Using miles for Cuba?
Apr 10, 2008 | 10:30 am
#17
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: DC
Programs: AA EXP; UAMM
Posts: 1,902
US citizens can't go there
The US government sells a license to certain operators for travel to Cuba. I know when I went there were 9 flights a day between Miami and Havana. I saw a United sitting on the tarmac when I arrived. I was on a Continental flight, that was classified as a charter. Cuba is expensive for the operators of these trip because of the restrictions our wonderful government puts on them related to financial transactions and of what the operators cost of doing business in Cuba runs them. To me it was worth it. Off the top of my head, Eldertreks was a company that had trips going to Cuba, check with them...it would be much cheaper than a huge fine if you were caught going illegally. When we came back to the US, customs gave us no problem, just their usual welcome home.
Did you travel with Eldertreks or another company? Any idea why customs didn't questions you? Did you go before the increased vigilance and fines that kicked in a couple of years ago?
Apr 10, 2008 | 11:05 am
#18
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Southern California
Programs: UA 1K/2.2MM, Marriott Titanium & LT Platinum, Avis PC, Hertz PC
Posts: 716
I went to Havana last week for a couple of days. Flew SNA-PHX-CUN using UA miles on US, then Mexicana from CUN to HVN and back HVN-CUN on Cubana. We stayed at the Hotel Nacional (5*)for $120 per night and booked the hotel, Mexicana and Cubana flights thru a Canadian Travel Agent called www.wowcuba.com with a US credit card. It was very easy
I highly recommend seeing Cuba before things change and it becomes another Cancun.
I highly recommend seeing Cuba before things change and it becomes another Cancun.
Apr 10, 2008 | 12:09 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB PLT again afater a decade as plebian
Posts: 22,932
Apr 10, 2008 | 2:16 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2006
Location: CGK & PBI
Programs: Cruise addict and AirBNB Plat :)
Posts: 3,320
I'd like to visit Cuba in the near future and always thought the way to do it is to fly to a Central American country and take Cubana or other airlines from there.
Would this be the "illegal" method you speak of?
Apr 10, 2008 | 2:26 pm
#22
Join Date: May 2006
Location: CGK & PBI
Programs: Cruise addict and AirBNB Plat :)
Posts: 3,320
Apr 10, 2008 | 2:40 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Soon to be LEGT
Posts: 10,928
You can most definitely use miles for an award ticket to Cuba, as long as they are not from a US FFP. I was able to find business class award availability on NYC-PTY-HAV (a through ticket that cannot be bought for money) on COPA. The funny thing is that COPA frequent flyers aren't able to buy award tickets to HAV, as their "home" FFP is that of Continental!
Having said that, I wouldn't buy that ticket if I were a US citizen...It's just asking for trouble. Go from Canada on AC miles or something.
Having said that, I wouldn't buy that ticket if I were a US citizen...It's just asking for trouble. Go from Canada on AC miles or something.
Apr 10, 2008 | 2:48 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: DC
Programs: AA EXP; UAMM
Posts: 1,902
Misinformed no, poorly worded yes.
The Office of Foreign Assests Control in the Dept of Treasury says you cannot "spend money related to travel to, from, or within Cuba" unless you have a specific or general license to travel there.
How can anyone travel to Cuba without spending any money related to travel to, from or within Cuba? And, no, you can't pay a third party who then pays for your travel.
So unless you swim or sail there and live on "the kindness of others", it appears you'll be breaking the law with fines up to $50,000 (not $22,000) possible.
How can anyone travel to Cuba without spending any money related to travel to, from or within Cuba? And, no, you can't pay a third party who then pays for your travel.
So unless you swim or sail there and live on "the kindness of others", it appears you'll be breaking the law with fines up to $50,000 (not $22,000) possible.
Apr 10, 2008 | 3:33 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 642
The Office of Foreign Assests Control in the Dept of Treasury says you cannot "spend money related to travel to, from, or within Cuba" unless you have a specific or general license to travel there.
How can anyone travel to Cuba without spending any money related to travel to, from or within Cuba? And, no, you can't pay a third party who then pays for your travel.
So unless you swim or sail there and live on "the kindness of others", it appears you'll be breaking the law with fines up to $50,000 (not $22,000) possible.
How can anyone travel to Cuba without spending any money related to travel to, from or within Cuba? And, no, you can't pay a third party who then pays for your travel.
So unless you swim or sail there and live on "the kindness of others", it appears you'll be breaking the law with fines up to $50,000 (not $22,000) possible.
Apr 10, 2008 | 3:46 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB PLT again afater a decade as plebian
Posts: 22,932
The Office of Foreign Assests Control in the Dept of Treasury says you cannot "spend money related to travel to, from, or within Cuba" unless you have a specific or general license to travel there.
How can anyone travel to Cuba without spending any money related to travel to, from or within Cuba? And, no, you can't pay a third party who then pays for your travel.
So unless you swim or sail there and live on "the kindness of others", it appears you'll be breaking the law with fines up to $50,000 (not $22,000) possible.
How can anyone travel to Cuba without spending any money related to travel to, from or within Cuba? And, no, you can't pay a third party who then pays for your travel.
So unless you swim or sail there and live on "the kindness of others", it appears you'll be breaking the law with fines up to $50,000 (not $22,000) possible.
Would dual citizens get into trouble if they enter Cuba with a different passport and re-enter the US using their US passport?
Okay .. it's obvious that I need to look into this further but can you tell me if this law only applies to US' "citizens" or also extended to residents (green card) as well?
See the overview at this site:
http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enfor...uba/cuba.shtml
Apr 10, 2008 | 5:08 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Washingon, DC
Programs: AF; DL; & SQ FF Programs
Posts: 170
I'm curious how you got past the prohibition on the Eldertreks web site: Please note that at time of printing, the government of the U.S.A. prohibits U.S. citizens from visiting Cuba.
Did you travel with Eldertreks or another company? Any idea why customs didn't questions you? Did you go before the increased vigilance and fines that kicked in a couple of years ago?
Did you travel with Eldertreks or another company? Any idea why customs didn't questions you? Did you go before the increased vigilance and fines that kicked in a couple of years ago?
Apr 10, 2008 | 5:11 pm
#28
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: New York City
Posts: 2
Cuba Sanctions
Everything you ever wanted to know about the US sanctions about Cuba:
http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforce...uba/cuba.shtml
Happy Reading!
http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforce...uba/cuba.shtml
Happy Reading!
Apr 10, 2008 | 5:16 pm
#29
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Washingon, DC
Programs: AF; DL; & SQ FF Programs
Posts: 170
If you are going to Cuba legally, you do not need to go through another country. Its about an hour and half flight from Miami. The one thing that makes a cultural exchage different from a vacation is that you can't go the beach! When they run these exchanges to Cuba, the company is suppose to report if you skipped any part of the tour.
Apr 10, 2008 | 5:19 pm
#30
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Washingon, DC
Programs: AF; DL; & SQ FF Programs
Posts: 170
Actually, we were allowed to bring back $100.00 of anything. Yes, the law applies to people with green cards.