For travelers across South America, the reopening of the skies over Venezuela is more than a scheduling update. With Avianca’s new daily flights between Bogotá and Caracas now officially back in operation from February 12, 2026, a vital corridor of family ties, business links, and long-fractured tourism is being stitched together again. After months of geopolitical tension, airspace closures, and abrupt suspensions, the Colombian carrier’s return to Caracas has become a powerful symbol of reconnection, and the route is rapidly emerging as one of the most talked-about services on the continent.
A Daily Bridge Rebuilt Between Bogotá and Caracas
Avianca’s decision to restore daily nonstop flights between the Colombian and Venezuelan capitals comes after a stop-start period that highlighted just how fragile regional air connectivity had become. The airline, which has served Venezuela for more than six decades, suspended operations in late 2025 following security advisories and regulatory turbulence. Now, after what it describes as a comprehensive evaluation of operational and aviation safety conditions in coordination with authorities, Avianca is back in Caracas with a firm daily schedule.
The new timetable places Avianca at the heart of the day for travelers. Flight AV142 departs Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport at 7:40 a.m., arriving at Caracas’ Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía at 10:40 a.m. local time. The return service, AV143, leaves Caracas at 12:10 p.m., touching down in Bogotá at 1:15 p.m. The timing is not accidental. Morning departures from Bogotá allow for onward connections from the airline’s extensive network into the Colombian capital, while midday departures from Venezuela open up late afternoon and evening links into South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
For Avianca, the reactivation of Bogotá–Caracas is framed as the resumption of a historical commitment rather than the launch of an experimental new route. The carrier underscores that it has been connecting countries, cultures, and markets for more than 106 years, and that Venezuela has long been one of its core regional destinations. This sense of continuity matters: many travelers remember when crossing the Colombia–Venezuela border by air was routine, before years of political and economic upheaval turned even short trips into logistical marathons.
From Sudden Grounding to Symbolic Return
The new daily flights stand out particularly because of how abruptly they disappeared in 2025. After the United States Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert about increased security risks and military activity in and around Venezuelan airspace, multiple airlines either suspended operations voluntarily or were swept into a regulatory battle with Caracas. Avianca halted sales and flights to Venezuela at the end of November 2025, complying with an order from Venezuelan authorities and leaving passengers scrambling for alternatives.
At the time, the airline focused on passenger protection, offering rebooking, rerouting via Colombian border cities such as Cúcuta, and refunds. Yet for thousands of Colombians and Venezuelans accustomed to relying on Avianca, the suspension was a jarring reminder of how quickly geopolitics can close the skies. In late 2025, Venezuela went as far as revoking the operating concessions of several foreign carriers, including Avianca, in a move that drew heavy criticism but underscored the depth of the diplomatic standoff.
The reopening of Venezuelan airspace in early February 2026, following the end of a major United States military intervention and the easing of restrictions, reset the board almost overnight. Authorities in Caracas announced that airlines which had previously seen their permits suspended could return, provided they complied with updated safety and regulatory requirements. Within days, a collection of major international carriers, among them Avianca, confirmed their intention to restore service to Caracas. Avianca’s daily Bogotá–Caracas flights quickly rose to the top of that list, both for their symbolic freight and for the practical connectivity they offer.
Why This Route Matters So Much to South Americans
On paper, Bogotá and Caracas are neighboring capitals with a relatively short block of air time between them. In practice, the route is a lifeline between two nations whose people have grown ever more tightly knit through migration, commerce, and cultural exchange. Over the past decade, millions of Venezuelans have made Colombia their temporary or permanent home, while many Colombians have continued to live and work in Venezuela. For these communities, a direct daily air link can mean the difference between a weekend family reunion and a journey that stretches into days by road and overland border crossings.
The flights are also a vital channel for business. Even as political relations have shifted, commercial ties between the two countries have remained stubbornly resilient. Colombian exporters see Venezuela as a natural market for food products, manufactured goods, and services, while Venezuelan businesses look to Bogotá as a gateway to broader regional trade. With Avianca’s daily service, business travelers regain a fast and predictable way to cross the border, attend meetings, and return in time for other commitments within the same week, or even the same day in some cases.
Tourism is another winner. Venezuela’s Caribbean coastline, its Andean towns, and its natural icons have long been admired but lately have remained frustratingly hard to access for many South Americans. Meanwhile, Bogotá’s growing profile as a culinary, cultural, and conference destination has generated demand from Venezuelan travelers who until recently were forced to triangulate via Panama City or other hubs. A direct daily connection makes short leisure trips viable again and encourages travelers to fold Colombia–Venezuela combinations into extended South America itineraries.
Network Effects: Caracas Back on the Map
What makes Avianca’s new schedule especially powerful is its integration into a much larger network. From Bogotá, the airline now links to more than 80 destinations in 28 countries, the widest route map in its history. With the return of Caracas to this web of flights, Venezuelan travelers suddenly gain access to a dense list of one-stop connections covering major cities in South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and parts of North America and Europe.
This repositioning of Caracas as a plugged-in node rather than a dead-end destination could reshape travel choices across the region. For years, passengers trying to avoid complex overland trips into Venezuela relied heavily on hubs like Panama City or São Paulo. Now, Bogotá once again becomes a logical pivot point for itineraries that begin or end in Caracas. A traveler in Lima heading to Venezuela can reach Caracas via a single connection in Bogotá on the same airline, rather than moving between carriers and risking missed connections or complicated baggage transfers.
For Avianca, the strategic value is clear. Daily flights give the airline enough frequency to attract business travelers and frequent flyers while also capturing leisure and visiting friends and relatives traffic. They also support the carrier’s broader model of high-utilization, point-to-point routes feeding into central hubs. Logistically, Caracas fits comfortably within the range and scheduling rhythm of Avianca’s narrowbody fleet, which has been optimized around quick turns and efficient regional segments.
Safety, Confidence, and a Cautious Optimism
Behind the excitement, there is also a strong undercurrent of caution. The events of late 2025, when airlines pulled out following international safety warnings and Caracas responded by revoking concessions, are still fresh in the industry’s memory. Both travelers and carriers are aware that the political environment in and around Venezuela remains complex, and that aviation decisions can be influenced by factors far beyond simple demand.
Avianca is fully aware of this context, which is why the airline has repeatedly emphasized that its return to Caracas is the result of detailed technical and operational analysis. The carrier says it has worked in close coordination with civil aviation authorities and other regulators to ensure that its operations meet the highest safety standards. Its November 2025 communication, in which it stressed passenger safety and called for clear guidance from regulators, set the tone for this more cautious, data-driven approach.
For travelers, the messaging is important. Many potential passengers are weighing the practical convenience of restored flights against lingering concerns about stability and security. Early indicators suggest that demand for the route is robust, especially among those reconnecting with family or returning to long-postponed business engagements. As more flights operate smoothly and on time, confidence in Venezuela’s reopened airspace is likely to grow, and Avianca’s daily service will be one of the clearest barometers of that sentiment.
The Human Stories Behind the Boarding Passes
Beyond schedules and geopolitics, Avianca’s Bogotá–Caracas route is resonating so widely because it is intensely personal for many South Americans. In Colombia and Venezuela, families routinely stretch across borders, with grandparents, siblings, and children separated not only by distance but by years of limited options for safe, affordable travel. For them, a daily flight is not a luxury. It represents birthdays celebrated in person, medical treatments that no longer require complicated routings, and the simple comfort of knowing that a loved one can be reached in a few hours rather than a few days.
Migration patterns have also deepened the emotional stakes. As Venezuelans settled in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and other Colombian cities, they created a constant back-and-forth flow that overland infrastructure struggled to handle. Long bus journeys over high mountain passes and heavily trafficked border corridors became the norm, often involving lengthy queues, security checks, and unpredictable delays. For many of those migrants, the reappearance of Avianca’s red-and-white aircraft on departure boards marked the return of a safer, more dignified way to move between the two countries they now call home.
Travel agents and tour operators across the region report that inquiries surged as soon as Avianca and other carriers confirmed their return to Caracas. Multi-city itineraries that had been shelved are being dusted off, and corporate travel planners are once again considering regional meetings that bring teams together from both sides of the border. The route has quickly become a talking point not because it is new, but because its absence had been felt so keenly.
Competition, Connectivity, and the New Venezuelan Sky
Avianca is not alone in its return to Venezuela. The reopening of the country’s airspace has triggered a broader wave of carriers announcing or relaunching flights to Caracas, among them major Latin American and European airlines that had previously withdrawn service. This competitive environment is good news for travelers, who can expect more options, potentially better fares, and improved schedules as airlines vie for a share of pent-up demand.
However, Avianca’s Bogotá–Caracas route occupies a particular sweet spot. It connects two regional capitals with dense historic, cultural, and economic ties, benefits from strong diaspora flows, and plugs directly into a powerhouse hub with a wide range of onward connections. For South American travelers plotting multi-country trips, the combination of Caracas and Bogotá on one ticket, with a single carrier and coordinated schedules, is an attractive proposition. The route’s frequency also helps Avianca build and maintain loyalty, as passengers can rely on daily service rather than planning around limited weekly frequencies.
Looking ahead, the return of daily flights opens the door to further growth. If demand and stability hold, Avianca could eventually consider incremental capacity increases on the route, seasonal adjustments, or complementary services from other Colombian cities. For now, the focus is firmly on consolidating the daily link and reestablishing trust with passengers who endured last-minute changes and cancellations in the recent past.
What It Means for Travelers Planning Their Next Trip
For anyone considering travel between Colombia and Venezuela in 2026, Avianca’s new daily Caracas flights immediately reshape the map. A journey that might recently have required complex overland connections or multiple airline changes can now be executed in a single hop or with a single connection via Bogotá. The morning departure from Colombia and midday return from Venezuela make quick business trips feasible and allow leisure travelers to maximize their time on the ground at either end.
Travelers should still plan carefully. As Venezuela’s aviation sector adapts to its reopened skies, schedules and capacity may evolve, and local infrastructure, from airport services to ground transportation, is working to keep pace with renewed demand. Nonetheless, the reinstated Bogotá–Caracas link signals a strong vote of confidence that conditions are right for a sustained recovery in air traffic to and from Venezuela.
In a region where politics often dominate the headlines, the story of Avianca’s daily flights is, at its heart, a story of people trying to reconnect. For South America’s travelers, the sight of a red-tailed aircraft taxiing out of Caracas bound for Bogotá each day is a reminder that, no matter how turbulent the past few years have been, the sky can still bring the continent back together. And that is why this route is not just another service resuming after a suspension. It is a powerful symbol of a region ready to move again.