RUTACA Airlines
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| Founded | 26 March 1974 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Simón Bolívar International Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 8 | ||||||
| Destinations | 15 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela | ||||||
| Key people | Carlos Silva (President) | ||||||
| Founder | Evard Mares Bianchi | ||||||
| Employees | +500 (2023) | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
RUTACA Airlines (legally Rutas Aéreas C.A.) is an airline headquartered in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela with its home base at Tomás de Heres Airport and a hub at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas.[1]
History
RUTACA Airlines was founded by Evard Mares Bianchi on March 26, 1974, and began operating non-scheduled cargo and passenger flights with small aircraft. It currently operates scheduled and charter services throughout the country.
The airline's operations suffered gravely during the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis, including suspending flights between key routes.[2]
Destinations
As of November 2025, RUTACA Airlines serves the following destinations:[3]
Fleet
Current
The RUTACA Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft (as of February 2026):[15]
| Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | ||||||
| Boeing 737-300 | 3 | — | 12 | 112 | 124 | |||
| – | 144 | 144 | ||||||
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 2 | — | – | 164 | 164 | |||
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 2 | — | – | 166 | 166 | |||
| McDonnell Douglas MD-88 | 1 | — | – | 166 | 166 | |||
| Total | 8 | — | ||||||
Former
RUTACA Airlines formerly operated the following aircraft:
- 6 Antonov An-2TP
- 1 Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
- 9 Boeing 737-200[16]
- 1 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander
- 17 Cessna 206
- 1 Cessna 207
- 4 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
- 1 Convair CV-340
- 1 Convair CV-440
- 8 Douglas C-47A Skytrain
- 1 Douglas DC-3C
- 6 Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
Accidents and incidents
- On June 5, 1987, a Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander (registration YV-230C) was disarmed in flight over the area of Upata, Bolívar state. All 10 occupants on board died.
- On January 25, 2001, RUTACA Airlines Flight 225, a Douglas DC-3 (registered YV-244C) crashed shortly after taking off from Ciudad Bolívar, killing all 20 passengers and four crew members.[17]
- On October 16, 2008, a Boeing 737-200 (registered YV162T) landed on runway 28R at Simón Bolívar International Airport following a domestic flight from Puerto Ordaz. After touchdown, the airplane swerved to the left. The nose came to rest on the runway embankment.[18]
- On February 15, 2009, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (registered YV1950) overran the runway at Guasdualito Airport following a domestic flight from Las Flecheras Airport. The airplane sustained damage to the propeller and the underside of the fuselage.[19]
- On July 27, 2010, a Boeing 737-200 (registered YV169T) made an emergency landing at Ciudad Guayana international airport following a domestic flight from Ciudad Bolivar after problems in engine number one.
See also
References
- ^ "Rutaca Airlines information". Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ Ivan Nadalet (June 25, 2017). "Venezuela's Rutaca Airlines partially resumes operations". Ch-aviation.com.
- ^ "Rutaca - Destinos".
- ^ "Venezuela voltará a ser conectada ao Brasil com voos da capital e do interior para Manaus e Boa Vista". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 24 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela voltará a ser conectada ao Brasil com voos da capital e do interior para Manaus e Boa Vista". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 24 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "Puerto la Cruz y San Cristóbal: Nuevos destinos de Rutaca en Barquisimeto". Noticiasbarquisimeto.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 20, 2023.
- ^ "Rutaca Airlines: nueva aerolínea que opera en Panamá". Ecotvpanama.com (in Spanish). Retrieved August 20, 2023.
- ^ Grevic Alvarado (9 April 2023). "Over 100 Trinidad and Tobago tourists head to Margarita". Newsday.co.tt.
- ^ "Venezuela: Rutaca resumes flights to Barcelona". Aviacionline.com. 25 August 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "Falcón estrena ruta aérea Coro-Maiquetía". Correodelorinoco.gob.ve. August 8, 2025.
- ^ "Rutaca incorpora a Ciudad Bolívar entre sus destinos nacionales". Versionfinal.com.ve. 8 April 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Rutaca Airlines abrirá vuelo entre Maracaibo, Venezuela y Punta Cana". Arecoa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 28, 2021.
- ^ "Flights to Venezuela: Rutaca Airlines schedules flights between Caracas and Maturín". Aviacionline.com. 23 April 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ Daniel Martínez Curiel. "Rutaca Airlines inicia vuelos entre Caracas y Santo Domingo del Táchira". Torreeldorado.co (in Spanish). Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ "Rutaca Airlines Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
- ^ "RUTACA retired its last Boeing 737-200adv and eight remain in service in Latin America". Aviacionline.com. January 15, 2024.
- ^ Aviation Safety Net accessed 15 August 2009
- ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-2H4 YV162T Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 208B Grand Caravan YV1950 Guasdualito-Vare Maria Airport (GDO)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
External links
Media related to Rutaca Airlines at Wikimedia Commons
 Airlines of Venezuela | |
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| Scheduled | |
| Charter | |
| Cargo | |
| Defunct | |