US, Venezuela restore air links after seven-year break

Direct air service between the United States and Venezuela has resumed for the first time since 2019.

The first direct flight departed from Miami to Venezuela, with a celebratory atmosphere at the boarding gate in Miami Airport, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Washington Post.

Officials from both the United States and Venezuela described the launch of the flight as a sign of improving bilateral relations.

Direct air links between the two countries were effectively cut in 2019 when the US government ordered the suspension of all commercial passenger and cargo flights, citing safety and security risks linked to Venezuela’s political instability and aviation conditions.

This decision forced airlines to halt routes and ended decades of relatively regular connectivity between the countries.

In the following years, travel restrictions remained in place, and direct service did not resume, as US aviation authorities maintained restrictions and airlines avoided the market due to regulatory and operational uncertainty.

By Jeyhun Aghazada