Challenge: Fly an award ticket to Havana as a US Citizen
May 31, 2014, 12:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: Hyatt Platinum, IHG Platinum, Aadvantage Platinum
Posts: 180
Challenge: Fly an award ticket to Havana as a US Citizen
I'm trying to figure out if this will work. Aero Mexico flies 2x a week from Cancun and I could use miles for that - but imagine it would take an inexperienced booker to allow this kind of ticket. But who knows. To book those tickets at all one must call their Mexico City office so I understand.
Back in the 90s I added my frequenta number to a Mexicana ticket and got miles but I never tried to use those mile to fly CUN>HAV. I booked that via Canada.
Otherwise there are flights from Cayman Islands on their national carrier and Jamaica, Nassau, Central America and Colombia. And Mexico City with Interjet.
Does anyone have knowledge about how I might fly on an award ticket to HAV?
Back in the 90s I added my frequenta number to a Mexicana ticket and got miles but I never tried to use those mile to fly CUN>HAV. I booked that via Canada.
Otherwise there are flights from Cayman Islands on their national carrier and Jamaica, Nassau, Central America and Colombia. And Mexico City with Interjet.
Does anyone have knowledge about how I might fly on an award ticket to HAV?
Jun 1, 2014, 1:44 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 2,704
I'm trying to figure out if this will work. Aero Mexico flies 2x a week from Cancun and I could use miles for that - but imagine it would take an inexperienced booker to allow this kind of ticket. But who knows. To book those tickets at all one must call their Mexico City office so I understand.
Back in the 90s I added my frequenta number to a Mexicana ticket and got miles but I never tried to use those mile to fly CUN>HAV. I booked that via Canada.
Otherwise there are flights from Cayman Islands on their national carrier and Jamaica, Nassau, Central America and Colombia. And Mexico City with Interjet.
Does anyone have knowledge about how I might fly on an award ticket to HAV?
Back in the 90s I added my frequenta number to a Mexicana ticket and got miles but I never tried to use those mile to fly CUN>HAV. I booked that via Canada.
Otherwise there are flights from Cayman Islands on their national carrier and Jamaica, Nassau, Central America and Colombia. And Mexico City with Interjet.
Does anyone have knowledge about how I might fly on an award ticket to HAV?
Jun 1, 2014, 8:35 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Sydney
Programs: QF Plat, VA Gold, HH Diam, PC Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,082
Jun 2, 2014, 4:44 pm
#4
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
You can not use an award with miles from an American (U.S.A.) airline to book to / from Cuba (or earn miles on any U.S.A. airline's mileage program for a flight to or from Cuba either) at this time, technically even if it is on a non-U.S.A. airline.
Otherwise, it should not be problematic (e.g. you are using a non-U.S. A. airline's miles / award).
American Airlines AAdvantage miles on IB MAD-HAV? No. BA Avios MAD-HAV? Sure.
Yes, it is ironic. Last time I flew to HAV I flew MIA-HAV on Sun Country SY 8830, return American Airlines AA 9413 (as they were chartered by a licenced organisation it was legal) (but no miles possible on the AA flight.)
Otherwise, it should not be problematic (e.g. you are using a non-U.S. A. airline's miles / award).
American Airlines AAdvantage miles on IB MAD-HAV? No. BA Avios MAD-HAV? Sure.
Yes, it is ironic. Last time I flew to HAV I flew MIA-HAV on Sun Country SY 8830, return American Airlines AA 9413 (as they were chartered by a licenced organisation it was legal) (but no miles possible on the AA flight.)
Last edited by JDiver; Jun 2, 2014 at 4:50 pm
Jun 3, 2014, 11:25 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: Hyatt Platinum, IHG Platinum, Aadvantage Platinum
Posts: 180
American Airlines AAdvantage miles on IB MAD-HAV? No. BA Avios MAD-HAV? Sure.
Yes, it is ironic. Last time I flew to HAV I flew MIA-HAV on Sun Country SY 8830, return American Airlines AA 9413 (as they were chartered by a licenced organisation it was legal) (but no miles possible on the AA flight.)
Jun 3, 2014, 11:26 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: Hyatt Platinum, IHG Platinum, Aadvantage Platinum
Posts: 180
Jun 4, 2014, 5:46 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Sydney
Programs: QF Plat, VA Gold, HH Diam, PC Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,082
Dec 21, 2014, 6:10 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA PLT / 2MM
Posts: 2,113
You can not use an award with miles from an American (U.S.A.) airline to book to / from Cuba (or earn miles on any U.S.A. airline's mileage program for a flight to or from Cuba either) at this time, technically even if it is on a non-U.S.A. airline.
Otherwise, it should not be problematic (e.g. you are using a non-U.S. A. airline's miles / award).
American Airlines AAdvantage miles on IB MAD-HAV? No. BA Avios MAD-HAV? Sure.
Otherwise, it should not be problematic (e.g. you are using a non-U.S. A. airline's miles / award).
American Airlines AAdvantage miles on IB MAD-HAV? No. BA Avios MAD-HAV? Sure.
Would I be able to pay the taxes with a US credit card?
I'd be a bit afraid of transferring SPG/UR points over, only to have a ticket bounce.
Dec 21, 2014, 6:27 pm
#9
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
but that's me. The origin of the points or miles shouldn't matter; once their transferred and converted to the new currency, that should be it.
But: have you priced just buying a ticket? Might have to be cash, or having someone with a non-US card buy, but it might not be so expensive - and it's a relatively short flight. Other Mexican cities that could work include CUN and MID.
Feb 15, 2015, 11:04 am
#11
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,378
Supposedly you can now use United miles on Copa/Avianca if you book via the Mexico call centre. I have yet to find an agent capable of transferring me to it though and have no desire to try calling internationally given the ridiculous amount of time I've spent on the phone to the US based agents - it would cost a fortune!
Apr 22, 2015, 11:04 am
#12
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 231
award travel options
Since one cannot use miles from a US airline, if one has Amex points and Chase Ultimate rewards points, to what non-US airline can one transfer points for an award ticket from US to Cuba? My family member going to Cuba on a cultural exchange is in DC area, and the Copa flights from IAD-PTY-HAV look particularly attractive in terms of travel time. I'm willing to establish a frequent flier account at whatever airline is necessary to make this work as paid tickets are almost $800. Thanks.
Jun 30, 2015, 6:21 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Posts: 3,780
Jul 2, 2015, 9:19 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Posts: 3,780
I just tried a couple of searches, including MAD-HAV and it didn't work. One search didn't recognize HAV and the other said they don't fly to that destination.