Based in Chicago, Illinois, United is one of the main airlines in the United States. Photo: N509FZ.
Guacamaya, May 12, 2026. On April 30, Venezuela and the United States resumed direct flights following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, And since then, more flight frequencies have been added with the growing interest of several airlines.
After the return of American Airlines and the start of Laser’s route to Miami, today United Airlines announced the return of its flights between Houston and Caracas, connecting Texas directly with Venezuela.
The service between Houston and Caracas will operate starting August 11, with daily service under the following schedule:
- Houston: 11:45 PM – Caracas: 5:30 AM.
- Caracas: 8:00 AM – Houston: 12:30 PM.
The airline will operate the route with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Passengers will enjoy individual screens at each seat with Bluetooth connectivity, streaming content from Apple TV, HBO Max, Spotify, and Peacock, as well as space for carry-on luggage in the cabin.
United’s hub in Houston will offer up to 100 daily flights to more than 50 destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, allowing easy connections to over 180 cities worldwide.
“After nearly a decade, United celebrates the opportunity to resume service between Houston and Venezuela thanks to the leadership and support of the Department of Transportation and the U.S. government,” said Patrick Quayle, United Airlines Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances. “This flight will strengthen cultural and economic ties between the Americas and solidify Houston’s hub as the main gateway to the region.”
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy emphasized: “United’s first flight to Venezuela in nine years represents a new step forward in the relationship between our two countries. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the Department is proud to collaborate with United to make this historic day a reality. This flight will be crucial for transporting oil industry workers and supporting the expansion of production and new economic opportunities between the United States and Venezuela.”
Tickets are already on sale on United’s website and mobile app.
The restart of this flight would benefit Venezuela’s oil recovery and the Venezuelan community in Texas, which, after Florida, is the largest in the United States.
With United’s return, flights between the United States and Venezuela now total 4 daily flights and operate as follows:
- American Airlines operated by American Eagle: Miami, 2 daily flights.
- Laser Airlines under U.S. airline Global X operation: Miami, 1 daily flight.
- United Airlines: Houston, daily service.
The U.S. TSA will be inspecting the airports of Maracaibo and Barcelona to begin operating flights from these terminals to Miami.
American Airlines has already received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to fly to Maracaibo, pending final certifications, as announced when they started the Miami-Caracas service. In the case of Barcelona, Avior Airlines will operate the service to the Florida city.
In the coming weeks, we could see Delta from Atlanta or Miami, or even JetBlue Airways from Fort Lauderdale, arriving in Caracas.
Qatar Airways opens first direct frequency to the Persian Gulf
Maiquetía International Airport has also gained a historic flight with Qatar Airways to Doha, starting July 22. The airline will be the first Persian Gulf airline to operate in Venezuela.
On its inaugural flight, the airline will operate a non-stop service between Doha and Caracas, departing Doha at 8:15 AM and arriving in Caracas at 4:30 PM. The aircraft will then operate the Caracas-Bogotá-Caracas-Doha leg.
Flights will operate with two weekly frequencies on Wednesdays and Sundays under the following schedule:
Doha: 7:30 AM – Bogotá: 4:05 PM
Bogotá: 5:35 PM – Caracas: 8:40 PM
Caracas: 10:40 PM – Doha: 7:55 PM +1
Flights will be operated with Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.
The flight schedule has been designed to provide seamless connections through Hamad International Airport to key markets such as Australia, China, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Lebanon, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia. This offers passengers greater flexibility and smooth transfer options across Qatar Airways’ global network.
The addition of Caracas and Bogotá marks the 15th and 16th destinations in the Americas served by Qatar Airways. The airline began operating in South America in 2010 with its inaugural flight to São Paulo, Brazil.
Cargo Reactivation
Cargo activity has been reactivated in Venezuela with increased cargo services from airlines such as DHL and the return of Avianca Cargo.
Following the reactivation of flights between the United States and Venezuela, airlines such as Canada’s Cargojet with flights Miami – Santo Domingo – Caracas, and U.S.-based Amerijet have resumed their flights to Caracas and Valencia. LATAM Cargo has also started flights on the Miami – Caracas – Bogotá route.
This increase in cargo activity not only improves the supply chain but also optimizes import costs and times for critical inputs. Additionally, it strengthens Venezuela’s export potential, facilitating the shipment of domestic products to international markets more competitively.
Connections within Venezuela’s regions also grow
Unlike before, air connectivity within Venezuela is advancing rapidly, driven by a new political and economic landscape. Cities such as Maracaibo, Valencia, Barquisimeto, and Barcelona are consolidating their positions to join the reactivation of air connectivity.
In Maracaibo, Copa Airlines leads and is for now the only international connection, with five weekly frequencies to Panama City, which will reach daily service starting in June.
Airlines Avianca and American Airlines have confirmed their interest in starting operations in Maracaibo after their consolidation in Caracas (in Avianca’s case) and American’s arrival.
Avianca has already requested the Bogotá – Maracaibo route from Colombia’s Aerocivil, planning a daily flight on Airbus A320 equipment.
American Airlines is awaiting the green light from the TSA to resume the Miami – Maracaibo route, which would return direct U.S. connectivity to Zulia state.
In Valencia, for now, Arturo Michelena International Airport stands as the main terminal outside Caracas.
Turpial Airlines maintains its base in Valencia with flights to Bogotá and Panama, twice a week to each.
Copa Airlines offers daily service to Panama.
Rutaca operates to Havana and Santiago de Cuba, but these flights mainly serve the shopping tourism segment.
Wingo, the Colombian low-cost carrier of Copa Holdings: On May 7, it announced the start of its new Bogotá – Valencia route. It will have three weekly frequencies (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays), at an event supported by national and regional authorities.
Arajet, the Dominican low-cost airline, also maintains plans to operate to Maracaibo and Valencia, but after finalizing the start of flights to Caracas.
Barquisimeto strengthened its offerings on May 4 with the arrival of Copa Airlines (3 weekly frequencies), joining Rutaca’s current operation to Panama twice a week.
Meanwhile, Barcelona regains its international connection: starting June 2, Copa Airlines connects eastern Venezuela with Panama three times a week (Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays). General José Antonio Anzoátegui Airport expects TSA certification in the coming days. This green light would allow Avior Airlines to start the Barcelona – Miami route, a vital step to support the resurgence of oil activity in the region.
As for Margarita Island, there are charter flight connections. Although Porlamar Airport does not yet have a regular large-scale international connection (except for Rutaca’s route to Port of Spain, twice a week), Wingo confirms the start of flights from Bogotá and Medellín in June and July through tourist packages. Between November and March, World2Fly will operate a weekly service from Katowice, Poland, on Airbus A330 aircraft, consolidating the flow of Polish tourists to the island.
Industry groups are pushing for the start of regular flights to cities like Bogotá and Panama, the latter with Copa, which would connect Margarita to the continent’s main hubs without going through Caracas.
Air connectivity within the country continues to rise, with international airlines showing interest in operating in these regions of Venezuela.
