Location: Venezuela
Event: Two Flights Out of Venezuela: Updates as of May 11
The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá has learned that the flight on Conviasa from Caracas-Maiquetía International Airport to Toluca, Mexico, scheduled for May 12, is now sold out. For those who are ticketed for this flight, please note the flight will now depart May 12 at 12:00 p.m. (noon). We encourage you to monitor information regarding this flight, in case there are further updates.
Very few seats remain available for the flight on Aerolíneas Estelar on May 12 from Caracas-Maiquetía International Airport to Santiago, Chile. You must book by calling Estelar customer service. Contact information for Estelar can be found here: https://twitter.com/AerolineasE/status/1253449347624206348. Tickets cannot be purchased from Estelar’s website. We understand the flight is available for anyone who purchases a ticket, not just Chilean citizens. Some Estelar customer service agents may not have complete information about the flight, so please be patient and persistent if you are trying to purchase a ticket on this flight.
Passengers flying to Toluca, Mexico: All passengers on the Conviasa flight should arrive to the Caracas-Maiquetía airport 5 hours before the flight. Flights from Toluca and Mexico City to the United States are increasingly limited and subject to last-minute changes. All passengers must have a connecting flight out of Mexico. Passengers who may require emergency assistance while in Mexico or assistance with arranging onward travel from Mexico to the United States should contact ACSMexicoCity@state.gov or call +52-55-8526-2561 as soon as possible. The Mexican government has declared a health emergency through May 30 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has imposed restrictions on non-essential economic activities. Hotel availability near the airport for transit passengers is limited. Mexican authorities routinely conduct health checks on arriving passengers and those with symptoms may be subject to quarantine.
Passengers flying to Santiago, Chile: This flight will fly from Caracas to Lima, Peru, then on to Santiago. ONLY PERUVIAN CITIZENS WILL BE ALLOWED TO DISEMBARK IN LIMA. All other passengers must remain onboard and continue to Chile. Passengers are strongly encouraged to travel with extra cash and credit cards, as some prior flights through Lima have experienced significant delays. If passengers are stranded in Lima it could take up to seven days and significant expense to board an onward flight. In the event of a travel disruption in Lima, please contact U.S. Embassy Lima at LimaACS@state.gov or +51-1-618-2000. Onward flights from Santiago to the United States are limited and subject to last-minute changes. All passengers must have a connecting flight out of Chile. Passengers who may require emergency assistance while transiting the Santiago airport should contact SantiagoUSA@state.gov or call +56-2-2330-3000 as soon as possible. Passengers must be prepared to stay in the airport for the duration of their connection time. The Chilean government declared a 90 day state of emergency which took effect on March 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and closed its borders to all non-residents. The use of a face mask is required in the airport. Chilean authorities routinely conduct health checks on arriving passengers.
If you do not depart on these flights, U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents in Venezuela should be prepared for an indefinite stay in Venezuela. The Travel Advisory for Venezuela has been “Level 4 – Do Not Travel” since February 2019. The U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Venezuela.
Due to travel restrictions within Venezuela, we suggest that passengers traveling on these flights give themselves ample time to reach the Maiquetía International Airport. We cannot arrange for or provide transportation to the airport. We strongly recommend travel during daylight hours only to and from Maiquetía International Airport.
Please continue to monitor the Virtual Embassy website and social media accounts (@USEmbassyVE) for any updates. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive e-mail updates.
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Bogotá, Colombia
+57-1-275-2000 or ACSBogota@state.gov
U.S. Department of State – Consular Affairs
+1-888-407-4747 or +1-202-501-4444