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Air Transat suspended sales of flights to Cuba from mid-June to the end of October 2026 on Tuesday, as it reviews its summer program in light of the fuel shortage on the island and the increasing geopolitical uncertainty.
The airline based in Montreal was expected to resume operations on June 20, a date it had communicated to its travel advisors last month, but that date is now up in the air, according to information from PAX News.
All Air Transat reservations scheduled to depart from Canada to Cuba have been automatically refunded due to the lack of short-term alternatives.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and will communicate updates once a decision has been made. If necessary, we will reach out directly to customers with reservations to inform them of the available options," the airline wrote in an email.
On the same day, according to the site Travel Pulse, Sunwing Vacations Group extended its suspension of operations to Cuba until October 9, 2026, canceling all flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco starting June 20.
No flights from Sunwing Vacations Group will operate to Cuba during that period, which covers the entire summer high season.
The company plans to resume flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco on October 10, and to other Cuban destinations—Holguín, Santa Clara, Cayo Largo, and Cienfuegos—on October 25.
Affected customers will automatically receive a full refund, with a processing time of up to 21 business days.
Air Canada had previously postponed the resumption of its flights to Cuba until November 1, 2026, citing power cuts and hotel closures on the island.
However, the Canadian Transportation Agency authorized on April 8 Flair Airlines to operate flights to Cuba, although the airline has not yet released official dates or schedules.
The root of the crisis is energy and geopolitical. The interruption of Venezuelan oil supply, exacerbated by sanctions from the Trump administration —which included the barrels intended for Cuba—, left the island's airports without Jet A-1 fuel since February 10.
The impact on tourism has been significant. In January and February 2026, Cuba received 112,000 fewer visitors than in the same period of 2025. The hotel occupancy fell to 18.9%, and more than 1,700 flights were canceled.
The Government of Canada has issued an active warning against all non-essential travel to Cuba, highlighting shortages of fuel, electricity, food, water, and medicine.
Canada accounts for approximately 40% of tourist arrivals in Cuba, making the mass suspension of its airlines a particularly harsh blow to the regime's economy.
Despite the situation, the International Tourism Fair FITCuba 2026 will be held from May 6 to 10 in Havana in a hybrid format, with delegations from more than fifty countries participating, while the Cuba Tourism Office insists that "the island is preparing to resume its large-scale operations."
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