The first direct US-Venezuela commercial flight in 7 years lands in Caracas

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela arrived Thursday in the capital of the South American country, seven years after the U.S. Homeland Security Department ordered an indefinite suspension, citing security concerns.

The resumption of a nonstop commercial flight between the two countries comes months after the U.S. capture of then President Nicolás Maduro in a stunning nighttime raid on his residence in Caracas in early January.

It also comes a month after the U.S. formally reopened its embassy in Caracas following the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Venezuela.

“I'm very excited to go and see the family and I'm looking forward to see the country,” said passenger Lennart Ochoa of Miami shortly before boarding. He said that he was “ready to go" and got his ticket as soon as they were available. “Just to go and see the family on a direct flight from Miami to Caracas is priceless.”

The director of the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council, Jarrod Agen, was among the passengers on the inaugural flight. Agen is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan officials and executives from energy and mining sectors as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to facilitate the entry of U.S. companies into the South American country, reported the Venezuelan government.

At Miami International Airport, American Airlines staff handed passengers small Venezuelan flags. Balloons with its colors — yellow, blue and red — adorned the gate door leading to the plane.

Flight AA3599 operated by Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines, departed Miami at 10:11 a.m. EDT (1411 GMT), five minutes ahead of its scheduled time, according to Miami International Airport flight departure information. It arrived around three hours later in the Venezuelan capital, returning to Florida later in the afternoon.

Earlier, the airline said that a second daily flight between Miami and Caracas will start on May 21.

In late January, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he informed Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez that he would open up all commercial airspace over the country, allowing Americans to visit.

“American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there,” Trump said at the time.

The flights mark the resumption of nonstop travel between the U.S. and Venezuela for the first time since diplomatic ties were severed in 2019. For the past seven years, passengers have relied on international airlines and indirect routes through neighboring Latin American countries.

In January, when the airline announced the resumption of flights, it said it would give customers the opportunity to reunite with families and pursue new business opportunities.

American Airlines was the last U.S. airline flying to Venezuela. It suspended flights in 2019 between Miami and Caracas, as well as flights to the oil hub city of Maracaibo. Delta and United Airlines pulled out in 2017 amid a political crisis that forced millions to flee the country.

“Parents will be able to connect with children, grandparents with grandchildren, and entire families with a home that shaped and raised them,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a news conference before boarding started. “Miami-Dade is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States.”

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Passengers line up to check in for a U.S.-bound commercial flight at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, Thursday, April 30, 2026, as direct air service between the United States and Venezuela resumes after seven years. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

American Airlines Flight AA3599, the first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years, gets a water cannon salute as it taxis away from the gate, Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Miami International Airport in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

A National Guard officer checks passengers ID's prior to check in for a U.S.-bound commercial flight at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, Thursday, April 30, 2026, as direct air service between the United States and Venezuela resumes after seven years. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

A passenger boards American Airlines Flight AA3599, the first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years, Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Miami International Airport in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Capt. Ric Wilson waves a Venezuelan flag and the first officer waves a U.S. flag as they prepare to fly American Airlines Flight AA3599, the first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years, Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Miami International Airport in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

A worker cleans the check-in area ahead of the arrival of a U.S. commercial flight at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, Thursday, April 30, 2026, as direct air service between the United States and Venezuela resumes after seven years. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillo)

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez speaks at Miraflores Palace during a meeting with Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Michael Brennan made five straight birdies to pull away from Beau Hossler and close with a 6-under 64 to win the Wyndham Championship and reach the PGA Tour’s lucrative postseason.

Brennan came into the final tournament of the regular season at No. 105 in the FedEx Cup. Now his season gets extended by at least one week after his second PGA Tour title in two years. The FedEx Cup playoffs start Thursday with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at the TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. Only the top 70 players advance, and Brennan shot up to No. 47.

Jackson Koivun, who left Auburn in June and won the 3M Open in only his third start, narrowly hung on to the 70th spot and goes from college to the postseason in only two months.

Brennan made birdie on the final hole to finish at 22-under 258, matching the tournament record at Sedgefield shot three other times, most recently last year by Wake Forest grad Cameron Young.

Ben James, the No. 1 player from the PGA Tour University ranking who has a card already secure for 2027, fell out of contention on Saturday but roared back with a 61 to finish third.

BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — Joaquin Niemann closed with a 2-under 69 Sunday for a three-shot victory in LIV Golf New York, extending his record with his ninth career victory in the last three years.

Jon Rahm shot 76 and tied for 41st, but that still was enough to win the season points title for the third straight time since the two-time major champion joined LIV Golf.

Niemann, who won earlier this year in South Korea, went wire-to-wire at Trump International. He finished at 16-under 268. Harold Varner III caught Niemann until the Chilean pulled away late with a birdie on the 13th and an eagle on the par-5 15th. Varner shot 70 to finish second.

Bryson DeChambeau shot 71 and tied for 38th, 23 shots out of the lead. He cannot catch Rahm with one tournament remaining.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Frankie Harris made an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 12-under 59 and won the Pinnacle Bank Championship on Sunday with a par on second playoff hole for his first Korn Ferry Tour title in only his sixth start this year.

Harris shot 27 on the back nine of The Club at Indian Creek by making just over 153 feet of putts. Alistair Docherty birdied his last four holes, including a 53-foot putt on the 16th, for a 64 to force a playoff at 22-under 262.

On the 18th for the second playoff hole, Docherty went long of the green, chipped to 6 feet and missed the par putt.

Harris became the fourth player in the last six weeks with a 59. He became the ninth player worldwide to have a sub-60 final round and win the tournament.

OOLTEWAH, Tenn. (AP) — California teen Asterisk Talley picked up her biggest win yet Sunday when she surged past Anna Iwanaga of Japan for an 8-and-6 victory to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

The 17-year-old Talley earned her second USGA title before even leaving high school. She also teamed to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball in 2024, the same year she was runner-up in the U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Junior Girls.

Iwanaga, who shared the medalist honors during the 36-hole qualifying, won the ninth hole in the morning for a 1-up lead. But that was the last hole Iwanaga won. Talley squared the match with a birdie on the 11th, and she birdied the next two holes and never looked back.

The victory gets Talley into the U.S. Women’s Open next year at Inverness Club in Ohio.

Anna Huang won her fourth Ladies European Tour title when the 17-year-old Canadian closed with an eagle for a 3-under 70 and a two-shot victory over Charley Hull, who four-putted for double bogey on the 17th hole and shot 69. The 17-year-old Huang is the youngest player with four LET wins. ... Mirabel Ting closed with a 5-under 67 and made birdie on the first playoff hole against Rachel Kuehn to win the Smoky Mountain Championship for her first Epson Tour title. ... Christofer Blomstrand closed with a 3-under 68 for a two-shot victory over fellow Swede Adam Wallin in the Scottish Challenge. ... Darren Fichardt of South Africa closed with a 4-under 68 and won the Staysure PGA Seniors Champion by five shots over Mikael Lundberg at Trump International in Aberdeen, Scotland. ... Yuzuki Yoshizawa won the Hokkaido Meiji Cup on the Japan LPGA with a 4-under 68 for a two-shot victory over Kana Nagai. ... Eunsoo Jang closed with a 3-under 69 for a one-shot victory in Jeju Samdasoo Masters on the Korea LPGA.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Michael Brennan kisses the trophy after winning the Wyndham Championship golf tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)