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UA Service to Havana Starts Nov 29, 2016 - from EWR (daily), IAH (weekly)

Old Jan 17, 2015, 12:47 am
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United Airlines Service to Havana Starts November 29
Book your flight to Havana from New York/Newark and Houston today


CHICAGO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The countdown to Cuba is officially underway at United Airlines after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded the company final approval to launch service to Havana from two of its hubs this fall. Beginning Nov. 29, United will start daily nonstop flights to the Cuban capital from New York/Newark and Saturday nonstop service from Houston with both services subject to government approval. Customers can begin booking flights to Havana via united.com today.
Since the DOT announced its preliminary Havana route awards in July, United has been working closely with the Cuban government to prepare for the start of its operation into Jos Mart International Airport.

"I'm incredibly proud of all the dedicated aviation professionals here at United who are working hard to get our historic Cuba service ready for takeoff in November," said Oscar Munoz, United's CEO. "The final approval by the DOT reaffirms that our flights will ensure better choice, convenience and competition for all travelers on this important route, and I want to thank the DOT for their decision."

United's services to Havana will mark the company's 13th new international route launched in 2016. Since March, United has started nonstop service between the U.S. and Auckland, New Zealand; Tel Aviv, Israel; Xi'an, China; Singapore; Hangzhou, China; Athens, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; Providenciales, Turks and Caicos; Nassau, Bahamas, and Lisbon, Portugal.
U.S. Department of Transportation awards United flights to Havana from its global gateways in New York/Newark and Houston
Airline expects to offer its first flights to Havana by fall 2016

CHICAGO, July 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, United Airlines customers will have a historic opportunity to board one of the first commercial flights to Havana, Cuba in more than a half century. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) tentatively awarded the airline nonstop flights to the Cuban capital from its global gateways in New York/Newark and Houston. By providing access from key, geographically diverse locations across the U.S., United's newly awarded routes will help ensure better choice, convenience and competition for travelers between the United States and Cuba.

"These flights open the door to a new world of travel and opportunities for our customers," said Oscar Munoz, United's president and CEO. "We are proud of the important and historic role our airline will play in connecting the U.S. and Cuba, as commercial air travel takes flight between these countries for the first time in more than 50 years."

United expects to begin its first flight to Cuba from New York/Newark and Houston later this year, which would make it one of the first U.S. airlines to provide commercial service to Havana and the first airline to offer U.S.-Havana service from outside Florida.

Daily nonstop service from New York/Newark (EWR)
United's daily nonstop flight from Newark Liberty International Airport will provide unique value in serving the New York City/Newark region, the largest metropolitan area in the country and home to the second-largest population of Cuban Americans. For more than 20 years, United has offered the New York City/Newark region the most flights to the most destinations around the world.

"Today is an exciting day for people who want the opportunity and better options to visit Cuba," said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. "Newark will benefit greatly from United's new competition in the U.S.-Cuba market, which will spur economic activity and job creation in our area. United service enables the nearly 80,000 Cuban Americans living in New Jersey along with many more Americans throughout the largest metropolitan area in the country new travel choices and business development opportunities. I thank Secretary Foxx and the DOT for recognizing the value of this route, and want to also thank United Airlines for supporting Newark as a gateway to Cuba."

Saturday nonstop service from Houston (IAH)
Recognized by "Trusted Traveler Network" as one of the most international-friendly points of entry for foreign travelers, Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport is United's gateway to Latin America. United offers 91 daily nonstop flights to 52 destinations across Latin America and the Caribbean from its Houston hub. Bush Intercontinental will be an important gateway for service to Havana and will directly connect 20 markets across the central and western United States to Cuba with just one stop. The Cuban-American population in the Houston metropolitan area ranks among the top ten cities in the country.

"Secretary Anthony Foxx and the U.S. Department of Transportation made an outstanding decision by approving United Airline's application for Saturday service between Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Havana's Jose Marti international Airport," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. "Secretary Foxx and United both recognized the very significant economic and consumer benefits these flights to Cuba will bring to Houston-area residents, travelers, businesses and entrepreneurs. While there are nearly 20,000 Cuban Americans in Houston alone, United's service will also connect communities across the central and western U.S. Again, I would like to thank Secretary Foxx and United Airlines for making our great city one of the first new gateways to Cuba."
United Airlines Applies to Serve Cuba from Four Global Gateways
Flights from Newark/New York, Houston, Washington and Chicago to Havana will offer greater choice, convenience and competition for customers
UnitedtoCuba.com details benefits of airline's proposed service to customers and communities

CHICAGO, March 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today submitted its formal application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for authority to provide service from four of its largest U.S. gateway cities Newark/New York, Houston, Washington, D.C. and Chicago to Havana's Jos Mart International Airport. If approved, United will be one of the first U.S. airlines to offer customers daily, nonstop scheduled service to Cuba.
"This is a historic moment for our company, our employees and, most importantly, our customers," said Oscar Munoz, United's president and chief executive officer. "We want to be the first choice for passengers traveling between the U.S. and Cuba. We're able to offer customers the best access, convenience and connections to and from Havana through our industry-leading global route network, and we're excited to compete for this important service."
United's proposal to DOT outlines its planned service to Havana from hubs serving four of the country's largest Cuban-American populations. The service would include a total of 11 roundtrip flights per week with daily service from Newark Liberty and one additional Saturday flight (eight weekly flights), along with a Saturday-only flight from Houston George Bush Intercontinental, Washington Dulles and Chicago O'Hare (three weekly flights). If United's application is approved, service to Havana on these routes will be operated with United Wi-Fi-equipped Boeing 737-800 two-cabin aircraft featuring 16 United First, 90 United Economy and 48 extra legroom United Economy Plus seats.
United Airlines plans flights to Cuba from U.S.

Jan 15 {2016} (Reuters) - United Airlines said on Thursday it planned to serve Cuba with flights from Houston and Newark, New Jersey, subject to government approvals.

"We plan to serve Cuba, subject to government approvals, and look forward to doing so from our global gateways of Newark and Houston," spokesman Rahsaan Johnson said in a statement.
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UA Service to Havana Starts Nov 29, 2016 - from EWR (daily), IAH (weekly)

Old Jan 15, 2015, 10:00 pm
  #76  
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I'd love the visit Cuba if the prices aren't at CCS levels
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 5:00 am
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Originally Posted by TA
For all the symbolism, I doubt the passenger volume of Cuban-interested travelers will come from Washington, to start with.
Agree that there probably isn't a huge group of DC area travelers waiting to fly to Havana. So that just means those of us who expect to be traveling there soon will have to fly another airline.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 6:21 am
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FLL-HAV?

Originally Posted by unavaca
For the O/D traffic, for sure. The "mini" part implies that all other flights would be to hubs, save the Cuba flight.
UA would be smart to fly FLL-HAV because of the large Cuban population in metro Miami. The hub-spoke model should be abandoned in this case. Case in point, US flys RIC-BOS direct without a stop in its hubs.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 6:33 am
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Originally Posted by Kmxu
UA would be smart to fly FLL-HAV because of the large Cuban population in metro Miami. The hub-spoke model should be abandoned in this case. Case in point, US flys RIC-BOS direct without a stop in its hubs.
I'm not sure UA would be at all successful out of South Florida. JetBlue and AA already have multiple Cuba flights out of Florida. JetBlue from FLL and TPA, AA from MIA and TPA. Granted UA has a charter flight out of MIA but I imagine with JetBlue and AA's much larger operations out of South Florida they'll corner the market if they turn their flights into commercial flights.

As an aside, I can't wait to go to Cuba. I've never understood why I could travel to North Korea or Iran (for example) but not Cuba.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 6:40 am
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if anyone has access to December or January's Hemisphere magazines look closer at the route map
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 8:35 am
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
But back on the United topic, I wonder when they'll start giving MP miles for flying AC YYZ-HAV or CM PTY-HAV.
+1 for this question! Given the lifting of much of the embargo, I would assume there's no reason now for them not giving miles for partner flights to HAV?
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 8:41 am
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even though AC serves HAV (and 4 other Cuban cities), UA.com refuse to let you book an award on their site

I wonder if you call in would they allow you to book it ?
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 9:08 am
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Originally Posted by jetsetEWR
even though AC serves HAV (and 4 other Cuban cities), UA.com refuse to let you book an award on their site

I wonder if you call in would they allow you to book it ?
Interestingly even Air Canada only sells the flights through a separate company (Air Canada Vacations), presumably to get around some issues with the old US embargo on the parent company (which while of course Canadian, has employees in the US). I wonder if they will now switch them back to mainline flights, which might make them easier to book through UA.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 1:27 pm
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Originally Posted by Toronto1970
Interestingly even Air Canada only sells the flights through a separate company (Air Canada Vacations), presumably to get around some issues with the old US embargo on the parent company (which while of course Canadian, has employees in the US). I wonder if they will now switch them back to mainline flights, which might make them easier to book through UA.
Is that the reason? I'm sure some of the numerous European/Latin American airlines that fly to Cuba must have some US based staff.

Cuba is still blocked from the United.com search engine and on the back-end (I called up yesterday to try and book a Copa reward). I thought things would happen quite slowly but the UA agent reckoned it would be opened up by next week.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 4:19 pm
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Originally Posted by callum9999
Is that the reason? I'm sure some of the numerous European/Latin American airlines that fly to Cuba must have some US based staff.

Cuba is still blocked from the United.com search engine and on the back-end (I called up yesterday to try and book a Copa reward). I thought things would happen quite slowly but the UA agent reckoned it would be opened up by next week.
The rules changed for more travel today.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-eases-cuba-...163311790.html

Bet the flights start sooner than later.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 4:31 pm
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Originally Posted by Asiatraveler15
The rules changed for more travel today.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-eases-cuba-...163311790.html

Bet the flights start sooner than later.
Yeah the rules have changed, but you still have to wait for United to enact them. They're obviously under no obligation to serve Cuba so they can take as long as they want - I'd imagine they'll take a long time to schedule flights, but hopefully they unblock the partner flights pretty quickly.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 6:53 pm
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While it would be fun to be on an inaugural UA flight in a 737 looks like in 2015 you can do an Air China option: CA879/80 Beijing-Montreal-Havana, start from 9-20, B773, 1/3/5
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 7:14 pm
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Originally Posted by Toronto1970
+1 for this question! Given the lifting of much of the embargo, I would assume there's no reason now for them not giving miles for partner flights to HAV?
I've always accrued UA MP miles when flying PTY-HAV-PTY on CM. I also accrued UA MP miles when MX was part of *A and I was flying MEX-HAV-MEX.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 7:24 pm
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Originally Posted by JVPhoto
While it would be fun to be on an inaugural UA flight in a 737 looks like in 2015 you can do an Air China option: CA879/80 Beijing-Montreal-Havana, start from 9-20, B773, 1/3/5
Unless you're one of the first pax off the plane, I don't think you want to be one of the hordes of pax descending from economy section from a bird as large as a 773 until the Cuban authorities expand their international arrivals terminal (Terminal 3 in HAV). It is easily swamped when just a couple of 737's or A320's arrive at one time.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 7:31 pm
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Originally Posted by dcstudent

As an aside, I can't wait to go to Cuba. I've never understood why I could travel to North Korea or Iran (for example) but not Cuba.
You can. Same deal as NK or Iran. Nothing non-stop, but you can connect and get there. Mex/Cayman/Canada/Jamaica. No problem. As in NK/Iran, you will not be afforded US oversight.
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