Venezuela: Air Europa and Iberia Resume Flights to Caracas From September
VENEZUELA · TRAVEL
Key Facts
—What happened: Air Europa and Iberia are restoring direct flights to Caracas from Madrid in the first week of September.
—Who flies when: Air Europa returns on 1 September with five weekly flights, Iberia on 3 September with three.
—Why they stopped: The route was suspended on 24 June after earthquakes damaged Caracas’s Simón Bolívar airport.
—The catch: The airport reopens with operational restrictions, and schedules can still shift at short notice.
—Who is missing: Plus Ultra returns only on 8 September, with one weekly flight, keeping its other services in Valencia.
—Why it matters: The Madrid link is the main air bridge between Venezuela and Europe for families and businesses.
Flights to Caracas from Madrid resume this week as Air Europa and Iberia return to Simón Bolívar International Airport, more than two months after June’s earthquakes closed Venezuela’s main gateway.
Who resumes flights to Caracas, and when
Air Europa, owned by the Spanish tourism group Globalia, restarts its Madrid–Caracas service on Tuesday 1 September. It will fly five times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The airline told customers holding tickets that they do not need to take any action. It promised to communicate any schedule changes as far ahead as possible.
Iberia, part of the International Airlines Group known as IAG, follows on Thursday 3 September. Spain’s flag carrier will operate three weekly flights to Caracas, on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays.
The third Spanish carrier on the route, Plus Ultra, said on 28 August that it will restore the Madrid link from 8 September. For now it plans only one weekly flight to Caracas.
The details were first reported by Preferente, the Spanish travel-trade newspaper, and confirmed in company communications. That makes this the first full restoration of Spain–Venezuela schedules since June.
Two months of flying around the problem
The Madrid–Caracas route was suspended on 24 June 2026. A double earthquake that day damaged infrastructure around Simón Bolívar International Airport, better known as Maiquetía, in La Guaira state.
To keep passengers moving, all three Spanish airlines shifted their Venezuela services to Arturo Michelena International Airport in Valencia, about 170 kilometres west of the capital.
Air Europa’s own travel alerts show the workaround running until the last days of August. Its Madrid flights operated to Valencia on 27, 28, 29 and 30 August, with free date and route changes offered through 31 October.
Maiquetía reopens on 1 September, but under initial operational restrictions. Authorities have warned that operating conditions may be adjusted as repairs continue.
Why the Madrid route matters more than most
Spain hosts one of the largest Venezuelan communities outside Latin America. For that diaspora, flights to Caracas from Madrid are the default way home.
The route also carries the practical traffic of reopening. Business travellers, aid workers and returning expats typically route through Madrid when Europe is the origin.
The Spanish carriers’ return completes a week of restored connections. Copa Airlines, Avianca and Plus Ultra resumed operations at Maiquetía around the reopening, American Airlines starts double-daily Miami flights on 3 September, LATAM returns from Bogotá on 4 September and GOL follows from São Paulo on 15 September.
United Airlines has announced a return for January 2027. Taken together, the calendar marks the broadest reconnection of Venezuela’s air links in years.
A route with a fragile history
Regular flyers know this is not the first interruption. In November 2025 the Spanish airlines suspended services after restrictions were placed on air connectivity, and Caracas retaliated by pulling their licences to fly to Venezuela.
That episode ended only gradually. Air Europa began a phased return in February 2026, Plus Ultra followed on 3 March and Iberia came back on 6 April.
The June earthquakes then closed the airport barely ten weeks after Iberia’s return. September’s restoration is therefore the second relaunch of flights to Caracas in seven months.
What travellers should do now
Passengers booked on Air Europa or Iberia in early September should check their flight status directly with the airline. Airport restrictions at Maiquetía may still alter departure times.
Anyone with a ticket routed through Valencia should confirm whether their booking has moved back to Caracas. Plus Ultra’s Valencia services, in particular, continue alongside its single weekly capital flight.
Flexibility remains the theme. Air Europa is allowing free date changes and free rerouting via Medellín, Bogotá or Panama City for affected tickets until 31 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Air Europa and Iberia resume flights to Caracas?
Air Europa restarts on Tuesday 1 September 2026 with five weekly flights from Madrid. Iberia follows on Thursday 3 September with three weekly flights, on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Why were flights to Caracas suspended in June 2026?
A double earthquake on 24 June damaged infrastructure at Simón Bolívar International Airport, known as Maiquetía. The Spanish airlines moved their Venezuela services to Valencia’s Arturo Michelena airport in the meantime.
Is Plus Ultra also flying to Caracas again?
Yes, but only partially. Plus Ultra restores one weekly Madrid–Caracas flight from 8 September and keeps its other Venezuela services at Valencia for now.
I have a ticket to Valencia instead of Caracas. What should I do?
Contact your airline or travel agency to confirm where your flight now lands. Air Europa is offering free date changes and rerouting via Medellín, Bogotá or Panama City until 31 October 2026.
Is Caracas airport fully back to normal?
No. Maiquetía reopens on 1 September under initial operational restrictions, and authorities say conditions may be adjusted. Check your flight status before travelling to the airport.
Connected Coverage
For the full reopening calendar see Caracas’s Maiquetía Airport Reopens September 1: Which Airlines Return, and When, and for the traveller’s checklist Flying to Venezuela Again: What Travelers and Expats Need to Know.
Sources: Preferente (31 August 2026); El Español Invertia; Reportur; Air Europa customer advisories (aireuropa.com); Madrid Secreto; El Diario (Caracas).
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