A flight originating in Europe landed in Venezuela on Tuesday, February 17, marking the first commercial link from the continent since the fall of Maduro earlier in January.

The Spanish carrier Air Europa operated the Madrid–Maiquetía service — the main airport serving Caracas — with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that touched down just after 9:00 p.m. local time, according to flight tracking data.

Services between Spain and Venezuela were suspended in late November 2025 following safety warnings linked to military activity in the region and restrictions on Venezuelan airspace.

Resumption of flights from Europe followed the lifting of restrictions by European aviation authorities, allowing scheduled carriers to resume operations to Caracas.

Air Europa initially scheduled three weekly flights in February and plans to gradually increase frequency in March to four weekly services, with potential expansion to five calls according to the airline’s published schedule.

Other European carriers have announced plans to restart connections to Venezuela. Plus Ultra aims to resume flights on March 3, while Iberia is evaluating early April dates to restart operations, according to press reports and official statements.

Air connectivity with Caracas had been restricted for nearly three months, forcing some travelers to seek alternative routes through third countries. The arrival of the flight from Europe represents a partial restoration of commercial air links that were interrupted due to aviation and security considerations in the region.