Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetía
The Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetía (IATA: CCS, ICAO: SVMI) is the main airport serving the metropolitan area of Caracas and the State of La Guaira, being considered the most important airport in Venezuela for its air and passenger traffic. It is managed by the Maiquetía International Airport Institute (IAIM) since its creation in 1971 and by the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC).
The airport is located in the Maiquetía sector in the Vargas municipality, La Guaira State, on the outskirts of Caracas. Currently, the cargo and international terminals are being remodeled and expanded. Its facilities (terminals and administrative buildings) occupy 882 hectares and it is located about 40 minutes from Caracas, taking Plaza Venezuela as a reference.
During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, the airport was the main gateway to South America and an important hub for connecting Europe with the rest of Latin America. Starting in the year 2000, with the progressive drop in air traffic at the Maiquetía Airport, El Dorado International Airport (Bogotá) and Tocumen International Airport (Panama City) became the most important hubs in northern South America. and the Caribbean.
It was one of the few airports in the world that received the supersonic Concorde aircraft until the mid-1990s, which were operated by the two airlines that had it in their fleet: Air France and British Airways, on regular flights. In addition, the airport was the hub for the renowned Venezuelan airline Viasa that connected Caracas with more than 45 international destinations.
History
1945-1969
The Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetía was inaugurated on January 1, 1945 by the President of the Republic Isaías Medina Angarita. The work began under the government of General Eleazar López Contreras on 20 hectares of leased land that until then they were used as an airstrip, in the sector known as Mare of a coastal farm. This land had been recommended by the aviator Charles Lindbergh during his visit to Venezuela in 1928 at the request of the North American airline Pan Am. The designer of the passenger terminal was the architect Luis Malaussena, who also designed Paseo Los Próceres and the buildings of the military academies of Venezuela.
In the beginning, this aerodrome was nothing more than a flattened ground to allow the landing of aircraft and was known as "Campo de Aviación de La Guaira". On August 22, 1942, the Venezuelan government authorized Pan Am to finance and direct the construction of the Maiquetía, Maracaibo (Grano de Oro) and Maturín airports. The United States government subsidized the construction as part of the ADP (Airport Development Program) project, whose objective was to secure bases in the Caribbean Sea during World War II, in addition to eliminating European competition in the Latin American aeronautical business. This plan, called Pan American Airports Corporation, included airports in Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Haiti, Panama, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. The airport facilities were administered by Pan American until August 1, 1946, when they became property of the Venezuelan State.
Between 1952 and 1962, two additional wings were added to the passenger terminal and the size of the runway was increased to 2,000 m. Lighting circuits are also installed on runways and approach areas to start night operations. In 1956 an auxiliary runway was built and in 1962 it was extended to 3,000 m long by 60 m wide.
1969-1999
In 1969, the Ministry of Public Works began the modernization of the airport to adapt to the growth in air traffic demand. To manage the modernized airport, on August 4, 1971, the Maiquetía International Airport Autonomous Institute (IAAIM) was created by Special Law. The law was endorsed on August 16, 1971 by the President of the Republic and the Council of Ministers and published in the Official Gazette #29585. Between 1974 and 1977 the international terminal was built and in 1978 the national terminal was inaugurated.
Both terminals were built in a modular way on a rectangular plan in a total area of 882 hectares. The international has a longitudinal space with a mezzanine that is connected to the parking lots through four bridges. In the basement are the operating rooms.
The director of the works in the construction of the new terminals was Antonio Coelho, from the movement of earth to the completion and inauguration of these. The design of both terminals was in charge of the architects Felipe Montemayor, Luis Sully, Joseba Pontesta, Estanislao Sekunda, Leopoldo Sierralta, Ignacio (Iñaki) Zubizarreta and Joaquín Leniz, who together won the "National Architecture Award of Venezuela" in 1980..
The domestic terminal was adorned with two stained glass windows by Spanish artist Ángel Atienza.Among other works of art, the international terminal also has a stained glass window by Héctor Poleo while the floor and wall of the central corridor are adorned with a work by bright colors by the kinetic artist Carlos Cruz-Diez called Additive Color Chromointerference (1974-1978), which occupies an area of 2,608 square meters and has become an emblem of the airport that arouses great interest in terminal users.
In the modification that was developed to the airport, an administrative building was added, an auxiliary terminal for cargo and private airlines or charter flights, protocol, commercial and recreational facilities, aeronautical fire station, hangars and three parking lots with capacity for 4,560 vehicles.
1999-2000
After the so-called Vargas tragedy in December 1999, the airport temporarily served as a gigantic refuge camp for thousands of victims affected by landslides on the central coast and as a logistics operations center for air and naval rescue for hundreds of people trapped in places inaccessible by land.
2000-2009
In 2000, the government began the Maiquetía 2000 project. This project, organized in phases, included the remodeling of the international terminal, the expansion and modernization of the parking lots, the construction of a hotel, the modernization and updating of the systems, radars and technological equipment for operations and air safety of the airport.
In 2007, the Maiquetía 2000 Project was completed with the expansion and updating of the international terminal, with completely separate reception and landing areas, new immigration and customs areas, and a connecting corridor between the National and International Terminals. Additionally, the operational and air safety systems were modernized, while the hotel was not completed and until the end of 2022 it was still not operating.
In 2015, INAC submitted to ICAO the project for the implementation of advanced surveillance and automation systems.
2009-present
From being a country, only two to three decades ago, with direct connections to more than forty international destinations in more than twenty countries and four continents, today there are only a little less than 15 international destinations in twelve countries and three continents, many of them with few weekly or seasonal frequencies.
Since 2014, more than 11 international airlines have ceased operations in Venezuela due to the political instability and difficult economic situation facing that country, as well as others have decided to significantly reduce the number of weekly frequencies to Caracas. Several airlines have even decided not to use, to the greatest extent possible, Venezuelan airspace, claiming that the necessary security is not guaranteed when traveling through said area. The airlines that have ceased operations at the Maiquetía International Airport are: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Alitalia, LATAM, Gol Transportes Aéreos, Avianca, Aerolíneas Argentinas, United Airlines, Aeromexico, Tiara Air and Delta since September 17, 2017 from and to Caracas. Most of the airlines assured that the Venezuelan State has a million-dollar debt with the aeronautical sector that could be greater than 3,800 million dollars. On the other hand, American Airlines has ceased operations to Venezuela The flag carrier of Venezuela Conviasa has gone through complex economic situations, because due to the serious economic problem facing Venezuela and the devaluation of the Bolívar, it has been forced to suspend several of its international routes.
Domestic flights have also presented setbacks for Venezuelan users. People travel from Maiquetía with different frequencies ranging from daily to weekly flights, much less than what was customary until about twenty years ago.
On May 15, 2019, the United States FAA prohibited all types of air operations between the United States and Venezuela, strongly affecting trade relations between the nations, forcing the closure of the six daily frequencies between Caracas and Miami and to look for alternatives to satisfy the demand of passengers that moved between these cities through connections.
On February 8, 2020, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned Conviasa, causing the economic situation of this airline to worsen and have to close in certain markets and look for new ones in which the sanctions do not affect it.
Operations
Currently, the Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía International Airport has operations on three continents, thirteen countries and seventeen Venezuelan cities. During the year 2023 it is estimated that international routes and frequencies will be expanding, initially with France, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.
The airport is the headquarters (hub) of operations for various Venezuelan airlines: Conviasa, Laser Airlines, Avior, Aeropostal, Estelar Latinoamérica, Rutaca, Albatros and Transcarga. Conviasa is the airline that most covers national and international flights from Maiquetía.
Facilities and aircraft
The Maiquetía International Airport has two runways (one for landing and two for takeoff)
- 10/28: 3,500m (habilitated for landing and take off in both directions)
- 09/27: 3,000m (considered auxiliary and enabled only to take off in the sense 09)
For the construction of runway 10/28, the Boeing 747-400 was used as the design pattern.
The airport is designed to receive aircraft of various sizes and categories: DC-9, Boeing 737, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Boeing 747, Airbus A310, Airbus A320, Airbus A330 and Airbus A340.
Airport Terminals
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Maiquetía International Airport has four air terminals: national terminal, international terminal, auxiliary terminal and cargo terminal. The national, international and cargo terminals are parallel to runway 10/28, while the auxiliary terminal is parallel to runway 09/27, where the airport's hangars and mechanical services are also located.
Domestic Terminal
The domestic terminal is used for embarking and disembarking from national destinations operated by national airlines. The terminal has a baggage check and ticket purchase area, a baggage reclaim area with up to six belts and twelve embarkation and disembarkation gates. Additionally, in the boarding area, the terminal has various restaurants, bars and shops.
The national terminal communicates through a corridor and security areas with the international terminal, thus serving national-international connecting flights at the airport of the same airline or codeshare airlines.
The domestic terminal has a VIP lounge called "Salón Maiquetía" located in the Departures area between gates seven and eight. This VIP lounge is for official use only.
International Terminal
The international terminal handles the boarding and disembarking of flights with international routes of national and international airlines. The terminal has a baggage check and ticketing area, a religious chapel, a scanning and security area, an emigration area, an immigration area, a baggage claim area with four belts, a boarding area with eleven gates and a landing area (separated from the boarding area)
The arrivals (boarding) and departures (disembarkation) areas are on different levels, the first on the ground floor of the terminal and the second on the first level, which is why the aircraft access corridors have two routes attending to the two levels according to the need.
On the first level, in the public area, the airport has restaurants, exchange houses, coffee shops, tourist agencies, information offices, and banks.
The boarding area of the international terminal has restaurants, fast food chains, bars, souvenir shops, coffee shops, and luxury shops.
The international terminal has six VIP lounges, one of them called "Monte Sacro" It is located on the third level of the public area and is exclusively for official use. A second VIP lounge for passenger use is called the "VIP lounge Airport" and is located in the public area, while the other four are in the boarding area, these being: Executive Lounge (between gates 13 and 14), Sabana Lounge (gate 15), Aerovip (gate 23) and Italcambio VIP (between gates 23 and 24)
Charging Terminal
The cargo terminal is located at the western end of the airport, just after the international terminal and at runway 10/28 runway 10. This terminal receives aircraft of various sizes, the largest being the Boeing 747. This terminal is operated by the airport institute and the National Integrated Customs and Tax Administration Service (SENIAT).
Auxiliary Terminal
The auxiliary terminal, formerly the airport's passenger terminal, is a terminal that runs parallel to runway 09/27 on the eastern side of the airport. In this terminal are the boarding and landing areas for private and charter flights, as well as the so-called "Ramp 4" which is the National Government terminal at the airport.
Airlines
The Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía International Airport currently offers destinations to 18 Venezuelan cities and 18 foreign cities, through 9 national airlines and seven 8 international airlines.
| Airlines | Cities | Partnership |
|---|---|---|
 Aerocaribe1 destination | National (1): Los Roques | N/A |
| Aeropostal 1 destination | National (1): Porlamar | N/A |
| Avior Airlines 8 destinations | Nationals (7): Barcelona, Barquisimeto, El Vigía, Las Piedras, Maracaibo, Porlamar, Puerto Ordaz
International (1): Santo Domingo | N/A |
| Conviate 20 destinations | Nationals (12): Barinas, Cumaná, El Vigía, La Fría, Los Roques, Las Piedras, Maracaibo, Maturín, Porlamar, Puerto Ayacucho, Puerto Ordaz, San Fernando de Apure (Star 8 May 2023), Santo Domingo del Táchira
International Standards (8): Cancun, Mexico City-AIFA, Damascus (Start 30 May 2023), Havana, Kingstown, Moscow, Santa Cruz de La Sierra, Tehran | N/A |
| Latin America 9 destinations | Nationals (7): Barinas, El Vigía, Maracaibo, Maturín, Porlamar, Puerto Ordaz, Santo Domingo del Táchira
International (2): Panama City, Santiago de Chile | N/A |
| Laser Airlines 9 destinations | Nationals (7): Barcelona, El Vigía, La Fría, Maracaibo, Maturín, Porlamar, Puerto Ordaz
International (2): Panama City, Santo Domingo | N/A |
| Rutaca Airlines 8 destinations | Nationals (7): Barcelona, Barquisimeto, Ciudad Bolívar, Maracaibo, Porlamar, Puerto Ordaz, Santo Domingo del Táchira
International (1): Punta Cana | N/A |
| Turpial Airlines 3 destinations | National (1): Valencia
International (2): Bogotá, Havana | N/A |
| Venezuelan 6 destinations | Nationals (7): Barquisimeto, Las Piedras, Maracaibo, Porlamar
International (2): Panama City, Santo Domingo | N/A |
 Air Europa1 destination | International (1): Madrid | SkyTeam |
 Copa Airlines1 destination | International (1): Panama City | Star Alliance |
| Iberia 1 destination | International (1): Madrid | Oneworld |
| Plus Ultra Airlines 2 destinations | International (2): Madrid / Tenerife | N/A |
 SATENA1 destination | International (1): Barranquilla (Inicia 8 de mayo de 2023), Bogotá | N/A |
 Sky High1 destination | International (1): Santo Domingo | N/A |
 TAP Air Portugal1 destination | International (1): Lisbon | Star Alliance |
 Turkish Airlines1 destination | International (1): Istanbul | Star Alliance |
| Total: 35 destinations, 20 airlines | ||
Cargo Companies in operation
| Airlines | Destinations
|
|---|---|
| Aerosucre | Bogotá |
| AerCaribe | Bogotá |
| Copa Cargo | Bogotá, Panama City |
| DHL Aero Expreso | Bogotá, Panama City |
| Transcharge | Bogotá, Guatemala City, Panama City, Lima |
| TAP Cargo | Lisbon, Porto |
| Uni World Air Cargo | Panama City |
| The Cargo | Bogotá |
 TAB Cargo | Santa Cruz de la Sierra |
| Vensecar International | Guatemala City, Panama City, Oranjestad, Willemstad |
Destinations
Nationals
Currently, the Maiquetía airport connects with 18 cities in the country.
| Cities | Airport name | Airlines | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
 Anzoátegui - Barcelona
| International Airport General José Antonio Anzoátegui | Avior Airlines / Laser Airlines / Rutaca Airlines | 16 |
 Lara - Barquisimeto
| Jacinto Lara International Airport | Avior Airlines / Rutaca Airlines / Venezuelan | 8 |
 Barinas - Barinas
| Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi Airport | Conviate / Latin America | 4 |
 Bolivar - Canaima
| Canaima National Park | Conviate | 4 |
| Bolívar - Ciudad Bolívar
| Tomas de Heres National Airport | Rutaca Airlines | 1 |
| Bolívar - Ciudad Guayana
| Manuel Carlos Piar International Airport | Avior Airlines / Conviate / Latin America star / Rutaca Airlines / Laser Airlines | 23 |
 Sucre - Cumaná
| Antonio José de Sucre International Airport | Conviate | 2 |
 Merida - The Vigil
| Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonzo Airport | Avior Airlines / Latin America star / Laser Airlines | 11 |
 Tachira - The Cold
| Francisco García de Hevia International Airport | Conviate / Laser Airlines | 3 |
 Falcon - The Stones
| International Airport Josefa Camejo | Avior Airlines / Conviate / Venezuelan | 6 |
 Federal Units - Los Roques
| Los Roques Airport | Airway Airline / Airline Blue Star / Conviate / AeroCaribe / SASCA | 35 |
 Zulia - Maracaibo
| La Chinita International Airport | Avior Airlines / Conviate / Latin America star / Laser Airlines / Rutaca Airlines / Venezuelan | 24 |
 Monagas - Maturín
| José Tadeo Monagas International Airport | Conviate / Latin America | 5 |
 New Sparta - Porlamar
| International Airport of the Caribbean Santiago Mariño | Aeropostal / Albatros Airlines / Avior Airlines / Conviate / Laser Airlines / Latin America star / Rutaca Airlines / Venezuelan | 35 |
 Amazonas - Puerto Ayacucho
| Cacique Aramare Airport | Conviate | 1 |
| Tachira - San Cristobal
| Santo Domingo International Airport | Conviate / Latin America star / Rutaca Airlines | 24 |
 Apure - San Fernando de Apure
| Las Flecheras Airport | Conviasa (Start 8 May 2023) | 2 |
 Carabobo - Valencia
| Arturo Michelena International Airport | Turpial Airlines | 1 |
International Destinations
Currently, from the Maiquetía airport, flights are offered to 18 cities in 15 countries.
| Cities by country | Airport name | Airlines | Aircraft | Weekly frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | ||||
Mexico Mexico (2 destinations, 1 airline)
| ||||
| Cancun | Cancun International Airport | Conviate | A346, E190 | 3 |
| Mexico City | Felipe Angeles International Airport | Conviate | A346 | 1 |
| Central America and the Caribbean | ||||
Cuba Cuba (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||||
| Havana | José Martí International Airport | Conviate | E190, A343 | 3 |
Panama Panama (1 destination, 4 airlines)
| ||||
| Panama City | International Airport of Tocumen | Copa Airlines / Latin America star / Laser Airlines / Venezuelan | B738, B39M / B733 / MD82 / MD83 | 26 |
Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (2 destinations, 5 airlines)
| ||||
| Punta Cana | International Airport of Punta Cana | Rutaca Airlines | B733 | 2 |
| Santo Domingo | International Airport Las Americas | Avior Airlines / Laser Airlines / Sky High / Venezuelan | B734 / MD82 / E145, E190 / MD83 | 21 (28 from 1 June 2023) |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||||
| Kingstown | Argyle International Airport | Conviate | E190 | 1 |
| South America | ||||
Bolivia Bolivia (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||||
| Santa Cruz de la Sierra | Viru Viru International Airport | Conviate | E190 | 2 |
Chile Chile (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||||
| Santiago de Chile | Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport | Latin America (LIM) | B733 | 1 |
Colombia Colombia (2 destinations, 2 airlines)
| ||||
| Barranquilla | International Airport Ernesto Cortissoz | SATENA (Start 8 May 2023) | E145 | 2 |
| Bogotá | El Dorado International Airport | Turpial Airlines / SATENA | B734 / E145 | 5 (6 from 7 May 2023) |
| Europe | ||||
Spain Spain (2 destinations, 3 airlines)
| ||||
| Madrid | Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport | Air Europe / Iberia / Plus Ultra Airlines | B788, B789 / A332 / A332, A343 | 10 (11 from 2 June 2023) |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Tenerife North Airport | Plus Ultra Airlines | A332, A343 | 1 |
| Portugal (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||||
| Lisbon | Lisbon Airport | TAP Air Portugal | A339 | 3 |
| TurkeyTurkey (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||||
| Istanbul | Istanbul International Airport | Turkish Airlines | B789 | 7 |
Charter flights and every 15 days
| Destination | Airport | Notation | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Aeroregional | |||
| Quito | Mariscal Sucre International Airport | (Chárter) | |
| Conviate | |||
| Damascus | Damascus International Airport (Start 30 May 2023) | (Each 15 days) | |
| Lima | Jorge Chávez International Airport | (Each 15 days) | |
| Moscow | Moscow-Vnúkovo International Airport | (Each 15 days) | |
| Tehran | International Airport | (Each 15 days) | |
| Turpial Airlines | |||
| Havana | José Martí International Airport | (Chárter) | |
| Santiago de Cuba | International Airport of Santiago de Cuba | (Chárter) | |
Future destinations
Destinations with starter plans
| Possible destinations 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Destination | Airport | Airlines | Start date |
| Bogotá | El Dorado International Airport | Avianca / LATAM Colombia / Laser Airlines / Wingo
| Start plans in 2023 |
| Barranquilla | International Airport Ernesto Cortissoz | Wingo
| Start plans in 2023 |
| Cali | International Airport Alfonso Bonilla Aragón | Wingo
| Start plans in 2023 |
| Medellín | José María Córdova International Airport | Wingo
| Start plans in 2023 |
 Curacao | Hato International Airport | Albatros Airlines / Avior Airlines / Laser Airlines
| Start plans in 2023 |
 Port of Spain | International Airport Piarco | Caribbean Airlines
| Reboot plans in 2023 |
.svg){kind=small} Paris | Charles de Gaulle International Airport | Air France
| Reboot plans in 2023 |
| Quito | Mariscal Sucre International Airport | Avianca
| Start plans |
 Sao Paulo | São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport | Conviate
| Start plans |
 Buenos Aires | International Airport Minister Pistarini | Airlines Argentinas
| Reboot plans in 2023 |
Destinations Suspended
Destinations suspended between 1990 and 2018
From the 1990s to the present, more than 45 destinations that could be traveled directly from the Maiquetía International Airport have been suspended, most of them were suspended due to the cessation of the Venezuelan airlines Viasa and Avensa, other routes have been suspended due to low demand or market decisions (such as British Airways and KLM) and a significant number as a result of the economic and exchange crisis in Venezuela between 2010 and 2019 (Air Canada, Air France, Alitalia, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Caribbean, LATAM, among others)
Since 2019, the United States airlines United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Airlines ceased operations in Venezuela by decision of the United States aeronautical authority that prohibits direct commercial flights with Venezuela, also preventing Venezuelan airlines from reaching the States Joined..
| Destinations | Airport name | Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| North America | ||
 Canada (3 destinations, 2 airlines)
| ||
| Montreal | International Airport Montreal-Dorval | Air Canada Viasa
|
| Toronto | Toronto Pearson International Airport | Air Canada Viasa
|
| Vancouver | Vancouver International Airport | Viasa
|
 United States (7 destinations, 8 airlines)
| ||
| Miami | Miami International Airport | American Viasa Avensa Aeropostal SBA Airlines Pan Am
|
| New York | John F Kennedy International Airport | American Viasa Avensa Pan Am
|
| Atlanta | Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport | Delta Viasa
|
| Houston | George Bush Intercontinental Airport | United Viasa Pan Am
|
| New Orleans | Louis Armstrong International Airport | Viasa Avensa
|
| Orlando | Orlando International Airport | Viasa
|
| Washington DC | International Airport Dulles | Viasa Pan Am
|
 Mexico (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| The Capes | Los Cabos International Airport | Viasa
|
| Central America and the Caribbean | ||
 Aruba (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Oranjestad | Queen Beatrix International Airport | Viasa Avensa Laser Airlines Aeropostal
|
 Barbados (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Bridgetown | Grantley Adam International Airport | Viasa
|
 Bonaire (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Kralendijk | International Airport Flamingo | Avensa
|
 Cuba (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Varadero | Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport | Viasa
|
| Curacao (1 destination, 2 airlines)
| ||
| Willemstad | Hato International Airport | Viasa Avensa
|
 Jamaica (2 destination, 2 airlines)
| ||
| Kingston | Norman Manley International Airport | Viasa
|
| Montego Bay | Sir Donald Sangster International Airport | Avensa
|
 Sint Maarten (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Philipsburg | International Airport Princess Juliana | Viasa
|
 Puerto Rico (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| San Juan | Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport | Viasa
|
| Trinidad & Tobago (1 destination, 2 airlines)
| ||
| Port of Spain | International Airport of Piarco | Viasa Caribbean Airlines
|
| South America | ||
| Argentina (1 destination, 3 airlines)
| ||
| Buenos Aires | International Airport Minister Pistarini | Viasa Avensa Airlines Argentinas
|
| Bolivia (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| La Paz | El Alto International Airport | Viasa
|
| Brazil (3 destinations, 3 airlines)
| ||
| São Paulo | Guarulhos International Airport | Viasa Varig GOL Avensa
|
| Rio de Janeiro | Galeão International Airport | Viasa Varig GOL Avensa
|
| Mana | International Airport Eduardo Gomes | Viasa
|
 Chile (1 destination, 3 airlines)
| ||
| Santiago de Chile | Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport | Viasa LAN LATAM
|
| Ecuador (2 destinations, 4 airlines)
| ||
| Quito | Mariscal Sucre International Airport | Viasa Avensa Conviate
|
| Guayaquil | José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport | Viasa SBA Airlines
|
 Peru (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Lima | Jorge Chávez International Airport | Viasa
|
 Suriname (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Paramaribo | Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport | Viasa
|
| Europe | ||
 Germany (1 destination, 2 airlines)
| ||
| Frankfurt am Main | International Airport of Frankfurt | Viasa Lufthansa
|
.svg){kind=small} Belgium (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Brussels | Brussels Airport | Viasa
|
| France (1 destination, 3 airlines)
| ||
| Paris | Charles De Gaulle International Airport | Viasa Avensa Air France
|
| Spain (1 destination, 2 airlines)
| ||
| Santiago de Compostela | International Airport of Santiago-Rosalía de Castro | Viasa Avensa
|
 Italy (1 destination, 2 airlines)
| ||
| Rome | Rome-Fiumicino Airport. | Viasa Avensa Alitalia
|
| Milan | Milan-Malpensa Airport | Viasa Avensa
|
 Norway (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Oslo | Oslo-Gardermoen Airport. | Viasa
|
| Netherlands (1 destination, 2 airlines)
| ||
| Amsterdam | Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport. | Viasa KLM
|
| Portugal (1 destination, 3 airlines)
| ||
| Porto | Porto-Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport. | Viasa Avensa TAP Portugal
|
.svg){kind=small} United Kingdom (2 destinations, 2 airlines)
| ||
| London | London-Heathrow Airport. | Viasa Avensa British Airways
|
| Manchester | Manchester Airport. | Viasa
|
 Switzerland (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Zurich | Zurich International Airport. | Viasa SwissAir
|
| Asia and the Middle East | ||
 Lebanon (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Beirut | Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut | Viasa
|
| Africa | ||
 Angola (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Luanda | Quatro de Fevereiro Airport | Viasa
|
 Egypt (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Cairo | Cairo International Airport | Viasa
|
 Morocco (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| Casablanca | Mohammed V International Airport | Viasa
|
Destinations suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2020)
After the contingency of the global COVID-19 pandemic, several Venezuelan airlines suspended routes to Colombia and Costa Rica and are still waiting to be restarted.
| Destinations | Airport name | Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Central America and the Caribbean | ||
 Costa Rica (1 destination, 1 airline)
| ||
| San José | Juan Santamaría International Airport | Albatros Airlines
|
| South America | ||
| Colombia (5 destinations, 4 airlines)
| ||
| Barranquilla | International Airport Ernesto Cortissoz | Albatros Airlines
|
| Cali | International Airport Alfonso Bonilla Aragón | Avior Airlines
|
| Cartagena de Indias | International Airport Rafael Núñez | Latin America
|
| Medellín | José María Córdova International Airport | Avior Airlines
|
Accidents and incidents
- On November 27, 1956, a Lockheed Constellation with Aeropostal YV-C-AMA tuition, which covered the 253 flight from New York, was landing in the middle of a storm and ended up crashing against the Ávila's own serra, a km from the Avila station of the Teleférico de la línea Caracas El Litoral, and Hotel at about 20 m of the altitude road built for His 25 occupants die. One of the victims was the baseball player Charlie Peete, who traveled on the aircraft along with his wife and children, to play with the Valencia Industrials in the season of the Venezuelan League of Professional Baseball.
- On December 12, 1968, a Boeing 707 with N494PA tuition from Pan Am that covered flight 217, took off from New York to Caracas. At three hours after taking off its signal, it disappeared from the air traffic control radar and immediately the Venezuelan Navy started the search and rescue mission. The remains were located 18.4 kilometres from the Venezuelan coast and there were no survivors among its 51 occupants (42 passengers and 9 crew members). It is believed that the cause of the accident was by an error of the pilot due to an optical illusion created by the city lights located on a nearby slope which caused the aircraft, when attempting to land, to crash into the sea exploiting there itself. One of the victims was Olga Antonetti (Miss Venezuela 1962), who was pregnant also traveling with her 4-year-old daughter.[chuckles]required]
- On December 3, 1969, a Boeing 707 with Air France F-BHSZ license plate that covered the 212 flight from Bogota, to continue its route to Pointe-à-Pitre, lost control shortly after an explosion was reported in the flight of the plane, to end up falling to the sea. None of the 62 people on board managed to survive the accident.
- On March 3, 1978, a 748 Avro with a YV-45C Aeropostal plate plate that departed for Cumaná, fell 5 km from the coast in the sector of Punta de Mulatos, perishing its 47 occupants (43 passengers and 4 crew members). The investigations concluded that the aircraft took off with excess cargo from another plane, so, one minute after the take-off, the captain observed faults in that sector and informed the control tower that he undertook the return to the airport to solve that problem but before his purpose, the aircraft ended up falling into the sea. On November 3, 1980, a Convair 880 with YV-145-C tuition from the Venezuelan company Latincharge that carried the musical and sound equipment of the British musician Peter Frampton on his tour "Frampton Comes Alive Tour" to Panama, it crashed shortly after taking off the airport and the four crew members of the aircraft died. According to the investigations, the fact that part of the luggage had been placed in trunks with wheels and the movement of the luggage during the take-off caused a destabilization of the aircraft. Because of this Latinchar accident it ended up cracking after 17 years of operations. On the other hand, it was said that one of the instruments given for lost in this accident was the mythical guitar Gibson Les Paul de Frampton; however, it ended up being accidentally found in Curaçao almost three decades later and returned to the artist on December 12, 2011 in Nashville.
- On 4 November 1980, a C-130 Hercules with FAV-3556 registration from the Venezuelan Air Force, which departed for Maracay, fell shortly after taking off on a group of houses located in the Mare Abajo sector, near the air terminal. A total of 11 people died in this accident (the 6 military on board and 5 people on land). It is believed that the accident occurred due to a motor failure in full flight.
- On October 14, 1998, a Boeing 727 with N-280US Aeropostal tuition (which had been rented to the United States and was in an airport hangar for review) was moved by inertia by the gentle slope that separates the hangar from the ramp of the Autonomous Service of Search and Salvation of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, crashing against two aircrafts of that body of rescue (with plates As a result of this collision, one of the aircraft was completely destroyed and the other two presented only structural damage, leaving a balance of $15 million in material losses. No casualties were recorded.
- On 18 November 2004, a Jetstream 31 aircraft with registration YV-1083C of the Venezolana airline covering the 213 flight from El Vigía and with 21 people on board landed on track 9 of the airport. The track was wet by a torrential rain that fell from early hours of the morning when, due to unknown causes, the plane left it to end up crashing against the firefighters who were parked at the headquarters of that barracks. In this accident two of the passengers died and the remaining 19 persons (17 passengers and 2 crew members) were injured. The aircraft was completely destroyed.
- On March 28, 2005, an Ilyushin 18D-40 with the CU-T1539 registration of Aero Caribbean, which was destined for Havana, was unable to ascend by trying to take off the track. In trying to abort the takeoff the aircraft was diverted by a side next to the end of the track, suffering serious damage to its structure. Of the 97 aircraft occupants (87 passengers and 10 crew members), only 16 suffered minor injuries and one suffered fracture in one leg. All the others were unharmed.
- On October 16, 2008, at approximately 15:30, a Boeing 737-200 with YV162T plates of Rutaca Airlines from San Antonio del Táchira and with 44 people on board left the 28th of the airport. The incident occurred when the aircraft braked after landing and, fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.
- On April 6, 2015 a Conviasa Airbus A340 was being towed inside the company's hangar, crashed into a CRJ700 Bombardier and this, in turn, hit an ATR 72 belonging to the same company. No casualties were recorded.
- On August 19, 2017 a Learjet 25 belonging to the government of Venezuela with registration YV3191 that took off from the Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetia to the International Airport General José Antonio Anzoategui of Barcelona disappeared from the radars a few minutes from taking off, carried 5 crew members on board without survivors.
- On 16 May 2021, the departure of a cargo flight from TAP to Lisbon, Portugal was prevented after the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) identified 124 cocaine bars in the fuselage. A GNB sergeant fled the place when the drug was discovered.
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