The United States has maintained warnings that Venezuelan airspace remains closed to international flights, a position that continues to restrict air travel to and from the country as of today. President Donald Trump stated on 29 November that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela must be considered closed in its entirety, following an earlier advisory from the Federal Aviation Administration on 21 November about risks from military activity and security issues. Venezuelan officials describe the US position as a violation of sovereignty, while airlines report ongoing suspensions that limit routes.
President Donald Trump declared Venezuelan airspace closed in its entirety on November 29, 2025. The order targeted airlines, pilots and suspected drug traffickers via a Truth Social post.
The FAA maintained a November 21 notice on hazardous conditions in Venezuelan airspace. Venezuela condemned the move as a colonialist threat that violated international law.
Copa Airlines and Wingo continued flights to Caracas Simón Bolivar despite suspensions by most carriers.
The FAA advisory covers the full Maiquetia Flight Information Region, which includes Venezuelan territory and parts of the southern Caribbean. It notes potential threats to aircraft at all altitudes, including during take-offs, landings, and ground operations. US carriers have operated under a ban on Venezuelan routes since 2019, and the current warnings extend to foreign operators. Flight data from trackers show minimal aircraft over the area, with most international carriers rerouting via Colombia or Guyana.
Several airlines suspended services after the FAA notice. Iberia, TAP Air Portugal, Avianca, LATAM Colombia, Turkish Airlines, and Gol Linhas Aereas lost their operating permits from Venezuelan authorities on 27 November, after a 48-hour ultimatum to resume flights. Copa Airlines extended its suspension on 4 December, citing interference in navigation systems. Air Europa, Plus Ultra, and others followed with cancellations. The International Air Transport Association criticised the ultimatum as disruptive to operations.
Limited connections persist through regional carriers. Copa and its affiliate Wingo maintain flights from Panama City, while domestic services and routes to nearby islands in the Antilles operate. These provide the main links to Bogota and Panama City. Cargo and private flights face similar restrictions, though some deportations resumed with US approval, including 266 migrants arriving on 4 December via Eastern-operated flights.
The warnings coincide with US military deployments in the Caribbean, including an AN/TPS-80 radar system on Tobago, 110 km from Venezuela, to monitor airspace up to 270 km. US officials link the measures to efforts against drug trafficking routes. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gill called the declarations a hostile act under the UN Charter. UN experts expressed concern on 4 December about pressure that endangers regional stability.
Passengers report delays and reroutes that increase travel times. Fares have risen by up to 30 per cent on alternative paths, according to aviation data firm Cirium. The suspensions affect diaspora communities in Spain, Colombia, and Brazil, where millions of Venezuelans reside. Repatriation flights from the US, which carried nearly 14,000 people in recent months, paused but restarted under special arrangements.
Venezuela’s government maintains control over its airspace and rejects US jurisdiction. Flight-tracking data on 4 December showed seven aircraft in the area, including military and limited commercial operations. No enforcement actions by US forces have occurred, but the warnings deter most transit. Diplomatic channels remain open, with Brazilian mediation noted in recent discussions.
Venezuela has authorised resumption of migrant repatriation flights from the United States. Eastern Airlines operates the flights on a B777-200ER between Phoenix Sky Harbor and Caracas Simón Bolívar. The programme paused due to geopolitical escalation and US president Donald Trump’s airspace comments.
Venezuela’s transport ministry received a formal request to restart the twice-weekly flights. The flights continue despite Trump’s claim that Venezuelan airspace remains closed in its entirety.
Donald Trump shared “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY”
Nicolás Maduro shared “on the instructions of President Nicolas Maduro, the resumption is authorised.”
Venezuela’s transport ministry shared “the Aeronautic Authority of Venezuela has received a request from the government of the United States to restart migrant repatriation flights from that country to Venezuela.”
