American Airlines Launches Daily Miami–Maracaibo Flights, First US Nonstop to Venezuela's Second City

American Airlines announced on June 16, 2026, that it will launch daily Embraer 175 service between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Maracaibo's La Chinita International Airport (MAR) on July 14, 2026, making it the only carrier offering nonstop flights between the US and Venezuela's second-largest city.

The announcement was made as part of a broader milestone: Maracaibo and Cap-Haïtien, Haiti (launching November 1) will become American's 99th and 100th destinations across Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America (MCLA), cementing the carrier's position as the largest US operator in the region.

American previously served Maracaibo from Miami but terminated service in 2019 when the US government banned commercial passenger and cargo flights to Venezuela. The ban was lifted in January 2026 under Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and American became the first US carrier to return to Venezuela earlier this year with the resumption of Miami–Caracas flights. The Maracaibo route adds further Venezuela coverage, giving American twice-daily Caracas service plus the new Maracaibo link.

Chief Commercial Officer Nat Pieper noted that American connects more US passengers to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other carrier, with more than 410 peak daily departures planned from Miami this winter.

The announcement was confirmed by American's official newsroom, Aviation Week, Airways Magazine, and AirlineGeeks.

Sources

• https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2026/American-to-serve-milestone-100-destinations-NET-RTS
• https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/routes-networks-latest-rolling-daily-updates-wc-june-15-2026
• https://www.airwaysmag.com/new-post/american-maracaibo-ven-cap-haitien-haiti-miami
• https://airlinegeeks.com/2026/06/12/american-to-resume-two-international-routes
• https://news.miami-airport.com/american-will-re-launch-service-to-maracaibo-and-cap-haitien-from-mia