American Airlines sets date for Venezuela return
American Airlines jets could be back in Venezuela this month.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based Oneworld alliance carrier plans to resume flights to Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS) near Caracas "as soon as April 30," American said Thursday. The airline will serve CCS daily from Miami International Airport (MIA) with a 76-seat Embraer E175.
Ticket sales to CCS are still pending.
American's MIA-CCS service will be the first scheduled nonstop flights between the U.S. and Venezuela since 2019, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows. The carrier ended service between MIA and both CCS and La Chinita International Airport (MAR) near Maracaibo in April of that year, and flights on Venezuelan carriers Avior Airlines and Estelar ended a month later.
The return of nonstop flights follows the change in leadership in Venezuela after the U.S. removed and arrested the country's former president, Nicolás Maduro, in January.
American announced in January that it would be the first airline to resume nonstop flights between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Two Star Alliance carriers — Colombia-based Avianca and Panama's Copa Airlines — are also increasing service to Venezuela since the change in leadership. The former is now flying twice daily instead of several times a week to CCS from Bogota's El Dorado International Airport (BOG), while the latter has returned to three secondary Venezuelan cities in addition to CCS from its Tocumen International Airport (PTY) hub in Panama City.
Related reading:
- Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
- Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
- American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- Everything you need to know about flying basic economy on American Airlines