Direct flights to Venezuela resume, but many still can’t go home

4 days ago 15

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Passengers on the first direct flight from Miami to Caracas since 2019 were excited to return but anxious about what they would find. For others, passport issues are still a hurdle.

April 30, 2026 at 7:05 p.m. EDT2 minutes ago

Isabel Parra, a dual citizen of the United States and Venezuela, boards the first direct commercial flight between the countries in seven years Thursday at Miami International Airport. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

Mexico City Bureau Chief Samantha Schmidt traveled from Miami to Caracas Thursday on the first commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela since 2019.

MIAMI — For the first time in nearly seven years, the American Airlines check-in counter at Miami International Airport displayed the name of a destination just three hours across the Caribbean: Caracas.