travel Florida to Cuba
Replies: 11 - Last Post: Aug 22, 2012 4:14 AM Last Post By: wnyzfinest
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Hi,
I found some info on Internet that it is possible to get a flight from Miami to Havana (from some specific providers). Is this true? Could you give any recommendations for most efficient ways how to get to Havana from Miami or elsewhere in Florida? Coming to Florida from Europe and would like to also see Cuba for a week, so time for travel does matter.
Thanks in advance.
r
I found some info on Internet that it is possible to get a flight from Miami to Havana (from some specific providers). Is this true? Could you give any recommendations for most efficient ways how to get to Havana from Miami or elsewhere in Florida? Coming to Florida from Europe and would like to also see Cuba for a week, so time for travel does matter.
Thanks in advance.
r
2
John has it 100% correct. It is not logical but very little involving both the US and Cuba is logical.This is really too bad as there are 7 or 8 flights a day from Miami to Havana as well as flights to Cienfuegos, Holguin and Santiago. Also flights departing from Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale.
3
It probably doesn't change the answer for the OP, but non-citizens/permanent residents can take direct flights between the US and Cuba if they qualify under one of the catagories for licensed travel.Travel related Transactions to, from and within Cuba by Persons subject to US Jurisdiction
4
Alta: you may be technically correct. I know John A mentioned he was unable to arrange flights for he and his wife from the US direct to Cuba. They would certainly qualify for an OFAC license if they lived in the US. I inquired about his specific situation with ABC-Charters and they said it could not be done. I suspect if everyone involved was sufficiently motivated that it could be arranged. I do not see that motivation in the charter airlines for the price of a few tickets.5
Perhaps it would have been more accurate to say that there is no express prohibition in the Regulations against non-US citizens/residents making licensed trips to Cuba. John was probably inquiring about the family visit catagory of licensed travel, which as a practical matter is a different animal from the other catagories. I suspect that authorized carriers are concerned that travel by non-US citizens would be scrutinized more closely in the event of an audit, particularly for catagories that walk a fine line with ordinary tourist travel (i.e. family visit, religious trips). I know though from personal experience that foreign academicians, diplomats, journalists and business travelers have taken direct flights to Cuba for years.6
Although no help to the OP either, of course the flights are also available to Cubans with US visas, and, I understand, others resident in Cuba, though I do not know the formalities.7
Bottom line is that for the average non-US citizen/resident being able to travel direct to Cuba under either the general (e.g family) or specific licence (which is the pathway most/all of those in Alta's example have been enabled to do so) provisions is not in practice possible.8
I agree with that and I think most foreign posters who ask about the direct flights on this board are looking to make a purely tourist trip. I would bet nearly all non-US citizens who make licensed trips to Cuba and take direct flights fall into the academic/professional, journalistic or business catagories and they travel under a specific as opposed to general license.But licensed travel is available to anyone subject to US jurisdiction, which includes non-citizens/residents who are physically in the US. Most of those who go licensed though are not tourists in transit, but persons present for extended periods under some type of non-immigrant visa.
