Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport

The airport opens on a coastal site near La Guaira recommended by aviator Charles Lindbergh on behalf of Pan American Airways; the original terminal was designed by architect Luis Malaussena.

Following earlier expansions in the 1950s, the main runway is lengthened to 3,000 meters and widened to 60 meters to accommodate larger jet aircraft.

A new international terminal building opens, followed by a dedicated domestic terminal in 1983, cementing the airport's role as Venezuela's principal international gateway.

Venezuela's flag carrier Viasa, long based at Maiquetía, ends operations on January 23 after decades as the country's dominant international airline.

A long-running modernization program, launched around 2000 to overhaul terminals and infrastructure, is completed after several years of work.

On June 24, 2026, a magnitude-7.2 foreshock followed 39 seconds later by a magnitude-7.5 mainshock near San Felipe, Yaracuy state, severely damages the airport: the main runway (10R/28L) suffers structural failure and terminal ceiling panels collapse. Venezuela's civil aviation authority closes the airport indefinitely; flights divert to Barcelona, Valencia, and El Libertador air base in Maracay.

Cargo operations resume in early August 2026. Four temporary terminal structures, built in the airport's parking areas (including a roughly 4,300 m² international departures tent with capacity for about 780 passengers), are prepared for a planned partial passenger reopening around September 1, 2026, at greatly reduced capacity while permanent terminal repairs continue.