A Cuban who frequently travels to the island shared on TikTok her experience with Southwest Airlines —which she refers to as "subway"— and explained why she would not choose it for her next flight to Cuba.
In a video posted on July 2, content creator @yosvaniacrea responded to comments from her followers about the trip she took from Austin airport. Her verdict was clear: "My experience with that airline is not bad, but I don't think I would travel with them again."
The main reason for their dissatisfaction is the baggage restrictions imposed by the airline.
According to the explanation, Southwest only allows two bags of 50 pounds per passenger, one carry-on bag, and one personal item — backpack, purse, or handbag. What frustrated him the most was that if a traveler wants to bring an additional bag, the airline does not permit it even if they are willing to pay: "Another thing I didn't like... if you want an extra bag, even if you pay for it, they won't let you take it."
This adds to the fact that luggage, which was previously free on Southwest, is no longer so. The airline eliminated its historic free baggage policy in May 2025, and now charges $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second.
For her upcoming trip, the creator is considering American Airlines. "In contrast to American, as far as I understand, you can take two suitcases weighing seventy pounds," she noted.
Indeed, American Airlines allows up to two bags weighing 70 pounds (32 kilograms) on flights to Cuba, although the second bag incurs an additional fee of 150 dollars during regular season and 200 dollars during peak season.
The testimony of @yosvaniacrea reflects a growing frustration among Cuban and Cuban-American travelers, for whom luggage is no trivial matter: each suitcase is typically filled with food, medicine, and toiletries that are scarce on the island and meant for family members.
Restrictions are not limited to Southwest. Air Europa also restricts luggage on its flights to Cuba, allowing only one additional suitcase beyond what is included in the ticket, regardless of the fare purchased. World2Fly, on its part, applies surcharges of 150 euros for suitcases that are not rectangular with smooth surfaces, a measure that came into effect in January 2026.
Additionally, Cuban customs charge for excess baggage at 10 dollars per kilogram, which makes each additional pound a considerable expense for those who already bear the financial burden of supporting their families in Cuba from abroad.
The chaos recorded at the Abel Santamaría Airport in Santa Clara in January 2025, when charter airlines were charging between two and three dollars per pound due to the volume of luggage, illustrates just how significant this issue is as a breaking point for the Cuban community in exile.
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