Jun 10, 2016, 12:19 pm
Last edit by: BangkokTraveler
AA Initiated Commercial Flights to Cuba 7 Sep 2016
In March, the USDOT accepted airline applications wishing to offer non-charter commercial flights between the USA and Cuba. On June 10, 2016 USDOT issued an order for American Airlines to operate flights between the USA and Cuba, to begin September 2016 HAV / La Habana.) JetBlue inaugurated the first commercial US flight to Cuba since 1961 yesterday, AA initiated commercial service Sep 7.
Link to aa.com Travel Destinations: Cuba
American began flying between Miami (MIA) and five destinations in Cuba starting September 2016: Camagüey (CMW), Cienfuegos (CFG), Holguín (HOG), Santa Clara (SNU), Varadero (VRA).
AA Travel policy terms and conditions
- No point of origin Cuba allowed
- Entire journey must be on American Airlines flights
- Members will earn and redeem AAdvantage® miles on American operated flights to Cuba
- Flights to Cuba are eligible for 500-mile upgrades
- Award flights to/from Cuba cannot be booked on aa.com
"Cuba flights cannot be booked on the same ticket as other airline travel."
Requirements for Cuba travelers
"Cuba service starts (7) September 2016 and AA is requiring all passengers on their flights to be traveling for one of the government-approved reasons or to be holding a license issued by OFAC (see below). Tourism, regardless of country of citizenship, does not qualify for travel on AA." (emphasis theirs, this is quoted directly from their agent reference)
Cuba flights cannot be booked on the same ticket as other airline travel.
Passengers will have to sign an affidavit at the airport certifying that they are traveling for an approved reason.
Open-jaws are allowed but only if originating and returning outside of Cuba. AA is not selling any tickets in Cuba or with a Cuban origin.
Cuba Travel Services (which currently conducts charters to Cuba) will be contacting AA passengers traveling to Cuba to advise them of travel requirements. Online check-in will be inhibited for all Cuba flights and kiosk check-in will require agent verification.
C/o JonNYC.
See requirements and links below.
Cuba travel policy (applies to ALL passengers flying from USA to Cuba on AA and other US airlines)
Flying to Cuba from or through the U.S. for tourism is not allowed. There are 12 acceptable travel reasons:
- Family visits
- Official business of the U.S. Government, foreign governments and certain intergovernmental organizations
- Journalistic activities
- Professional research or professional meetings
- Educational activities and people-to-people exchanges
- Religious activities
- Public performance, clinics, workshops, athletic or other competitions and exhibitions
- Support for the Cuban people
- Humanitarian projects
- Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes
- Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials
- Travel related to certain authorized export transactions
Link to US OFAC regulations regarding travel to Cuba (takes a few seconds to load to appropriate section).
Link to OFAC License info and forms if you choose not to self-certify.
Other requirements
- All visitors need a visa to enter Cuba
- Cuban-born individuals have special visa requirements, regardless of citizenship
- Learn about Cuban-born requirements
The Cuban government requires all visitors to have health insurance for coverage throughout its territory. When you buy your ticket with us, a $25 fee for Cuban health insurance issued by ESICUBA is added to the price of your ticket. (You will not be required to purchase Cuban health insurance on arrival.)
American Airlines has no specific knowledge regarding details of coverage.
Link to ESICUBA insurance information (Castilian Spanish)
Help with verification
We’ve partnered with Cuba Travel Service (CTS) to make your travel planning easier.
If you buy a ticket to Cuba with us, a CTS representative will work with you to confirm you have all the documents and permits required as well as guide you through what to expect during your travel.
Call CTS: 877-511-2822
Link to Learn more about CTS Opens in a new window
From aa.com 7 Sep 2016
Resources and information
(AA has been serving Cuba with charter flights operated for CTS / Cuba Travel Services for 25 years. The main wiki writer has flown MIA-HAV-MIA on AA and Sun Country.)
U.S. Embassy, La Havana, Cuba (link)
Certain spend and other requirements must be met, in accord with regulations issued by the U. S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (link to PDF), and the Cuba Assets Control Regulations of 16 Mar 2016, 31 CFR 515 (link to PDF).
[quote]timaticweb2 through United Airlines, 10 Jun 2016:
Summary (US Citizen traveling from USA to Cuba, return ticket and normal passport at hand)
Conditional, The traveler will need to hold travel documents as detailed below.
Type: Notice
Cuba - Destination Visa / Tourist Card
You must possess a current passport with a minimum of two empty visa (not note) pages.
Visa required. AA is partnering with CTS, which is charging $85 for a visa by mail or $100 if purchasing from their counter at MIA. link
The following are exempt from holding a visa:
Passengers with a Tourist Card (Tarjeta del Turista) issued to visitors traveling as tourists. (Apparently these are not admissible by AA.)
Your visa will probably grant a maximum stay of 30 days to nationals of USA, and a single extension of stay for additional 30 days may be secured in Cuba (bureaucratic hassle).
The length of stay must be covered by USD $50.00 (or equivalent in other convertible currency, in cash or traveller's cheques) per person per day, unless passenger has previously contracted the touristic activities with MINTUR in Cuba.
Important
Former nationals of Cuba who left Cuba before 1971 must hold passports endorsed "Habilitado" for HE-11 status.
USCBP Customs Declaration etc.: When you arrive in the USA, DO declare Cuba on the U S Customs form 6059B. The USCBP officers generally do not care or give your travel to Cuba via Antigua or Cancún a second thought. But failing to disclose your travel to Cuba to a Federal agent? That's a violation of 18 U. S. Code § 1001, commonly called "making false statements", punishable by up to five years in Federal Prison. (A la Martha Stewart.)
18 U.S.C. § 1001 link
This information is for guide purposes only. Other health organisations may recommend alternative precautions.
Vaccinations not required
Zika virus warnings apply.
Currency Issues:
You must exchange US Dollars to CUC - Cuban Convertible Pesos in authorized locations, and are required to spend CUC in Cuba (not dollars). CUC are not exportable out of Cuba. (Hint: the main writer of this wikipost had no trouble exchanging Euro at decent market rates and found Euro accepted in some locations due to the prevalence of European tourists in Cuba.) Limited US credit card acceptance is said to occur now, but if so it's a recent change and is extremely limited at this time.
Please read the extensive U.S. Department of State information regarding Cuba if you are a U.S. Citizen or Resident. Link.
FlyerTalk Cuba Forum (link)
Link to archived thread "ARCHIVE:.AA submits application to DoT for Cuba flights".
Link "ARCHIVE: USDOT Grants AA Commercial USA-Cuba Flights (Jun 2016)"
Updated 30 Jan 2017 - JDiver
AA Cuba Commercial Flights As Of 7 Sep 2016
Sep 1, 2016, 6:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt LT Global Elitist, Bonvyoed LT Titanium, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 479
DOT Granted Final Route Authority for Havana Flights last night. Preliminary award decisions from early July remain unchanged.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nati...e99080607.html
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nati...e99080607.html
Sep 3, 2016, 4:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: US
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1,753
Update: Credit cards will not be accepted at Cuban stations. All payments for the time being must be made in Cuban pesos.
Cuba Travel Services (CTS) will be selling Cuba tourist visas (cost: $85.00 USD), both by phone when they notify passengers of the entry requirements, and at MIA.
Cuba Travel Services (CTS) will be selling Cuba tourist visas (cost: $85.00 USD), both by phone when they notify passengers of the entry requirements, and at MIA.
Sep 5, 2016, 5:40 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 947
As of yesterday, no, AA.com does not recognize HAV as a destination with flights loaded. This weekend's extra-super-ginormous schedule load did not include HAV. Does anybody know why?
Sep 5, 2016, 9:05 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: US
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1,753
I'm also puzzled that AA seems to be on the verge of becoming the last airline to initiate US-HAV sales.
Some updates:
Some updates:
- AA is not transporting tourists because they are legally barred from doing so.
- AA is now allowing one-way bookings to or from Cuba, but is still not issuing tickets with point-of-sale Cuba.
- Tickets that originate in Cuba and any award tickets to or from Cuba cannot be purchased on AA.com and require a call to Reservations. The service charge will be waived.
- A $25.00 USD YQ surcharge is added to tickets issued on or after August 30 to pay for the mandatory Cuban health insurance required of visitors. The boarding pass will serve as proof of insurance. Those who are exempt from this requirement can request a refund of the surcharge.
Sep 6, 2016, 8:58 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: UA-1Kmm, AA-EX Plt mm-, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 1,093
I don't get it either. I imagined AA would be leading the pack in sales to HAV. I also don't understand why AA will not allow someone to buy a ticket with Cuba as the origin. There is definitely demand from people are willing to buy a ticket from a US point of sale for for travelers who hold a valid US Visas and originate in Cuba. For example it's now not impossible for an elderly Cuban family member to get a tourist visa to come visit the US.
Sep 6, 2016, 6:07 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: MIA
Programs: AAdvantage Exec Plat SPG Platinum
Posts: 308
Update: Credit cards will not be accepted at Cuban stations. All payments for the time being must be made in Cuban pesos.
Cuba Travel Services (CTS) will be selling Cuba tourist visas (cost: $85.00 USD), both by phone when they notify passengers of the entry requirements, and at MIA.
Cuba Travel Services (CTS) will be selling Cuba tourist visas (cost: $85.00 USD), both by phone when they notify passengers of the entry requirements, and at MIA.
Sep 7, 2016, 1:15 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: UA-1Kmm, AA-EX Plt mm-, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 1,093
Sep 7, 2016, 2:58 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 64
If I remember correctly I paid $20 for a visa in PTY. I believe you can also purchase one at immigration in Havana.
Health insurance is mandated and usually $3-5/day when I went so not much you can do there.
Also, USD gets dinged 10% upon exchange (0.90 CUC per 1.00 USD) so if you can aquire Euros at a lower cost, do so. They have 2 currencies (CUP and CUC) so be mindful when paying and receiving change.
If anyone has questions about Cuba or would like recommendations/tips feel free to shoot me a message.
Lastly, don't be a sucker...negotiate 🙂
Health insurance is mandated and usually $3-5/day when I went so not much you can do there.
Also, USD gets dinged 10% upon exchange (0.90 CUC per 1.00 USD) so if you can aquire Euros at a lower cost, do so. They have 2 currencies (CUP and CUC) so be mindful when paying and receiving change.
If anyone has questions about Cuba or would like recommendations/tips feel free to shoot me a message.
Lastly, don't be a sucker...negotiate 🙂
Sep 7, 2016, 3:16 pm
#12
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
This thread has been cleaned up of discussion on the hows and whys of the requirements for those flying USA-Cuba to fall within one of the 12 OFAC approved categories for allowed travel to Cuba applying to those falling within US jurisdiction. Travel purely for tourism is not allowed at this time by travelers going nonstop from the USA to Cuba. Those hows and whys are not within the purview of this thread and are best discussed in the Cuba forum or in OMNI/PR, depending on context.
The wikipost has been extensively revised and includes information and links for those traveling to Cuba on AA.
For anyone who has already purchased tickets to the USA hoping to fly on to Cuba, if those tickets are nonrefundable, they might contemplate travel onward by traveling to Antigua, Jamaica, Mexico, Panamá, etc. to fly from there to Cuba.
The wikipost has been extensively revised and includes information and links for those traveling to Cuba on AA.
For anyone who has already purchased tickets to the USA hoping to fly on to Cuba, if those tickets are nonrefundable, they might contemplate travel onward by traveling to Antigua, Jamaica, Mexico, Panamá, etc. to fly from there to Cuba.
Sep 7, 2016, 10:21 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott
Posts: 1,110
I wonder if AA would deny boarding if one does not have the "pink" visa or plans to buy one on arrival. As frustrating as it is to pay such an obviously inflated rate, sounds like either would be a risky move at this point.
Sep 8, 2016, 5:18 am
#15
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
It may reflect AA typically poor word usage; maybe it means travel involving other airlines than AA? Perhaps the rule has changed since it was issued? We will ultimately gain clarification: your post indicates one can get Cuba tickets on the same PNR as domestic US travel, at least.