American Airlines Visa Policy

I tried reaching out to American Airlines regarding what I have to do regarding my visa, but their answer was vague and unhelpful, so I'm trying here.

A friend of mine told me that her Cuban visa process with Jet Blue consisted of filling out an email questionnaire they sent her regarding the purpose of her visit to Cuba, and then showing up at the airport, going to a Jet Blue area, and then filling out a form for her visa while at the airport. Since I am a fairly novice international traveler compared to her I have been using her experience as a guide, but AA hasn't sent a questionnaire so I'm wondering if any of her experience will apply to me. Is there anything I need to do in advance of the flight? Can I not obtain my visa directly through AA as it seems to me that she did from Jet Blue?

Thank you,

Go online to the site of Cuba Travel Services, the agency AA is using for visas. (Generally they contact you by email to instruct you to do this.) The instructions on the site are pretty clear. After you fill out the information they require, they will mail your visa, or you can pick it up at the gate. You can also purchase at the gate, iirc.Note that the price of the visa through this agency, the only one AA uses, is different from some other providers.

European airlines and some US airlines do not sell Cuban tourist cards. It depends on the airline you are using. Airlines that do not sell the tourist cards should be able to explain how their passengers can obtain the mandatory tourist card. You can buy a tourist card after you arrive in Cuba, but it would be smarter to buy one before you leave "the land of the free". Buying it in Cuba could delay your entrance through Cuban Immigration. It is all about collecting the money (cash)somebody(Cubans?) wants for the tourist cards, which costs Cuba less than a penny to print.

We hope this makes sense to you. It is difficult to make sense about many aspects of the relations between the USA and Cuba. Sorry about that. It is going to get worse with Trump.

You should ask for a supervisor when you call American Airlines, one who is familiar with their Cuba flight policy. If they have no one who is familiar with their policy for flying to Cuba seriously reconsider flying with them.

Thank you all for the advice and suggestions, this is making me significantly less anxious about the visa stuff!

You can buy a tourist card after you arrive in Cuba...

No, you can't. You're not allowed to board the aircraft without one.

The only time you can buy one upon arrival is if you lost it on the aircraft or if there's extenuating circumstances like the the airline running out of Tourist Card/Visas.

Cheers,
Terry

I tried reaching out to American Airlines regarding what I have to do regarding my visa, but their answer was vague and unhelpful, so I'm trying here.

It's fairly simple.

Go to the American Airline website here. About half way down the page they explain that Cuba Travel Services supplies the Cuban Tourist Card/Visa. It's simple to purchase one.

Any questions call Cuban Travel Services directly at 877-511-2822. They've done this a zillion times, no big deal.

Have fun.

Cheers,
Terry

And the "email questionnaire about the purpose of the visit" is actually nothing to do with the Cuban visa but a declaration under the US OFAC rules.

I tried reaching out to American Airlines regarding what I have to do regarding my visa, but their answer was vague and unhelpful, so I'm trying here.

It's fairly simple.

Go to the American Airline website here. About half way down the page they explain that Cuba Travel Services supplies the Cuban Tourist Card/Visa. It's simple to purchase one.

Any questions call Cuban Travel Services directly at 877-511-2822. They've done this a zillion times, no big deal.

Have fun.

Cheers,
Terry

I ordered a visa from them Thursday for my January trip. It arrived today. I wanted to get it purchased to beat any possible new restrictions. I bought my airfare too. My only worry is that decreased demand caused by new restrictions could cause flights MIA to SNU to be cancelled. If a new flight needed booking, it might require new OFAC clearance.

I ordered a visa from them Thursday for my January trip. It arrived today. I wanted to get it purchased to beat any possible new restrictions. I bought my airfare too. My only worry is that decreased demand caused by new restrictions could cause flights MIA to SNU to be cancelled. If a new flight needed booking, it might require new OFAC clearance.

Just getting the visa doesn't give you "OFAC clearance". You don't get OFAC clearance. If a general license applies, it applies when you travel. If the rules of OFAC licenses are changed, then you need to look at the new rules.

I would think that the majority of travellers on that route are Cuban Americans. They are likely to continue.

I ordered a visa from them Thursday for my January trip. It arrived today. I wanted to get it purchased to beat any possible new restrictions. I bought my airfare too. My only worry is that decreased demand caused by new restrictions could cause flights MIA to SNU to be cancelled. If a new flight needed booking, it might require new OFAC clearance.

Just getting the visa doesn't give you "OFAC clearance". You don't get OFAC clearance. If a general license applies, it applies when you travel. If the rules of OFAC licenses are changed, then you need to look at the new rules.

I would think that the majority of travellers on that route are Cuban Americans. They are likely to continue.

Thanks! Within reason, I'm willing to add to my activities to stay legal if necessary. If rules are tightened, I wouldn't mind mentoring a few people in programming languages. In fact, I may even do that in Miami when I retire. It's such a waste seeing people who completed medical school work a minimum wage job. Anyone that smart can learn Information Technology, but no government license is required to do surgery on software instead of people.

I ordered a visa from them Thursday for my January trip. It arrived today. I wanted to get it purchased to beat any possible new restrictions. I bought my airfare too.

My only worry is that decreased demand caused by new restrictions could cause flights MIA to SNU to be cancelled. If a new flight needed booking, it might require new OFAC clearance.

So you have a pink Cuban government issued visa/tourist card allowing entry to Cuba, departing from a US port/airport. Notice it is not date stamped. Also, it does not guarantee your travel, just your entry.
How does that "beat any possible new restrictions" set by the US president?
The US government is not concerned about your visa to another country, or whether you ever use it or not.
If direct US/Cuba flights are shut off by a certain date, having a pink tourist card in hand isn't going to mean anything.

Within reason, I'm willing to add to my activities to stay legal if necessary. If rules are tightened, I wouldn't mind mentoring a few people in programming languages.

That's very simplistic thinking. "If rules are tightened", it is likely be a lot more difficult than currently to prove with a detailed application why you should be allowed to travel. Perhaps you should do more research about exactly what documentation satisfied an application for a specific license before the rules were loosened.

Does the AA tourist card cost more than the $50 Jet Blue variety? Just curious. In December I used a 23 pound sterling green card bought thru the mails from a UK organization. Jet Blue accepted it. I'll try it again this Fall.
Noytsau: You back in Cuba again? You were supposed to have relegated that terrible country into your trash bin of forsaken lands.
Trap

Nah, Trippin, leaving it to you and your elite troop of desperate ho-hos.

And yeah, CTS sells the tc for what they want to.
What you do, most wouldn't want to emulate.

re 11 - under which OFAC category do you think "mentoring a few people in programming languages" falls ?

re 12 - reports indicate that CTS sells the tourist cards at $85 + delivery or $100 at the airport.

And this is a new Neuzao who has only been a member since 7 June.

You mean 10.

U$85 including delivery

Indeed - 10, not 11 - sorry.

FedEx Express Saver (5-7 business days)
Cost: $25.00

https://cubavisaservices.com/

Beard: I just bought the tourist document from the site you list for 23 pounds. Ended up costing $30 US. Certainly not $85 nor $100.
Noytsau: Did you show your head shrinker a copy of those polemics we engaged in way back when?
Trap

re 11 - under which OFAC category do you think "mentoring a few people in programming languages" falls ?

re 12 - reports indicate that CTS sells the tourist cards at $85 + delivery or $100 at the airport.

And this is a new Neuzao who has only been a member since 7 June.

Under the principle that Prior Planning Prevents Pi ss Poor Performance, I'm just trying to be getting off a plane landed in Santa Clara in January with as few problems as possible. What do you suggest in this manner without wasting a pile of cash?

This post has been removed by its author.

Hello all,

Will be leaving next Monday from Charlotte to Havana. American Airlines sent me two emails and gave two phone calls regarding assistance with Travel Card. When I called, they were quite helpful and clear. They let me know I can get my Travel Card at the Cuba desk before I board my flight, $100. It also seems easy to get the Travel Card via the link above (AA website), $85. My fault for not knowing that earlier and ordering before I leave to save a few dollars and already have in hand. If I order today, I don't think I will have in time for Monday night departure.

If you see a fault in my thinking, please let me know.

Keep a smile,
Simeon

Since its so close to departure spend the few extra dollars and get it at check in.

Thank you YanquiBoy. That is what I was thinking. I'm up for an adventure. Cheers!

Enjoy,no need to sweat the small stuff,the Cubans never do ! :)

Beard, #14: No, one and the same Noytsau under the advanced numerical guise of a newby. The #13 response is right in line with previous caustic messages.

$85 plus $25 or $40 Fedex means cheaper at the gate actually.

Trap - yes. I realise. I was just wondering how many Neuzao's there have been. Are they all clones ? The Stepford Neuzaos ?

I've counted 3 so far. Might have been more.

I ordered a visa from them Thursday for my January trip. It arrived today. I wanted to get it purchased to beat any possible new restrictions. I bought my airfare too. My only worry is that decreased demand caused by new restrictions could cause flights MIA to SNU to be cancelled. If a new flight needed booking, it might require new OFAC clearance.

Either buying the visa or the airfare would have been enough. You have entered in to a travel related transaction. According to the Treasury Department note that means the current rules apply to your trip.

I had not expected them to be that lenient.

This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.