News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. May 7, 2015: It will soon get easier to travel to Havana.
JetBlue Airways on Tuesday announced it will soon be flying a charter flight between Havana and New York’s JFK Airport this July.
JetBlue’s charter partner, Cuba Travel Services, meanwhile, announced the new flight, making the airline the first major carrier to declare a new flight to Cuba from the Big Apple, since US travel restrictions were eased.
The additional service offers customers additional options to travel to Cuba from New York without connection delays or extra domestic travel expenses to connect in Florida.
The flight will leave JFK at noon and arrive in Havana at 3:30 p.m. and leave Havana at 4:30 p.m. and arrive at JFK at 8:00 p.m.
The expanded charter service comes on the heels of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s trade mission to Cuba. That mission included JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes.
Cuba Travel Services will be offering the flight, operated by JetBlue, on Fridays from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Havana’s José Martí International Airport (HAV) beginning July 3, 2015. Travelers should make arrangements directly with Cuba Travel Services at www.cubatravelservices.com.
JetBlue will fly all charter flights to Cuba on its Airbus 150-seat A320.
With the addition to the New York-Havana flight, JetBlue will operate five weekly round trips to Cuba, including flights from Tampa (TPA) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) with various charter partners. The airline began flying to Cuba for charter companies in 2011.
The New York metropolitan area has the second largest Cuban-American population in the United States after Florida.
FERRY TRAVEL
Jet Blue’s announcement comes as for the first time in five decades, the U.S. gave approvals to four companies ferry service to travel between Florida and Cuba.
Licensed were Havana Ferry Partners of Fort Lauderdale, Baja Ferries of Miami, United Caribbean Lines Florida of Greater Orlando and Airline Brokers Co. of Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
TRAVEL TO CUBA
Tourist travel to Cuba remains prohibited under U.S. law for U.S. citizens and others under U.S. jurisdiction. Americans still can’t simply book a flight and a hotel and head to Cuba.
You’ll need to travel with a Cuba travel organization that has an official license from the U.S. State Department.
And, while tours may include stops at museums, historic sites, or even the Bay of Pigs, recreational activities like visiting the beach or scuba diving are prohibited from tour itineraries.
