Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines, launched the first direct flight from the United States to Venezuela in seven years. Flight 3599 departed Miami at 10:26 a.m. local time on Thursday and touched down in Caracas less than three hours later.
Senior officials from Washington arrived to meet Venezuelan government representatives, a step considered impossible just months earlier. Several passengers snapped selfies as they stepped off the aircraft.
End of Isolation
The flight represents the close of Venezuela’s extended isolation from the US and its return to global aviation routes after many airlines withdrew last year during peak tensions.
Two Venezuelan fire trucks marked the occasion with a traditional water arch on the tarmac.
Travelers Share Excitement
Isabel Parra, a Venezuelan-origin travel agent who had not visited since 2018, described her enthusiasm. “For years, we routed through Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, or Bogotá. This direct service is a true delight,” she said. Inaugural tickets priced at $3,000, but fares should fall soon, particularly with a second daily round-trip set for May 21.
Houston lawyer Oscar Fuentes, 64, lined up for the return to Miami. “Life just got much simpler. I’ll sleep in my own bed tonight!” he noted, relieved to skip prior Dominican Republic layovers.
The airline served a special Venezuelan menu, including cachapas corn pancakes and a local chicken salad.
High-Level Greetings
Miami city officials and Venezuela’s ambassador to the US, Félix Plasencia, welcomed passengers at departure. US Chargé d’Affaires John Barrett met the group in Caracas. “Today opens a new historic chapter in US-Venezuela relations,” he declared in Spanish, stating the nation stands “open for business.”
Diplomatic and Economic Shifts
Nearly 1.2 million Venezuelans reside in the US, and improved ties promise stronger American business activity in this South American country with the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
On January 3, US forces conducted a raid in Caracas, capturing former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife for transport to New York on drug trafficking charges, which they reject. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez now governs and has cooperated with the US. President Donald Trump praised her approach to American firms and has eased sanctions, lifting personal measures against her, while ending a migrant protection program.
Venezuela now welcomes private investment in oil and mining sectors.
Texas-based American Airlines, a major Latin America operator, ran the busiest US-Venezuela routes from 1987 until halting service in 2019 as ties worsened.
The US State Department urges citizens to reconsider Venezuela travel due to crime but lifted its full advisory in March.
Aviation faces headwinds from rising oil costs after the US and Israel’s February 28 strike on Iran.
