Inaugural American Airlines flight symbolizes critical progress in reforging economic and cultural ties
Miami, FL – U.S. Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Policy Ryan McCormack today joined American Airlines executives, Venezuelan Ambassador to the U.S. Felix Plasencia, Miami-Dade County officials, and representatives from the U.S. Department of State for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the first commercial flight from the United States to Venezuela in seven years.
Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Duffy, the Department moved quickly to support the safe resumption of air travel. This American Airlines flight (operated by Envoy Air) will fly daily between Miami International Airport and Simón Bolívar International Airport.
“Today is about more than just another flight – it’s a critical milestone in strengthening the United States relationship with Venezuela and unleashing economic opportunity in both countries,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “I am proud of our Department’s work behind the scenes to make this inaugural flight come to life, and I want to thank American Airlines for their continued commitment to servicing this essential aviation artery. Under President Trump’s historic leadership, the future of air travel between the United States and Venezuela has never been brighter. We can’t wait to expand on this progress and bring more flights online in the coming months.”
“Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Duffy, the United States and Venezuela are reforging longstanding economic and cultural ties,” said U.S. Transportation Undersecretary Ryan McCormack. “This flight will directly contribute to Venezuela’s economic recovery. USDOT looks forward to continuing to work with our Venezuelan counterparts to build on this strong foundation and unlock additional opportunities.”
“American is proud to be the first airline to resume service between Venezuela and the U.S. Our historic return to Venezuela wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the governments of both countries,” said American’s Executive Vice President of American Eagle, Corporate Real Estate and Government Affairs Nate Gatten. “American is the leading air carrier between the U.S. and Latin America because of our incredible Miami hub and the people, elected leaders, and community who help power it every day.”
In addition to American Airlines, other U.S. carriers have expressed a strong interest in restoring operations to Caracas and other locations across Venezuela. USDOT will continue to review applications and provide updates in the coming months on new offerings.
Additional Information:
In January, President Trump directed the Department of Transportation to reopen the airspace surrounding Venezuela and explore opportunities to restore commercial flights between the two countries.
Later that month, American Airlines announced its plans to reinstate daily nonstop service between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Duffy, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) worked expeditiously with the airline and Venezuela’s Civil Aviation Authority (INAC) to conduct necessary safety and regulatory reviews. In March , the FAA approved the flight.