Why is flying to Venezuela more expensive than a trip

Why is flying to Venezuela more expensive than a trip to the US?

The offer to travel by plane from Lima to Venezuela is scarce, so when there is less supply and more demand, the service becomes more expensive, and airline tickets are no exception. Is it possible that a flight from the Peruvian capital to Caracas of the same name is more expensive than a flight to Miami in the US? The answer is yes.

The Republic cites a ticket from Lima to Miami of the airline Viva Air dated August 29 with a return flight on September 15, 2022 and presents a value of 2002.03 soles ($516.95). A backpack and a cabin case no larger than 12 kilograms are included.

It’s worth mentioning that according to Google Flights, at least seven airlines fly the Lima-Miami route direct or with a stopover from Jorge Chávez International Airport.

Available flights from Lima to Miami (multiple airports) by airlines from August 29 to September 15, 2022. Photo: Google Flights

On the other hand, the supply of air tickets for Venezuela is scarce. The only ones that fly from Lima to Venezuela are Copa Airlines and the state-owned Conviasa. The first offers the service with a stopover in Panama and the ticket, which only includes a backpack, can cost 3,898.48 soles ($1,008.01); while the option with a cabin case costs 4,220.64 soles ($1,091.31). Both were cited for a stay from August 29 to September 15. This represents an increase of just over 50% compared to the value of the ticket to Miami.

Currently, Venezuela does not have the same air connectivity as it did 10 years ago. Photo: AFP

Mailin Avila, representative of the travel agency Vicmai TOURS, said that the high ticket prices for trips to the South American country are due to the low availability of flights and economic and financial instability, and the products are constantly increasing in value. “You have to keep in mind that behind the flights are high-octane fuel, parts and maintenance, and with so little supply and so few airlines, the cost gets more expensive,” he told the outlet.

From the Association of Air Lines of Venezuela (ALAV) they have asked the executive to restore the routes that were active in the country about 10 years ago.

The managing director of ALAV, Humberto Figuerabelieves that the increased reactivation experienced by the Venezuelan air transport sector will ultimately lead to a reduction in ticket costs.

“As many lines operate, tickets will go down in price and airline service, a product of the competition, will improve,” he said in an interview with the Voice of America portal.

However, the Institute of Civil Aeronautics of Venezuela (INAC) has not announced any new flight routes over Caracas-Lima for this year.