Miami’s Lost Connection: How Direct Flights Will Shake Up Caribbean Hubs

Venezuelan carrier Avior Airlines has taken formal steps to re-enter the US market, submitting an application to the Department of Transportation seeking approval to operate flights including Caracas–Miami, Maracaibo–Miami, Barcelona–Houston, and Barcelona–Miami, pending FAA Category 1. The move followed a Jan 29, 2026 announcement by President Trump on Jan 3, revoking the safety/security-based order. Before the ban, Venezuela–United States routes supported hundreds of thousands of annual passengers, with Miami serving as the principal gateway. Avior’s filing signals growing momentum toward restoring nonstop air links that once anchored one of South Florida’s most important international markets.