JetBlue Announces Service To Cuba’s Capital

Nearing the Launch of Havana as Its 100th City, JetBlue Prepares to Bring Its Customer-Focused Approach to Air Travel Into Cuba’s Capital

JetBlue today announced the long-anticipated addition of service to Havana’s José Martí International Airport (HAV) starting in late November.

Havana, the airline’s fourth Cuban destination and 100th destination network-wide, will be served by daily roundtrip flights from three JetBlue focus cities on the airline’s newest Airbus A321 aircraft and its award-winning customer service:

• New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK): Daily roundtrips begin on November 28, 2016

• Orlando International Airport (MCO): Daily roundtrips begin on November 29, 2016

• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL): Once-daily roundtrips begin on November 30, 2016 and a second daily roundtrip (except Saturdays) begins December 1, 2016

“Our historic first flight kicked off a new era in travel to Cuba, and once again JetBlue will make history with flights that finally make flying to the Cuban capital simple, affordable and enjoyable,” said Robin Hayes, president and chief executive officer, JetBlue. “It’s remarkable that a startup airline less than 17 years old will mark Havana as its 100th destination.”

With service to Havana, JetBlue – which launched its first flight in February 2000 – will serve 100 destinations across 22 countries in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.

JetBlue Celebrates the Culture of Cuba by Supporting the American Museum of Natural History’s Upcoming Exhibition: ¡Cuba!

To mark the inaugural flights, JetBlue will celebrate Cuba’s distinctive cultural heritage in its home at JFK’s Terminal 5 (T5) and in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History.

A special Live From T5 concert will kick off inaugural day on November 28 with performances from an award-winning Cuban music group and a New York-based Cuban dance group. Additionally, travelers passing through T5 will be able to take in a live mural creation by a Cuba-based artist. Other inaugural festivities will include traditional Cuban food and remarks to commemorate JetBlue’s first commercial flight to Havana.

JetBlue will also proudly highlight its support of ¡Cuba!, an exhibition by New York’s American Museum of Natural History. The exhibition opens to the public at the museum’s Manhattan location on November 21. ¡Cuba! will showcase the country’s biodiversity, culture and life and will invite visitors to discover Cuban nature and Cuban culture through music, dance performances, and a variety of interactive experiences.

“We are delighted to launch this wonderful partnership with JetBlue as corporate sponsor of our upcoming exhibition ¡Cuba!” said Ellen V. Futter, President of the American Museum of Natural History. “Our exhibition grows out of an unprecedented scientific and educational partnership with the National Natural History Museum in Havana, and we are so pleased to have JetBlue’s support of the Museum as we continue our work both globally and locally to advance scientific research, education, and cross-cultural understanding.”

As a leader in science and conservation, the American Museum of Natural History has long-standing research and capacity development collaborations with Cuban scientists at a number of institutions. Museum scientists have participated in nearly 30 expeditions and field projects to Cuba over the last 120 years.

All customers traveling to Cuba must be authorized to do so under the U.S. government’s Cuban Assets Control Regulations and they must certify that they qualify for one of the twelve approved travel categories outlined by the U.S. Department of Treasury. All travelers to Cuba must make their own determination with respect to the appropriate type of visa required by Cuba for their purpose of travel.
Schedule Between New York (JFK) and Havana (HAV)
Daily Flights Starting November 28, 2016

JFK – HAV Flight #243                 HAV – JFK Flight #242

8:58 a.m. – 1:05 p.m.
2:20 p.m. – 5:33 p.m.
Schedule Between Orlando (MCO) and Havana (HAV)
Daily Flights Starting November 29, 2016

MCO – HAV Flight #503                 HAV – MCO Flight #1004

8:26 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.                 11:30 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.

Schedule Between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) and Havana (HAV)
Daily Flights Starting November 30, 2016

FLL – HAV Flight #1499                 HAV – FLL Flight #1500

12:14 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.                 3:00 p.m. – 4:16 p.m.
Second Daily Flights (except Saturdays) Starting December 1, 2016

FLL – HAV Flight #799                 HAV – FLL Flight #800

7:54 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.                 10:45 a.m. – 12:02 p.m.
Flights between the U.S. and Havana will be operated on JetBlue’s Airbus A321 aircraft.

Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Cuba

Getty Images

Since regulations prohibiting travel to Cuba were relaxed in January, U.S. travelers have been clamoring to visit—though trip planning takes some determination. Senior digital editor Laura Dannen Redman went step by step through the process with Traveler aviation correspondent Barbara Peterson, answering all the questions she—and you—might have.

LR: I want to go to Cuba to cover the Havana Biennial, running May 22–June 22. I’m a journalist, so I fall under one of the 12 categories of U.S. traveler allowed to visit now. My dates are flexible. So…what should I do first?

BP: Will you be traveling as part of a group or as an individual? If it’s the former, dozens of companies specialize in what’s known as “people to people” packages and like most organized tours, you’d be part of a group that is going for a designated purpose—humanitarian, research, or cultural—that meets the legal requirements.

The good part is that they’ll take care of the paperwork—obtain a visa (good for 30 days), get you on a charter flight from the U.S., and book a hotel room, all rolled into the total price. Prices vary, though we found trips that range from three to nine days for under $3,000.

I’d really rather go as an individual. Any problem with that?

No, since you're already authorized to go under the new rules, and you don’t need to be in a group to buy a seat on a chartered plane. But remember, tourism is not a valid reason to visit Cuba and you must be able to document that you are there for the approved purpose. Spend too many hours sunning on the beach or sipping mojitos, and you could run afoul of U.S. enforcers. Under rules spelled out by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, you’re supposed to keep all documents related to your trip—a schedule, a record of appointments, receipts, and so on—for up to five years in case you get audited.

What kind of documents do I need for my trip?

Basically, the Cuban government requires that you possess a passport that’s valid for at least six months beyond the dates of travel, proof of health insurance coverage, and a visitor's visa.

Embassy re-openings are still in the works. How do I actually get a visa?

Consider working with a charter operator to get the ball rolling; a few of the bigger companies are Cuba Travel Services, Marazul, and ABC Charters, which asks you to download a travel affidavit affirming you meet the Treasury requirements. But when Traveler's Cynthia Drescher talked to Brian Kelly, founder of ThePointsGuy.com, about his trip to Cuba in early January via the Cayman Islands, Kelly had an easier experience: “Procuring my visa took literally a $20 bill and a smile from a Cayman Airways ticket agent; [Cuban immigration] didn't even ask for the reason for my visit when going through. They saw the tourist visa and asked if I wanted a stamp and I was in.”

Do I need to get a visa before I book my flight?

That depends. If you’re planning to fly via a charter flight from the U.S., you can fill out the visa application form at the time of booking, as well as the affidavit. If you’re taking scheduled airline flights via a third country, such as Mexico, as Kelly says above, you may not need a visa until you’re actually halfway there and checking in for your Cuba-bound flight.

Isn’t flying through a third country kind of dodgy?

Until very recently, it was—an unknown number of U.S. travelers skirted the ban on travel to Cuba by going that route. Now, though, as long as you’re following the rules in every other respect, the question of how you fly there is really up to you, according to a Treasury spokesperson I talked to last week.

Is there any way to do an apples-to-apples comparison of all flights and fares, both charter and scheduled airline, by date? Are they listed in any search engines or booking sites like Expedia or Priceline.com?

Not yet. After the rules changed in January, Kayak.com announced that it would list flights for informational purposes, though you can’t book through the site or see the availability of seats. Cheapair.com also lists some options. As of yesterday, there were dozens of flights via Copa, Cayman Airways, and Aeromexico via a third country, some with extended layovers. You'll likely end up doing your own legwork or go through a travel agency who can help. Brian Kelly worked with tour operator AC Journeys to research charter flights.

Getty Images

I hear that JetBlue has charter flights—what’s that all about?

JetBlue just announced it will begin flying weekly non-stops on Fridays, starting July 3, from its hub at JFK to Havana, in cooperation with Cuba Travel Services. The planes and crews will be JetBlue’s, but keep in mind that JetBlue can’t sell the tickets because U.S. airlines are still prohibited from operating scheduled flights to Cuba. The seat inventory and sales are all under control of the charter operator. There's a growing number of charter flights leaving each week from the U.S. to Cuba, most of them from south Florida, and prices range from around $400–$500 round-trip from Miami and about $850 from New York. American Airlines flies from Miami and Tampa; Sun Country already has a weekly flight on Tuesdays from JFK. The Transportation Department lists public charter filings on its site.

If I’m a journalist but my husband isn’t, can he still go with me?

A lot of us might want to go with someone, but the Treasury Department takes a dim view of family members tagging along if they don’t qualify under the rules.

What if my husband goes on, say, a humanitarian project?

He would be able to go, but he has to have documentation with him of his (approved) mission like you do. Per my Treasury contact, "An entire group does not qualify for the general license [authorizing travel] merely because some members of the group qualify individually." A spokesperson for Customs and Border Patrol added that "it is the responsibility of all returning residents to declare if their travels have taken them to Cuba. Such travelers must be prepared to present lawful authorization for Cuba-related travel to CBP officers upon request."

Flights are booked. Do I need special permission to book a hotel or Airbnb if I’m not going with a group?

No, though you’ll have an easier time of it if you work with a travel agent or Cuba travel specialist who can open doors. Havana hotels are packed right now—On Cubamagazine reported in April that Old Havana hotels were nearly booked solid. Travelerhas worked with Cuba specialists Adam Vaught at GeoEx and Tom Popper at Insight Cuba. The Points Guy worked with Johnny Considine of Esencia Experiences, who bills himself as a "luxury concierge.” A. Nash Travel in Toronto also books a lot of travel to Cuba. The other advantage of using these guys? You can pay themwith your credit card.

How much U.S. cash should I bring, if any?

In theory, you can now use your American credit card; in practice, very few establishments accept them, according to The Points Guy. Amex and MasterCard say they're working on it, but that won't help if you're going soon. Plan to bring plenty of cash and prepay whatever you can—hotel, rental car, etc. If you have a foreign credit card, that might work; Kelly's traveling companion when he went in January used her Spanish credit card.

What kind of souvenirs can I bring home, if any?

You can bring up to $400 worth of goods, including $100 worth of tobacco and alcohol products (combined).

Can I use Wi-Fi there?

According to reports from recent visitors, Internet is very difficult to access in Cuba, aside from at the larger Havana hotels; expect to disconnect from your devices—and plan accordingly.

Is there a way to get to Cuba I haven't thought of?

If you can wait until later this year, go by cruise ship. Traveler'sPaul Brady reports that "the 48-passengerPanoramawill let travelers explore Cienfuegos, Cuba before embarking on a seven-night sail to Havana. The new offer, from International Expeditions, makes its first departure late this year and is operated as a legal, people-to-people trip open to any American visitor."

Written by Barbara Peterson and Laura Dannen Redman, www.cntraveler.com