First Direct US-Venezuela Commercial Flight in Seven Years Lands in Caracas

American Airlines resumed direct commercial flights between the United States and Venezuela on Thursday after a seven-year suspension imposed by the Department of Homeland Security over security concerns. Flight AA3599 departed Miami at 10:11am and arrived in Caracas three hours later, marking a diplomatic thaw following the US capture of President Nicolás Maduro in January. The resumption is significant for Miami-Dade County's large Venezuelan community, who have relied on indirect routes through Latin American hubs since 2019. However, direct flights starting at over $1,200 round-trip remain more than twice as expensive as indirect routes via Bogota, which typically cost $390-$900, creating a price barrier for many travelers despite strict US visa requirements already limiting access.

Resumption of Direct US-Venezuela Flights After Seven-Year Suspension

• ▪Delta and United withdrew from Venezuela in 2017 amid a deepening political crisis
• ▪Travellers between the United States and Venezuela used indirect routes through other Latin American hubs for years before direct flights resumed
• ▪American Airlines resumed direct commercial flights between the United States and Venezuela after a seven-year suspension
• ▪American Airlines announced a second daily flight between Miami and Caracas would start on May 21
• ▪Flight AA3599 departed Miami at 10:11am ET on Thursday and arrived in Caracas roughly three hours later
• ▪Envoy Air, a regional subsidiary of American Airlines, operated Flight AA3599
• ▪American Airlines was the last US carrier operating in Venezuela before suspending flights in 2019
• ▪Direct air links between the United States and Venezuela were severed in 2019 when diplomatic ties ended

Diplomatic Shift Following Maduro's Abduction

• ▪US Transportation Secretary Sean P Duffy described the flight resumption as a critical milestone in strengthening the United States relationship with Venezuela
• ▪Washington conducted an operation in January that led to the abduction of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

Celebration and Logistics of the Inaugural Flight

• ▪Passengers on Flight AA3599 were served coffee and arepas, a traditional Venezuelan dish
• ▪Flight AA3599 was operated by an Embraer E175 regional jet with a capacity for about 75 passengers
• ▪American Airlines decorated the departure gate at Miami International Airport with Venezuelan flags and balloon displays in yellow, blue and red colours
• ▪Flight AA3599 departed five minutes ahead of schedule according to airport data
• ▪Miami-Dade County is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States

Accessibility Challenges: High Costs and Visa Requirements

• ▪Return fares on American Airlines flights between Miami and Caracas for early May start at more than $1,200
• ▪Flights between the United States and Venezuela via Bogota typically range from $390 to $900 round-trip

Perspective of Venezuelan diaspora in Miami

• ▪The Venezuelan community in Miami-Dade County has been separated from family in Venezuela by the lack of direct flights since 2019