AA737-823 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 5340 posts, RR: 11 Posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 9206 times:
So now that I am out of college, have a job, and living in ALASKA, I am thinking about vacations.
And I came up with an interesting idea: Cuba.
How does an American travel to Cuba? Is it possible?
I know Continental has flown there in recent memory (search our photo database), but their booking engine says that they don't fly to Havana, and neither do any of their partners. Not true- Copa flies there routinely.
So that's two questions I hope you can answer:
1. Can an American travel to Cuba for leisure
2. If so, how
It'd be awesome to fly Cubana... get on an IL62 or something awesome like that.
Luv2fly From United States of America, joined May 2003, 11957 posts, RR: 51 Reply 1, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 9213 times:
Go via Canada or Mexico, pay with cash, have the Cuban customs not stamp your passport and hope the USA does not find out.
Cadet57 From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 9081 posts, RR: 34 Reply 2, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 9182 times:
Quoting Luv2fly (Reply 1): nd hope the USA does not find out.
Can they really do anything if you go via Canada or Mexico? Furthermore I thought AA, CO and others ran special charters a few times a year to Cuba...
Doors open, right hand side, next stop is Springfield.
Luv2fly From United States of America, joined May 2003, 11957 posts, RR: 51 Reply 3, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 9169 times:
Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 2): Can they really do anything if you go via Canada or Mexico? Furthermore I thought AA, CO and others ran special charters a few times a year to Cuba...
Yes the USA can do something about it, and the flights by CO and AA our for people with permission to travel to Cuba, not for vacationers.
Cadet57 From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 9081 posts, RR: 34 Reply 4, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 9164 times:
Quoting Luv2fly (Reply 3): and the flights by CO and AA our for people with permission to travel to Cuba, not for vacationers.
Ah. I was unaware.
Doors open, right hand side, next stop is Springfield.
474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 9 Reply 6, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 9131 times:
TheSonntag From Germany, joined Jun 2005, 3347 posts, RR: 30 Reply 7, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 9120 times:
As it is much easier for Europeans, I cannot tell you on the specific US details, but since I have been to Cuba from Germany, I would like to add something nevertheless. For Europeans, Cuba offers the so-called Tourist Card, which is a paper which you have to keep in your passport during the visit. They do not stamp the passport itself, but stamp that paper. I do not know whether Americans can get that, too, but for us, the procedure was simple.
They require that you stay some days (3) in a public hotel for foreigners, after that you could freely live in a so-called casa particular, a private flat. These are cool, because there you get to see more real life of Cuba. Important, though, is that you get that Tourist Card before you fly to Cuba. In Frankfurt, they would not let people onboard without that Visa card anyway.
In any case, it is worth visiting the country, I have never seen a place with so many contrasts.
Another thing to bear in mind, there was nobody who spoke English from the authorities. So I had some problems to understand them since I speak almost no spanish, but in the end it was no problem.
In any case, try to go for it. It is reasonable cheap, very interesting and also a nice contrast to many other places.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31118 posts, RR: 73 Reply 8, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 9079 times:
Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 2): Furthermore I thought AA, CO and others ran special charters a few times a year to Cuba...
Hardly a few times a year. AA alone runs as many as 5-7 daily flights to Cuba from Miami to five cities: Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Camaguey, Holguin, and Cienfuegos.
TeamAmerica From United States of America, joined Sep 2006, 1761 posts, RR: 23 Reply 9, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 9079 times:
Quoting AA737-823 (Thread starter): So that's two questions I hope you can answer:
1. Can an American travel to Cuba for leisure
2. If so, how
Americans are welcome as tourists in Cuba, but you will not be welcomed on your return to the U.S. It is illegal for an American citizen to travel to Cuba without a license from the Treasury Department, and you must have a legitimate reason: Consular Information Sheet - Cuba
Quote: Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada. U.S. law enforcement authorities have increased enforcement of these regulations at U.S. airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries. Travelers who fail to comply with Department of Treasury regulations will face civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States.
So, you CAN do it, but the real question is whether you should risk it. There are plenty of wonderful places to go in this world that don't involve breaking the law.
Bond007 From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 5098 posts, RR: 8 Reply 10, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 9047 times:
Right, it's not so much that you cannot travel to Cuba...it's that you cannot spend any US dollars there.
There used to be a loophole where you could pay a third-party in another country for the full price of hotel/food etc., but in 2004 there were new rules about that. Basically you cannot pay any US dollars that may end up in Cuba...either directly in Cuba, or indirectly though somebody else.
I'm sure you could do it.....but it's hardly worth the risk.
You can get a license if you are immediate family, or on a educuational visit, and a few other exceptions...
Jimbo
I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground!
EALSYS1 From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 229 posts, RR: 17 Reply 11, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 9046 times:
Just wait for the dictator to die! He may already be dead so it shouldn't be long before you can visit a free Cuba instead of one where workers keep 5% of what they earn! Then the party will begin!
As mentioned above, you can get there via Canada or Mexico. MX has daily departures to HAV from both MEX and CUN; CU also flies to Mexico. You could easily connect from the US.-
Cadet57 From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 9081 posts, RR: 34 Reply 13, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 9020 times:
Evan767 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 2957 posts, RR: 2 Reply 16, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 8859 times:
JamesJimlb From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 1023 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 8780 times:
you do NOT want to go to cuba!!!
The sky is no longer the limit, but the mere minimum
COERJ145 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 1420 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 8732 times:
Fly to MIA, and take the Gulfstream Airlines public charter flight to Havana(book seperatly by calling Gulfstream Airlines).
Legacytravel From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 1067 posts, RR: 2 Reply 23, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 8619 times:
JetBlueAtJFK From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 1687 posts, RR: 4 Reply 24, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 8587 times:
A good swim is always nice.
Last year my spanish teacher told us stories about when she studied in Cuba for a semester. She liked it a lot there and told us a lot about it. From what she was saying is that it seems worth it if you are willing to go out and explore the country. She had some very interesting times in the small towns...
B6jfk
When You Know jetBlue, You Know Better
25 LimaNiner: Air Jamaica flies LAX-MBJ, and MBJ-Havana.
26 YVRLTN: I got a mail from TS today announcing their winter schedule to Varadero ex YVR & YYZ - i think AS still have a daily flight to here from ANC through t
27 Cardiffairtaxi: When i went to Cuba about 5 years ago,the place is well worth a visit. I stayed in Varadero,but did visit Havana aswell. Very friendly people! We fou
28 764: OK, now I am curous..... I am a US citizen, but have been living abroad for several years now. So if I did travel to Cuba, I would be spending Euros,
30 Art: Do you mean Cuba in particular? Or do you mean that one should not visit any country where repression is rife? Out of curiosity (I'm not making any p
31 APFPilot1985: I have friends that go down there regularly on their boat and really enjoy it. I also know people who go down there via canada all the time, as long a
32 Planekrazy777: Try Air Trasnsat or Skyservice from YYC or YVR They both have winter charters, VRA, or HOG
33 Boeingguy1: Might I suggest going through Jamaica? You get to fly on one of the Carribean's most hospitibale airlines and expereince true "LoveBird" Service...
34 Bond007: Just be clear on all the answers here....Sure, there are MANY ways you can get into Cuba, just not directly from the US (with some exceptions)...but
35 LH463: It's definately not allowed as a tourist, even if you go through a third country such as Mexico or Canada. The U.S. government does however issue lice
36 SkyHigh777: You know I always wondered the same thing. I remember flying through MIA and specifically seeing a Continental 737 at the gate boarding for Havana. I
37 TransIsland: You can get flights to Cuba from almost any country in the Western Hemisphere - the U.S. has to be a rare exception. Just pick one conveniently locate
38 Airliner777: I suggest you fly via MEX, YYC or YVR.
39 FXMD11: Good decision and a really nice place. For you from Alaska it would be the best to use the AC connection via Toronto to Havanna, or if you can get a
40 IberiaA319: US Citizens who wish to visit Cuba legally can apply for a license at the US Department of Treasury: http://treas.gov/offices/enforcement...ofac/progr
41 Gary2880: Tell them you want to go and learn to how be a communist, video tape the reaction for me would you?
42 Letsgetwet: I was once told that it is illegal for US citizens to spend money or do business in Cuba. But it is not illegal to prepay your entire vacation in a th
43 Garnetpalmetto: In the course of this discussion you may find yourself tempted to discuss politics - please refrain from doing so. Save those sort of posts for the No
44 ANCFlyer: I believe member Superfly was there recently. He may be able to provide insight on how he managed . . . around the antiquated US laws and restrictions
45 Bond007: It certainly is illegal to do that now. You actually did do business with Cuba, albeit indirectly. There were changes in the regulations in 2004 to c
46 TCXDegsy: You could always come to the UK and fly from here!!! I know it's a long way for a shortcut, but it's the top longhaul destination for package holidays
47 Burnsie28: Put it this way, you go to cuba, you go to jail, end of story.
48 MotorHussy: Well not if you're thinking of going for the fine cuisine, but if you're into old school Latin Jazz or an independent republic economically frozen in
49 Bond007: Do you have some evidence to back this up? As far as I know, nobody has been sent to jail for going to Cuba illegally....in fact I'm sure it would ca
50 TCXDegsy: You doin't quantify your reasoning, but I was there in June and loved it! Cubans arne fantastically friendly, Havana is stunning, and the history/cul
51 Garnetpalmetto: Perhaps I wasn't quite clear enough in my earlier comment, so let me reinforce this - from now on any political posts will lead to a 7-day ban of the
52 SFOMEX: I've been tempted to go to Cuba using my Mexican passport rather than the American one. However, I still feel bad about breaking the law and helping C
53 ThreeWests: I know some people who flew TIJ-MEX-HAV without permission, they booked the flights at a travel agency on Revolution Ave and paid about US$600 per per
54 Airlinelover: BEst advice is to ask Superfly. He's been there.. Chris
55 Traindriver: I spent a winter in Cuba. I traveled down there onboard a US Navy Destroyer. I guess that doesn't count.... My wife has some relatives who are from Cu
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