Havana: JetBlue Becomes First Major Airline To Offer Flights From The United States To Cuba, JFK To Havana


Want to go to Havana? JetBlue may be the best option since they are now offering flights to Havana, Cuba. The first Havana JetBlue flight took place on Friday from JFK to Havana. JetBlue will be offering round trip flights, five times per week. In Florida, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale will be offering flights to Cuba as well. A passenger on the first Havana JetBlue flight, Carlos Infante, spoke with NBC about the experience.

“This is something we’re gonna talk about for years and years and years; this is an opportunity for American people to go to Cuba.”

Passengers are not the only people excited to fly to Cuba. Michael Vaughan has been a commercial pilot for 17 years. Vaughn put in a request to fly from Tampa to Havana. JetBlue granted his request and made the pilot very excited about it.

“It will be neat to say that I at least touched ground.”

Airlines are starting to set up travel routes to Cuba now that the United States and Cuba are starting to rebuild their diplomatic relationship. The United States’ relationship with Cuba has been non-existent for close to 50 years. President Obama has made it easier to travel to Cuba as long as the person traveling falls under one of 12 categories that have been approved to travel to the communist nation.

As of now, travelers cannot go to Cuba strictly for tourism. In the United States, airlines still cannot sell tickets from within the United States to Cuba. The only thing the United States can do right now is fly the airplanes into Cuba. The United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has licensed charter companies who in turn have teamed up with American and JetBlue to transport the passengers to Cuba. Robin Hayes, the CEO of JetBlue, commented about working with the charter company Cuba Travel Services.

“In teaming with an experienced charter partner like Cuba Travel Services, our first flight from JFK to Cuba brings JetBlue’s award-winning experience to Cuba-bound customers and offers new direct travel options from New York, where many Cubans live today.”

JetBlue has a list of charter companies and days for their Havana JetBlue flights.

  • New York JFK to Havana (HAV): Fridays, flights sold by Cuba Travel Services
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Havana (HAV): Fridays, flights sold by Xael Charters
  • Tampa (TPA) to Havana: Tuesdays, flights sold by ABC Charters
  • Tampa (TPA) to Santa Clara (SNU): Wednesdays, flights sold by ABC Charters
  • Tampa (TPA) to Havana (HAV): Fridays, flights sold by ABC Charters

Would you be willing to visit Cuba?

[Image via Flights5.com]

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