A recent announcement says that US flights to Cuba are banned except Havana. Find out why.

Cuba is one of the most interesting countries in South America that some travelers wish to visit. It has a very rich culture and history despite the political tensions it has with the United States. Flights to the country are available, but a new announcement may change all that.

Flights Banned from the US

On Friday, the US Department of Transportation announced that all US flights to Cuba except those to Havana are banned. This is in line to the latest crackdowns on the country after the Cuban government’s support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The US, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, also discovered that there are cases where Cubans were repressed by its government. This prompted the flight bans to the country.

The ban will go into effect on December 10.

Currently, American Airlines and JetBlue have flights to various cities in Cuba aside from Havana. With the ban, both airlines will close their flights to these cities aside from their Havana routes.

JetBlue said in their official statement on Friday that they will be adhering to the new policy and make the necessary arrangements for their clients. American Airlines have also released a statement and said they are reviewing the announcement. American Airlines has 11 daily flights to Cuba and six of them are in Havana.

This is not the first time the Trump administration gave restrictions to Cuba. In June, the Department of Treasury and the State Department said educational and cultural trips to Cuba are no longer ok. They say that these trips will only fund the Cuban military and continue its oppression on the people.

Last year, the State Department also added 26 tourist attractions which is not available to American travelers visiting the country. They also banned several hotels, shops and marinas in the list.

While there are US sanctions on Cuba, it is still ok to visit the country. However, the sanctions and restrictions have affected the number of American tourists who wish to see the country.

Cuba Travel Tips

If you wish to visit Cuba, you can check out Cuba Travel’s Tourism Portal for information about the country’s tourist attractions. You may also check with your local Cuban Embassy to see what you need for visa documents and other travel information.