FBOs at Simón Bolívar International Airport SVMI CCS

Airport security

Caracas and the surrounding La Guaira coastal region present an elevated and multi-dimensional security environment.

The U.S. Department of State maintains a Level 3 'Reconsider Travel' advisory for Venezuela, with specific risk categories including violent crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and civil unrest; the Government of Canada advises to avoid all travel entirely, and the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to significant portions of the country.

The broader Caracas region faces compounding hazards following severe earthquake activity in June 2026, with La Guaira — the coastal state in which Simón Bolívar International Airport is located — declared a disaster zone and placed under military control with strict access restrictions, further elevating operational risk for travelers transiting through this corridor.

Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport is Venezuela's primary international hub, handling the majority of the country's long-haul and regional commercial traffic.

A formal security assessment conducted by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration in February 2026, benchmarked against ICAO Annex 17 standards, concluded that sufficient security measures had been implemented at the facility to support the resumption of direct commercial operations from the United States; however, no formal published tier classification for the airport has been identified in available official documentation.

Travelers and operators should note that earthquake damage has necessitated the use of temporary terminal facilities, which may affect the consistency and integrity of standard access control and passenger processing arrangements until permanent infrastructure is restored.

Customs, immigration and regulatory

Hours: H24 — airport is a designated port of entry with customs, immigration, and agriculture services aligned to H24 operations; confirm specific CIQ window with handler prior to mission. SENIAT is the primary customs authority. All arriving passengers are subject to customs screening.

Advance coordination with a local ground handler is strongly advised given irregular procedural enforcement and documentation requirements in the current operating environment.

Ground corridor

• AVOID ADVISORY — multiple governments including the FCDO and U.S. State Department advise against all but essential travel to Venezuela, with specific warnings applicable to the airport-to-Caracas corridor. Ground transport risk in the Maiquetía–Caracas corridor is classified as high, driven by opportunistic violent crime, kidnapping, and the presence of irregular armed groups
• nighttime transit on this route is explicitly flagged as hazardous by U.S. government advisories. Pre-arranged vehicles coordinated through a vetted ground support team operating from within the secured FBO or GA terminal are strongly advised
• use of unsolicited or unregulated transport from the airport forecourt presents a documented and elevated personal security risk. Independent or walk-up transport from the terminal area should be avoided entirely
• all surface movement should be planned and confirmed before arrival with a professional driver briefed on current local conditions.

City threat summary

Caracas and the surrounding La Guaira coastal region present an elevated and multi-dimensional security environment.

The U.S. Department of State maintains a Level 3 'Reconsider Travel' advisory for Venezuela, with specific risk categories including violent crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and civil unrest; the Government of Canada advises to avoid all travel entirely, and the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to significant portions of the country.

The broader Caracas region faces compounding hazards following severe earthquake activity in June 2026, with La Guaira — the coastal state in which Simón Bolívar International Airport is located — declared a disaster zone and placed under military control with strict access restrictions, further elevating operational risk for travelers transiting through this corridor.

Country overview

Venezuela remains a high-threat environment following the U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, with acting President Delcy Rodríguez governing under significant external pressure while the existing institutional framework remains largely intact.

Widespread electricity rationing has driven sustained civil unrest, and twin earthquakes near Caracas in June 2026 have deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis that the government is ill-equipped to manage.

The U.S. State Department downgraded its advisory from Level 4 to Level 3 in March 2026 — the first such downgrade in over a decade — reflecting marginal improvements, though the overall security environment remains substantially elevated.

Higher-risk locations nearby

• Caracas SVFM HIGH
• Charallave SVCS HIGH
• Los Aguacates SVLW HIGH
• Maiquetía SVMI HIGH
• Valencia SVVA HIGH