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The American airline Delta Air Lines will suspend its regular flights to Cuba starting in October, a decision that directly affects the island's connectivity with the United States.
According to The U.S. Sun and Caribbean News Digital, the company justified this decision due to the low profitability of the route and the operational difficulties faced by North American airlines in Cuba.
Delta resumed its operations to Havana in December 2016, after more than five decades of interruption, during the diplomatic thaw driven by the Obama administration.
However, in recent months, it had already reduced frequencies due to the decline in demand and the increase in operating costs.
According to documents submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Delta requested to suspend its flights to Havana from October 26, 2025, to March 28, 2026.
The request was approved on September 3rd, a decision that means all weekly flights between Atlanta and Havana will be canceled, while the 14 weekly connections from Miami will be reduced by half.
“Although the current demand in the U.S.-Cuba market does not support these flights at this time, Delta remains confident that it will recover in the future,” the company stated.
Delta is not the only airline reducing operations to Cuba. United Airlines canceled its service between Houston and Havana at the beginning of September, while Southwest reduced the frequency of its Tampa-Havana route to just one flight a day until 2026.
American Airlines has also requested to reduce frequencies, and JetBlue eliminated several of its connections in 2022, citing infrastructure limitations at Havana airport and regulatory obstacles.
The initial surge of the air market after the 2016 opening has been crumbling due to the economic crisis on the island, travel restrictions from Washington, and the lack of connections beyond the Cuban capital.
The suspension of Delta represents another blow to tourism and the mobility of Cubans, in a context of severe difficulties in recovering the levels of international air traffic that existed before the pandemic.
Delta Air Lines' decision to suspend its regular flights to Cuba is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a broader trend of declining air connectivity between the island and the United States.
The new regulations imposed from Washington and operational difficulties have led to a systematic reduction in frequencies and routes by American airlines.
As of 2023, United Airlines and Delta itself had begun to reduce the number of flights to Havana due to low demand and high costs.
These actions added to similar cuts made by Southwest and JetBlue, further deepening Cuba's air isolation from South Florida and other key cities.
This deterioration occurs after a brief rebound that followed the partial reopening of the air market in 2023, when Delta resumed its direct flights between Miami and Havana amidst hopes for recovery.
However, the combined effects of the economic crisis on the island, limitations in airport infrastructure, and regulatory obstacles have hindered the consolidation of that recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions about Delta's Flight Suspension to Cuba
Why will Delta Air Lines suspend its flights to Cuba?
Delta Air Lines has decided to suspend its flights to Cuba due to the low profitability of the route and the operational difficulties faced by American airlines on the island. The decrease in demand and the rise in operational costs have been key factors in this decision.
When will Delta flights to Havana be suspended?
Delta Air Lines will suspend its flights to Havana from October 26, 2025, until March 28, 2026. This suspension includes the cancellation of all weekly flights between Atlanta and Havana, and a reduction of the weekly connections from Miami by half.
How does the suspension of Delta flights affect tourism in Cuba?
The suspension of Delta flights represents another setback for tourism and the mobility of Cubans, in a context of severe difficulties in restoring international air traffic levels to those seen before the pandemic. Air connectivity between the United States and Cuba has been decreasing, which negatively affects tourism and family reunification.
What other airlines have reduced their operations to Cuba?
In addition to Delta, other U.S. airlines such as United Airlines, Southwest, and JetBlue have reduced or suspended their operations to Cuba. United Airlines canceled its service between Houston and Havana, Southwest cut back its flight frequency between Tampa and Havana, and JetBlue eliminated several of its connections in 2022 due to infrastructure limitations at Havana airport and regulatory obstacles.
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