No!!! Any US citizen is breaking the law regardless what currency s/he is using. You are spending your money which is the primary point of economic embargo. Like I said, it's not against the law to travel to Cuba, but it is to spend any money while there unless you are given an exemption. Majority of the people that get the exemption are athletes, medical professionals, educators, scientists, musicians/theatrical performers on a cultural exchange, news reporters, some students working on a specific projects, etc.... Cubans that have families in Cuba may go and spend money every 2 years (I think?) correct me if I'm wrong on the Cuban exemption.

The ONLY legal way to travel to Cuba for US citizen is to get an exemption from US Dept. of Treasury.

Any other way is taking a chance. It's possible and done every day but if caught you may face financial penalties. Also if you don't have an exemption then you can't fly US-Cuba non-stop.

My university has been doing licensed travel to Cuba for years, and we have a very good travel agent that we work with here in LA. PM me if you want the contact info.

If you're looking for ticket prices to Cuba, check the Mexicana website. Flights between Cancun and Havana run around $300, and flights between Mexico City and Havana run about $400. IIRC, the direct charters between the US and Cuba (even though it's only 90 miles from Miami) are significantly more expensive. I think Mexicana also has the best schedules and runs flights from both places every day (2x/day from Cancun).

Authorized Travel, Carrier, and Remittance Forwarding Service Providers

http://treas.gov/offices/enforcement...a/cuba_tsp.pdf

Cubana services are operated principally for them by operators from other countries, due to the difficulties for Cubana in getting spare parts for US aircraft, engines, flight instruments, etc, and the demise of Russian commercial aircraft manufacturing. Much of the Cubana regional operation is currently covered by Airbus A320s which are operated for them by TACA of El Salvador.

There is a very extensive range of flights by multiple carriers from Europe to Cuba, aimed principally at the holiday market and using a number of different airports across Cuba. You will find a good lineup of familiar names at Havana airport any afternoon. The smaller European long-distance charter operators tend to favour Varadero.