American Airlines. Photo: Shutterstock American Airlines continues to expand its operations in Venezuela and announces the opening of a new direct route between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Barcelona (BLA) in northeastern Venezuela, starting January 15, 2027.
The announcement, made on Friday, October 16, comes just months after the American airline resumed flights to Venezuela, following a break that lasted since 2019. With the new route, American Airlines will operate 24 weekly flights between the United States and Venezuela on three different routes.
The new flights to Barcelona will operate three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, using Embraer 175 aircraft, which offer two classes of service, including a premium class, internet connection and personal power outlets.
According to the schedule published by the company, the flight from Miami will take off at 10:15 a.m. and land in Barcelona at 2:52 p.m. The return flight will take off from Venezuela at 3:32 p.m. and land in Miami at 6:19 p.m., according to the company's published local time.
Ticket sales for the new line are expected to open tomorrow, October 19, via the company's website and app.
With the launch of the new route to Barcelona, American Airlines will operate two daily flights between Miami and Caracas, a daily flight to Maracaibo and three weekly flights to Barcelona.
The expansion strengthens the company's position in the aviation market between the United States and Venezuela, after years without direct flights by American companies between the countries.
American began operating in Venezuela in 1987, and for years was the largest U.S. airline operating in the country. Operations were suspended in 2019, and resumed in April 2026 with the opening of the route between Miami and Caracas. Later, Maracaibo was also added to the network of destinations.
“American is proud of the robust service we’re providing to Venezuela and prouder still that we are the only U.S. airline serving Venezuela,” said Stephen Neuman, American Airlines’ senior vice president and director of government relations. “The addition of Barcelona further strengthens our long-standing commitment to the country,” he said.
American's new destination is not Barcelona in Spain, but the city of Barcelona in Venezuela, the capital of the state of Anzoátegui, located in the northeast of the country, near the coast of the Caribbean Sea.
The city and the nearby urban center of Puerto La Cruz are considered important centers of commerce, industry, and economic activity in eastern Venezuela. The area also serves as a gateway to beaches and natural sites along the Caribbean coast, including Mochima National Park, known for its bays, small islands, and clear waters.
The new direct line from Miami is expected to improve access to the region for business travelers, tourists, and visitors coming to see family.
The expansion of operations in Venezuela fits into American Airlines' strategy to strengthen its home port of Miami as a major connectivity hub between the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
The company operates an extensive international network from Miami, allowing passengers arriving from countries in the region to connect to a variety of destinations in the United States and Canada.
The move also comes against the backdrop of American Airlines' centennial year, which marks 100 years of operation in 2026. The company currently operates more than 6,000 flights a day to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries.
The announcement joins the significant expansion of the route network in the Latin American and Caribbean region and represents another step in renewing air connectivity between the United States and Venezuela.
While the return to Caracas earlier this year marked the resumption of operations after a seven-year hiatus, the opening of the line to Barcelona signals continued network expansion in the country, this time beyond the first two air hubs to which the company returned.