Tourist Card
 

Hey FTers. I am booked for CFG in September. I have seen the Miami Herarld article about AA calling and facilitating this process. Every time I call AA no one knows anything about this.

Does anyone have any insight about obtaining one other than contacting the Cuban embassy directly?

Will they be available at the airport in MIA or upon arrival?

Thanks!

I'm in much the same situation, leaving September 17 and having gotten no info from anyone I talked to on the phone at AA. The last I read on some forum or another (Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum has a lot of travelers that have been going to Cuba for decades and are pretty clued in about all the changes, and are staying on top of these issues with new flights) was from someone who was told by AA that they were getting some third party agency to handle the tourist card at Miami airport. No word about the "mandatory" insurance though. And no word on when this as yet un-named agency is supposed to be up and running in AA's Miami airport area.
Please post, anyone who has heard something more.

AA's reply
 

Hey guys just received the following message from AA on Facebook messenger. Social media team to the rescue again!

"A third party vendor will be contacting customers 32 days prior to their flight via email regarding obtaining their tourist card. You can purchase them earlier as long as it's specifically issued for the US and valid on the day of travel."

For me, that would make it the 15th of this month, just a few days away. I'll let you all know if/when/as soon as the vendor contacts me and what exactly they say.

Update
 

Just received an email from AA,

"Travel card and insurance coverage:

Most customers will need to purchase a travel card and insurance coverage, which you can obtain from Cuba Travel Services (CTS) by calling 305-204-9314 or 877-511-2822 (U.S. toll-free)."

I had contacted them earlier (independently, without AA referral.) They were charging $85 per person. Hopefully AA has arranged to allow those with AA to be charged a lower price or at cost, but I doubt it.

Just tried both numbers. "Leave a message (name and phone number) and a rep will get back to you within 1 business day."

What is the "normal" price of a tourist card? Does it change for passport nationality (US vs. other)? Does it change depending on where you buy it (Canada, Cancun,etc)?
Do we have other options than this agency that might be cheaper?
I have read elsewhere that people bought them for $25.

Anyone know this place:
https://fusion.dns-systems.net/secur...t=yes&accom=no
They are charging 20GBP (=U$25) including shipping for any nationality anywhere.
What I can't find yet is how long it would take to arrive. Have to read the rest of the site.

I have flown to Cuba twice - once from Mexico and once from Jamaica. Both times I got the tourist card at the check in desk. I can't imagine AA won't have something in place.

Is that site just going to send a copy of the form for you to fill out and hand in at check in?

I received a phone call yesterday.

Cuba Travel Services charges $85 per person. They did said they could be purchased at the airport for $100 per person.

Wow what a rip off

I'm playing phone tag with Cuba Travel Services (3 days now), but they never leave the info I've asked for. just a "we called" message.
But if they don't make it a point to get back to me, I'll try to order from the UK place for U$25 while I still have time.

edit:
The UK place sells GREEN tourist cards.
US passport holders need a PINK tourist card, more expensive.

$85 isnt terrible. It is $70 to do it yourself through the mail.

It was beginning to seem as if they were playing phone tag in order to get the higher price at the airport in Miami.
But...
Finally got through to them. The rep said she would send me an email with the visa form and the travel affidavit (where you choose the reason you are traveling). Return to them by mail with the "proof of ticket" and U$85. She said they process and ship the same day as this stuff is received by snail mail.
----
I can't find any but the most general info about tourist cards on the DC Embassy/Consulate website. No price.
They do not answer their published phone number; just goes to answering machine.

I have documents from the consulate. PM your email if you want them. They require a copy of your passport and a passport style photo.

Sent to you in PM. No response (yet).

How long is the turn around time from the Cuban Embassy/Consulate in DC?

Just responded.

Thanks! Got it.

Anyone else have any information on a US citizen obtaining the tourist card? I'm looking at booking with Southwest which partners with the same company that AA does I'm pretty sure which charges $85 for the tourist card plus $25 for shipping.

I found a few UK and Canadian based sites that are selling it for $25 plus $10 in shipping for US cizitens. Any experience in using those?

Answered here:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...a-tourist-card

We never received any responses from the Consulate in DC regarding the bank checks along with paperwork we submitted.

In the end we paid $100 at the airport for the visa. Next time I would use the recommended service for $85. Others we spoke to used it, and it was painless.

Which airport and airline? We are flying AA out of MIA. Would be great if we could just get it there.

AA is using Cuba Travel Services.
When I bought my PINK tourist card (can't board with GREEN), it was online for U$85 total including shipping. (The DC Cuban Embassy is selling them for U$70 plus shipping, and requires a lot more paperwork.)
At the gate in Miami a couple of weeks ago, that company had a cart that was selling tourist cards (U$100) , and also checking previously purchased tourist cards and stamping boarding passes as ready to board.

I will be traveling to Cuba in January and booked my flight through Southwest. Like some of the other airlines mentioned previously, Southwest is partnering with Cuba Travel Services. However, they have a special offer specifically for Southwest passengers to purchase the tourist card for $50, which can then be picked at whatever airport you are flying out of (FLL or TPA, in SW case). For comparison, I live in DC and stopped by the Cuban consulate, where they also wanted $50 money order as well as some other forms and documents. Using the contracted service with CTS was much simpler as it could be done online and you can use a credit card to pay for it.