Avior Airlines Makes Its Move Ahead of Potential Resumption of Flights Between Venezuela and U.S.: Requests DOT Approval for Miami and Houston
Commercial aviation between Venezuela and the United States may be facing one of its most significant milestones in nearly a decade. In this context, Avior Airlines has become one of the first companies to take a formal step toward repositioning itself in the North American market. The airline has requested the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to modify and renew an authorization that had gone unused for years.
This initiative arrives just days after a high-impact political and regulatory shift that could signal the beginning of a new era for bilateral air connectivity.
What exactly did Avior Airlines request from the DOT?
In a formal filing dated February 3, Avior requested a modified exemption and the renewal of its existing authority from the DOT to operate scheduled air services for passengers, cargo, and mail between Venezuela and the United States.
The proposal includes:
- Routes from Caracas, Maracaibo, and Barcelona to Miami.
- Services from Barcelona (Venezuela) to Houston.
- A two-year exemption period, designed to allow for the restart of operations once all regulatory and safety requirements are met.
Avior seeks to reactivate and expand a legal framework it already possesses, which had remained inoperative due to the closure of the bilateral market.
A political shift reconfigures the aviation landscape
Avior’s move follows an announcement on January 29 by U.S. President Donald Trump, who communicated the decision to reopen Venezuelan commercial airspace. This decision revokes the 2019 DOT order that had suspended all scheduled and charter flights between the two nations.
That suspension was based on safety and operational security concerns, freezing all bilateral aviation activity for nearly six years.
Critical conditions: FAA Category 1 and pending approvals
Despite the airline’s proactive stance, Avior was explicit on a key point: the resumption of flights will only be possible “once all necessary regulatory and safety approvals have been received”.
A determining factor stands out among these requirements:
- Venezuela must regain FAA Category 1 operational safety status.
Without this status, no Venezuelan airline can operate scheduled commercial flights to the United States, regardless of political will or DOT authorizations.
Ripple effect: American Airlines and Laser also position themselves
Avior’s request is part of a broader resurgence of interest in the U.S.–Venezuela market.
American Airlines confirmed in late January that it is ready to resume daily service, subject to government approvals and safety assessments. The company was the last U.S. carrier to operate in Venezuela, suspending flights in March 2019 after previously controlling nearly 60% of the total capacity between the two countries.
Laser Airlines has asked the DOT to finally act on a request originally filed in 2011, proposing scheduled flights from Caracas, Valencia, and Maracaibo to South Florida.
Despite the reopening of the airspace, the path forward is far from clear. The actual resumption of scheduled services will depend on multiple variables.
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Un apasionado por la aviación, Fundador y CEO de Aviación al Día.