Patricio Alejandro is a journalist, aviation expert, and editor of @dgaviacion_. In the image, aircraft from the Avior Airlines fleet at the Arturo Michelena International Airport in Valencia, Carabobo. Photo: Alessandro Frison.
Guacamaya, July 15, 2026. The double earthquake on June 24 severely damaged the two terminals of Maiquetía International Airport, forcing operations to be suspended. Venezuela then activated a contingency plan to maintain international air connectivity.
Several airlines have suspended frequencies, but most flights have been relocated to the international airports of Valencia, Barcelona, and, to a lesser extent, Barquisimeto.
While uncertainty continues regarding the resumption of operations at the country’s largest airport, this moment could serve as an opportunity to strengthen and modernize the air connectivity of other Venezuelan cities, which are receiving a greater flow of passengers.
Meanwhile, Maiquetía’s auxiliary terminal has already been repaired with U.S. support and has been used to receive flights with rescue teams, while planes carrying humanitarian aid continue to land.
Valencia Leads International Connectivity
Thanks to its geographic location closer to the capital, the Arturo Michelena Airport has received the majority of displaced flights and, as a result, has a large number of international connections, despite its reduced capacity.
At this time, Valencia connects with the Latin American cities of Bogotá, Cancún, Mexico City, Panamá, Punta Cana, and Santo Domingo, and has the only European flights: Madrid and Lisbon.
Copa Airlines has moved its daily flights to Panamá to this airport, making it one of the main gateways to North America.
State-owned Conviasa operates flights to Cancún and Havana twice a week, and a weekly frequency to Mexico City-AIFA on Tuesdays.
Turpial Airlines maintains flights to Bogotá and Panamá and will add Punta Cana; to each destination, twice a week.
Avianca currently operates two daily flights, scheduled through July 31, while Wingo, since July 14, operates up to three weekly flights to Bogotá.
To Madrid, Aerolíneas Estelar operates four weekly frequencies; Air Europa, another four through July 31. Plus Ultra operates four weekly flights to the Spanish capital and a weekend flight to Tenerife North, currently scheduled through July 26.
TAP Air Portugal plans to operate one weekly frequency to Lisbon, although for now it only has Monday on sale, so confirmation of upcoming dates is pending.
Valencia Airport is also taking on domestic operations with flights mainly to Barcelona, Maracaibo, Porlamar, Puerto Ordaz, Santo Domingo del Táchira, San Antonio del Táchira, and Valera with national airlines (Conviasa, Estelar, Rutaca, and Turpial).
Barcelona: The Only Direct Route to the United States
Barcelona’s José Antonio Anzoátegui Airport is taking on the only direct flight operations to the United States and is becoming the main operational base for Laser Airlines and Avior Airlines.
Venezuelan airline Laser operates up to three weekly flights to Bogotá, two to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and four flights to Madrid in partnership with Hifly. The flight to Miami is operated daily in partnership with Global X.
At the same time, Avior Airlines has up to five weekly flights to Bogotá, three to Medellín, and two to Curaçao.
LATAM Airlines Colombia operates two weekly flights to the Colombian capital through July 31.
Copa Airlines operates three weekly flights to Panamá, which will increase to four starting August 8.
Through Avior and Conviasa, the airport operates flights to Barquisimeto, Maracaibo, Las Piedras, Porlamar, and El Vigía, and with Rutaca to Puerto Ordaz and Valencia.
Uncertainty Over the Reopening of Maiquetía
It is possible that operations displaced to Barcelona and Valencia will be extended, due to the lack of confirmation regarding the opening of Maiquetía. Airlines continue to announce changes to their flights in Venezuela.
For now, Barquisimeto has taken over operations for Venezolana, with two flights to Panamá, while Copa maintains its regular flights four times a week.
Maracaibo, although due to its distance from Caracas it would not serve as a contingency airport, keeps its international flights active with Copa to Panamá and will add more international flights.
The Zulia state capital added daily flights to Miami with American Airlines on July 14. Starting July 16, it will also add routes to Curaçao with Avior Airlines and, on July 18, flights to Panamá with Venezolana.
