JetBlue says it will launch flights from South Florida to Venezuela

Fresh off American Airlines’ resumption of flights to Venezuela from Miami International Airport in late April, JetBlue announced Thursday that it, too, would launch flights to Caracas.

In a first for the airline, JetBlue intends to offer nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Simón Bolívar International Airport. Since the route is subject to government approval, there’s no word on when exactly the service will launch, but JetBlue hopes to begin flying to the South American country before the end of the year.

“Fort Lauderdale continues to serve as JetBlue’s gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, and we believe there is meaningful opportunity to expand our presence in the region with planned service to Caracas,” said Dave Jehn, JetBlue’s vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, in a statement. “South Florida is home to a large Venezuelan community, and this new route would help connect families and loved ones with JetBlue’s competitive fares and award-winning service.”

In addition to American Airlines and JetBlue, United announced earlier this month that it too would restart service to Caracas from its hub at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on August 11.

The rash of flights to Venezuela comes months after the U.S. government captured President Nicolás Maduro in January, part of the Trump Administration’s increasing encroachment on the region. Acting president Delcy Rodríguez served as Maduro’s vice president from 2018 to 2026, but is maintaining diplomatic relations with the U.S., which recognized her as Venezuela’s leader on March 12.

The air travel industry has been hit hard lately with the rise in oil prices due to the U.S.’s war with Iran. Earlier this month, Dania Beach-headquartered low-budget airline Spirit shut down after going bankrupt for the second time in two years, resulting in layoffs affecting 4,200 employees, many of them in South Florida.