American Airlines to restart service to Venezuela — here’s what’s confirmed
American Airlines says it plans to restart nonstop service between the U.S. and Venezuela, but the route, start date, and schedule haven’t been released yet. Here’s what’s confirmed so far—and what travelers should watch for next.
American Airlines has publicly announced that it plans to reinstate nonstop service between the United States and Venezuela, but the airline is not selling tickets yet and key operational details are still pending government approvals and security sign-offs.
This article sticks to what can be backed by primary and major-reporting sources, and it’s clear about what we don’t know yet.
What’s confirmed right now
American’s Jan. 29, 2026 press release says:
- It’s the first airline to announce plans to reinstate nonstop U.S.–Venezuela service.
- The airline is “ready to commence flights,” but only pending government approval and security assessments.
- The intent is to resume daily service once cleared.
- American says it will share additional details in the coming months while it works with federal authorities, stakeholders, and union partners.
What we still don’t know yet
Even with the headline announcement, American has not publicly locked in the details travelers actually need to book:
- Which airports/cities in the U.S. and Venezuela will be served
- Start date for the first flight
- Flight numbers and departure/arrival times
- How many flights per week at launch (beyond the stated “daily” intent)
- Aircraft type and onboard product details
American explicitly said more specifics will come later, after approvals and security assessments.
Why this is a big shift
Direct commercial passenger (and cargo) flights between the U.S. and Venezuela have been shut down since 2019.
A May 15, 2019 release from the U.S. Department of Transportation explains the government ordered a suspension of air service due to safety and security concerns, in coordination with other federal agencies (and alongside FAA flight restrictions at the time). (Department of Transportation)
The underlying DOT order (2019-5-5) spells out the reasoning in more detail—citing issues like civil unrest, security assessment limits, and concerns for passengers/crew—while formally suspending authority for carriers to operate to or from Venezuelan airports.
What has to happen before flights can actually start
Two big gates stand out from the sources:
- Government permission to restore the operating authority that was suspended (the airline itself says it’s pending approval).
- Security assessments / safety sign-offs, which American calls out directly as a condition for restarting service.
A January 2026 Congressional Research Service brief adds context that U.S.–Venezuela air service has been suspended since May 2019 and describes how FAA NOTAMs and related actions can shape what’s possible operationally in the region. (Congress.gov)
What other reporting adds (helpful context, not airline schedule details)
A Jan. 29, 2026 report from Associated Press says President Trump ordered steps to reopen Venezuelan commercial airspace and notes American was the last U.S. airline flying to Venezuela before the 2019 suspension; AP also reports the FAA said it was lifting certain NOTAMs it described as precautionary measures.
Industry reporting from FlightGlobal says the administration issued a directive to re-open Venezuelan airspace to commercial flights and that a long-standing NOTAM warning about hazards was lifted, while also noting American has signaled plans to return.
What you should watch for next
If you’re waiting to book, the real “go time” is when you can see the flights in the booking system.
Here’s what will likely happen in order:
- American (and/or regulators) confirms approvals are complete
- American publishes the route + start date
- Flights appear for sale on aa.com with flight numbers and times
- Schedules may still shift in the first few weeks (common with route launches)
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