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The United States has officially signed an agreement with Cuba to re-establish scheduled air services between the two countries.
Starting Tuesday, U.S. carriers will have 15 days to submit applications to the Department of Transportation for routes they’d like to fly between the U.S. and Cuba in what’s sure to be a fierce bidding war.
What’s the time table?
This agreement will mean the potential for 110 daily round-trip flights in and out of Cuba. That includes 20 daily flights to Havana and 10 daily flights to other airports on the island.
The airline bidding process will likely last until the middle of March.
A U.S. official with direct knowledge of the agreement told CNN that the Department of Transportation could award routes and slots to specific carriers as soon as this summer. Flights between the two countries could resume soon after, but the official says most likely by October.
There’s more in this CNN article.
While this will make flying to Cuba easier than the way I did it–with foreign miles on a single award ticket from Washington to Havana–this doesn’t change who can go to Cuba. I went to Cuba in April 2015. Here is my series on the trip:
- Entry, Exit, and Legal Requirements
- How to Book Flights or Ferries into or Out of Cuba
- Internet, Money, Food, Nightlife
- Transportation and Lodging
- Trip Report: Viñales
What’s your plan for Cuba? Try to get there before regular commercial service resumes? Wait until regular commercial service resumes? Continue your own personal embargo?
I have planed On flying via INTERJET from Mexico, which has current established service.
They also have ‘holidays’ that include
Hotel and ground transportation.
Will aim to do so soon, before the huddled masses descend..
I’m booked on Interjet, combining it with a few days in Cancun. Will look to stay in casas particulares and eat in paradores – trying to benefit the ordinary people to the extent possible.
If we find flights on foreign carrier websites directly from US – 3rd location – Cuba on a single ticket, do they check your passport upon departure in the US for the 12 acceptable reasons to visit Cuba? Or if we have dual citizenship, can we just use that second passport to ‘leave’ the US?
They checked mine leaving Washington-Dulles in similar circumstances.