A commercial passenger plane from the US landed in Venezuela on Thursday for the first time in nearly seven years, as the countries continue to restore economic ties following the ouster of Venezuela’s strongman leader in January.
The inaugural American Airlines flight lasted just under three hours, departing from Miami at 10:26 a.m. ET before landing at Simon Bolivar International Airport near Caracas around 1:15 p.m. local time. It returned to Miami later in the day.
American Airlines said it is the first US carrier to relaunch a daily service to the South American country, using an Embraer 175 dual-class aircraft operated by Envoy, the airlines’ wholly owned subsidiary.
The excitement was palpable before the flight in Miami International Airport, where music was blaring at the boarding gate alongside free food, including the country’s staple dish of arepas, and balloons in the color of the Venezuelan flag. One TSA worker looked at a boarding pass and said to CNN: “Caracas? I’ve not seen that destination in a while.”
On board the plane, around two-thirds of the seats were taken due to weight restrictions and were largely filled with journalists and officials.
The airline had announced its intent to resume flights in January, the same day US President Donald Trump instructed the Department of Transportation to take steps to reestablish air service to Venezuela.
Flights to Caracas vary in price depending on the date of departure, type of ticket and route. A search on the American Airlines website shows a round-trip ticket departing Miami early May and returning end of the month is costing more than $1,000.
It was similarly festive at Simon Bolivar International Airport, about 16 miles west of Caracas, as a saxophonist played “Theme from New York, New York.”
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