U.S.-Venezuela Tensions, Colombia's Role, And Travel

Published on Nov 2, 2025, 10:51 am CSTUpdated on Nov 2, 2025, 11:33 am CST

4 min read

Key points

Venezuela remains Level 4 Do Not Travel for U.S. citizens
No direct U.S.-Venezuela commercial flights have been allowed since 2019
Colombia stays open to travelers, but border departments carry higher risk
Regional military actions at sea may prompt temporary airspace reroutes without closing airports
Cruise calls to Venezuela are already rare, so most Caribbean itineraries are unaffected

Impact

Flights And Airspace: Expect occasional reroutes or longer routings if military operations prompt temporary airway closures over Caribbean corridors, but airports in Colombia and the wider region remain open
Venezuela Access: There are still no direct commercial flights between the U.S. and Venezuela and the State Department advises U.S. citizens not to travel to Venezuela
Colombia Border Areas: If traveling in Colombia, avoid the Venezuela border departments where crime, kidnapping, and armed groups are active per the U.S. advisory
Cruise Travel: Mainstream cruise lines rarely call at Venezuelan ports and current itineraries in the southern Caribbean mostly proceed as scheduled
Insurance And Flexibility: Use robust travel insurance that covers political disruption and book changeable fares in case routings adjust on short notice

Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have escalated in late October 2025, including U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels and a visible maritime buildup, while leaders in Colombia have publicly condemned aspects of the campaign. For travelers, the key questions are whether airports will close, flights will be canceled, or borders will shut. At this point, Venezuela remains an extreme-risk destination for U.S. citizens, Colombia remains open with cautions in specific regions, and most airlines are operating normally with the possibility of longer routings if airspace adjustments are issued.

Background: how advisories and airspace decisions work

U.S. Department of State advisories guide U.S. citizens on destination risk, separate from airline and airport operations. Venezuela is at Level 4, Do Not Travel, and the department explicitly urges U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents in Venezuela to depart; these advisories do not "ban" travel by non-U.S. nationals and do not automatically close airports. Airspace restrictions and reroutes, when needed, come via aviation authorities and notices to air missions, which can add flight time without shutting an airport.

Venezuela: still no direct commercial links, and risk is extreme

Direct commercial passenger and cargo flights between the United States and Venezuela have been suspended by order since May 2019, a status repeatedly reinforced in federal records and enforcement actions. Travelers reach Caracas via third-country connections, typically through Panama City or Bogotá, if they choose to travel despite U.S. guidance against it. The U.S. advisory remains at Level 4 with explicit warnings about detention, crime, and poor health infrastructure.

Colombia: open to tourism, with localized cautions near the border

Commercial air service to Colombia continues, and major gateways such as El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá remain operational. The U.S. advisory rates Colombia overall as "Reconsider travel" and specifically lists several departments and the Venezuela border region as "Do Not Travel" due to crime, kidnapping, conflict between armed groups, and detention risk. Travelers should route away from border departments and avoid overland crossings with Venezuela.

Latest developments

Colombia's government has sharply criticized recent U.S. strikes on vessels, calling them unlawful and urging a halt, while regional reporting highlights a stepped-up U.S. naval and air presence near Venezuela. Venezuela has responded with military mobilization rhetoric. These political and military moves raise the likelihood of tactical airway adjustments over Caribbean and northern South American corridors, which airlines can implement quickly, but they have not triggered broad airport closures.

Analysis

For most travelers, the practical effects are likely to be procedural rather than dramatic. Airlines may file day-of-operation reroutes to skirt restricted areas, adding modest block time. That can cascade into tighter connections, so building longer layovers through Central American or Caribbean hubs is sensible for November travel. Trips wholly within Colombia's main tourism circuits remain viable with common-sense precautions. Travelers planning any essential trip to Venezuela should know that U.S. guidance remains unequivocal, and consular support is severely limited, which materially raises personal risk if something goes wrong.

Myth-busting

It is false that "the U.S. just shut down all flights in the region." Airlines continue to fly across northern South America with occasional reroutes, not blanket cancellations. It is also false that "Americans are banned from Colombia." Colombia is open to tourism; the caution is targeted to specific departments, especially along the Venezuela border. Finally, do not confuse a U.S. Level 4 advisory for Venezuela with a universal prohibition on all nationalities; advisories guide U.S. citizens and do not automatically close airports or airspace.

Final thoughts

For November 2025, the headline is stability with caveats, not collapse. Expect normal operations with potential routing tweaks in the air and avoid Venezuela entirely if you are a U.S. citizen following official guidance. If you are headed to Colombia, keep plans focused on established tourism areas, stay clear of the Venezuela frontier, and monitor your airline's app for any same-day flight plan changes.