What happened
United Airlines has announced plans to resume service to Venezuela, launching daily nonstop flights between Houston (IAH) and Caracas (CCS) starting August 11, 2026. This marks the carrier's return after a nine-year hiatus, with the last flight operating in June 2017. The route will be operated using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft configured with 166 seats (16 business, 150 economy). The flight schedule includes UA1046 departing Houston at 11:45 PM and arriving in Caracas at 5:30 AM, and UA1045 departing Caracas at 8:00 AM and arriving in Houston at 12:30 PM. The flight time is blocked at 4 hours 45 minutes to Venezuela and 5 hours 30 minutes to the United States. United's SVP of Global Network Planning cited support from the Department of Transportation and the U.S. government as key enablers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted the route is critical for ferrying oil sector workers, aligning with Houston's energy industry ties. United becomes the second U.S. carrier to return to Venezuela, following American Airlines' resumption of service from Miami