American Airlines subsidiary gets green light for flights to Venezuela

The US Department of Transportation on Wednesday authorised a subsidiary of American Airlines to operate direct commercial flights from Miami to the Venezuelan cities of Caracas and Maracaibo, marking the first approval for such services in more than six years.

The permit, valid for a two‑year period, was granted to Envoy Air — a wholly owned regional subsidiary of American Airlines — after it applied on 13 February. The airline confirmed the development in a statement, noting it had suspended services to Venezuela in 2019 after operating there for more than three decades.

Envoy Air plans to operate daily nonstop flights to both Venezuelan cities from Miami, although no specific start date has yet been announced. Resumption of service follows a decision earlier this year by Donald Trump’s administration to lift restrictions that previously barred US carriers from flying to Venezuela and follows security reviews of Venezuelan airports by the Transportation Security Administration.

The move is seen as part of a broader reopening of ties between the two countries after years of diplomatic strain, with the US State Department still advising against travel to Venezuela due to ongoing security concerns.