following more than two months of total closure. The temporary terminal has a capacity for 2,168 passengers, featuring an international departures area of 4,300 square meters and four boarding gates.
The closure occurred following the earthquakes of June 24, two consecutive tremors of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, separated by just 39 seconds. The official death toll rose to over 6,300, with tens of thousands injured and displaced.
During the closure of Maiquetía, American maintained connectivity with Venezuela through Maracaibo: on July 14, it inaugurated a daily Miami-Maracaibo service that served as an alternative for passengers needing to reach the country. Additionally, the airline operated a humanitarian assistance flight to Caracas carrying over 4,000 kilos of supplies for affected communities.
The return of flights is another chapter in the story of air reactivation between the United States and Venezuela. American was the first American airline to return to the Andean nation on April 30, after nearly seven years of suspension since March 2019, amidst the deterioration of diplomatic relations between Washington and Nicolás Maduro's regime.
Miami has the largest proportion of Venezuelan residents in the United States, with over 254,000 people, with Doral being the main hub of that community.
The airline is collaborating with the authorities in Venezuela and the United States to reinstate a second daily flight between Miami and Caracas when the airport's operational conditions allow it. The recovery of the original terminal in Maiquetía is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027.
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