American Airlines won approval from the Department of Transportation to begin regular daily commercial flights between Miami and Cuba within the next 90 days.
Advertisement
The routes, which are still subject to Cuba government approval and a security review of the approved airports, include the Cuban destinations of Camaguey, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Manzanillo, Matanzas, Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba.
Each airline can offer up to 10 daily flights to each of Cuba’s nine worldwide airports, other than Havana. The carrier expects to complete pending its Scheduled airline requirements soon while the DOT will make a final decision once the routes to Havana are announced.
The 161 combined weekly flights will depart from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Philadelphia and Minneapolis/St. Paul. But officials said the flights will be approved to land in nine Cuban cities. Tourists are still not able to fly to Cuba, but the routes will be available for family visits, official US government business, foreign-government business, journalistic activity, professional research, educational and religious activities, and other authorized travel, The Hill notes.
Delta Air Lines, for example, has applied to serve Havana, as have several airlines that received permission to serve the other Cuban cities.
Airlines expect a gradual, though potentially bigger payout from the flights than is typical for Caribbean destinations. Today we are delivering on his promise, said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Prices for an hourlong charter flight are about $500, while commercial airlines will probably offer flights for significantly less than that amount, although none have publicly discussed pricing.
The routes approved Friday include service from the US cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Philadelphia and Minneapolis, flying to such Cuban cities as Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba.
Interestingly, three airlines will handle flights out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International.
Flights will begin as early as the fall, the department said.
US President Barack Obama announced in February that regular commercial airline service would be re-opened, possibly this year, reaching up to ten worldwide airports on the Caribbean island nation.
Advertisement
All flights now operating between the two countries are charters, but the agreement the administration signed with Cuba in February allows for up to 110 additional daily flights – more than five times the current charter operations.
