Last International Airlines Suspend Flights to Venezuela After Trump Declares Airspace Closed

Bogotá, Colombia — The final international carriers still serving Venezuela suspended flights this week after US President Donald Trump declared Venezuelan airspace closed. Panama's Copa Airlines and its Colombian low-cost unit Wingo announced that services to Caracas would be halted on December 4 and 5. Colombia's state carrier Satena and Bolivia's flag carrier Boliviana de Aviación also cancelled routes on Thursday.

In separate statements, Copa and Wingo said that 'due to intermittent problems today with one of the navigation signals during its flight to Caracas… [we] took the preventive decision to temporarily suspend flights to and from this city.' The airlines added that the disruptions 'at no time compromised operational safety.' A spokesperson told Al Jazeera that some aircraft from both carriers were affected by signal issues.

On Thursday, Satena suspended its route to Valencia — Venezuela's third-largest city — and Boliviana cancelled its flight to Caracas. At the time of publication neither carrier had issued a detailed public statement about their cancellations.

US Advisory and Military Activity

The recent suspensions follow a 90-day advisory issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration on November 21, warning of risks to commercial aircraft operating in Venezuelan airspace. The FAA cited 'the worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela' and noted a significant deployment of US forces in the Southern Caribbean.

On Saturday, President Trump unilaterally declared Venezuelan airspace 'closed in its entirety.' Following that declaration and the FAA advisory, Copa, Wingo, Satena and Boliviana were the last international carriers continuing scheduled services to Venezuela; their cancellations mean no international airlines are currently operating scheduled flights to the country. Several national carriers, however, continue international routes.

Human Impact

The cancellations have disrupted holiday travel plans for members of the Venezuelan diaspora and left visitors in Venezuela struggling to return home. Juan Carlos Viloria Doria, vice president of Venezuelans in Barranquilla, a migrants' network in Colombia, said many people are anxious about cancelled flights at a time when families usually reunite for Christmas.

"At this time of year in particular, people want to reunite with their family and friends for Christmas. It is unfortunate that due to the political situation, Venezuelans must live with so much uncertainty," Viloria said.

With fewer airline options, travelers inside Venezuela may face longer, more complicated and potentially risky overland journeys to reach neighboring countries. Viloria urged migrants to coordinate travel plans with family, friends and migrant networks and to consult official government sources for the latest information.

Regional Context

Colombia hosts an estimated 2.8 million Venezuelan migrants — the largest Venezuelan expatriate community in the world — and many are watching nervously as tensions between Washington and Caracas escalate. The combination of technical navigation issues, safety advisories, and political decisions has effectively cut off international commercial air links to Venezuela for the moment.