The aviation fuel crisis has severely reduced Cuba's air connectivity, but the island is not cut off: several airlines continue to operate as of October 5 with flights that can complete the journey without refueling at Cuban airports or by using technical stops in third countries.
Among the companies that maintain connections are American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Copa Airlines, Aeroméxico, Viva, Wingo, and Air Europa, as well as other regional operations and charter flights.
The situation, however, varies from one airline to another, and it is important to distinguish between a route that operates directly, a connection that requires a technical stop, and an itinerary that an airline can sell even if some segments are operated by another company.
American Airlines continues to fly between the United States and Cuba
American Airlines currently maintains its operation to Cuba.
The official page of American Airlines displayed available fares for October on routes to Havana and Santiago de Cuba this Monday.
Among them are flights between Miami and Havana and between Miami and Santiago de Cuba, two of the most important connections for the Cuban community residing in Florida.
Geographical proximity allows airplanes to carry enough fuel to complete certain routes without necessarily relying on a refueling stop in Cuba.
Southwest maintains connections to Havana
Southwest Airlines also offers flights to Havana from the United States.
Their official booking system for Cuba currently shows flights in October, including itineraries from Tampa and Fort Lauderdale to José Martí International Airport.
The company also markets connections from other U.S. cities through its domestic network.
For travelers from South Florida, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale continue to be two particularly important points for reaching the Cuban capital.
Delta continues to operate, according to the report from October 5
Delta Air Lines also ranks among the U.S. airlines that continue to fly to Cuba despite the shortage of Jet A-1 fuel.
A report by EFE published on October 5 indicates that American, Southwest, and Delta are maintaining their operations using enough fuel to complete the journey without relying on refueling at Cuban airports.
Delta also retains Havana among its destinations and maintains specific information for passengers traveling to Cuba on its official channels.
Copa keeps Havana connected with Panama
Copa Airlines continues to be one of the main options for connecting Cuba with Latin America and other destinations through its hub in Panama City.
The official Copa portal has flights available between Havana and Panama during October.
The airline also describes frequent departures from Havana and allows connections from Panama to numerous destinations on the continent.
This route is particularly important for travelers who cannot utilize a direct connection from their country of residence to Cuba.
Aeroméxico continues its flights to Havana
Mexico continues to be one of the main entry and exit points for Cuba.
Aeroméxico maintains available flights to Havana during October, including schedules from Mexico City.
The company's system showed availability for trips between Mexico City and Havana starting from October 5th this Monday.
Viva also maintains connections with Cuba
The Mexican airline Viva also maintains its service to Havana.
Its official system shows flights in October from Mexico City and from Felipe Ángeles International Airport to the Cuban capital.
The continuity of these connections, along with Aeroméxico, keeps Mexico as one of the main regional hubs from which it is still possible to travel directly to Cuba.
Wingo continues to connect Havana with Colombia and Panama
Wingo operates flights from Havana to Bogotá and Panama City.
The official airline website displays available fares for the Havana-Bogotá route during October, while its system also maintains connections between Cuba and Panama.
These routes provide another option for travelers coming from Latin America or for those who need to make a connection before continuing to another destination.
Air Europa continues to fly, but it makes a stop to refuel
The situation of Air Europa is particularly illustrative of how airlines have adapted their operations to the crisis.
The Spanish company officially confirms that it continues its operations with Havana.
However, due to the lack of fuel at José Martí International Airport, the flight UX 052 Havana-Madrid is making a technical stop in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, to refuel.
Air Europa indicates that this procedure will continue, in principle, until October 15, 2026 inclusive.
The stop does not make Punta Cana the passenger's destination; it is a technical layover for refueling before continuing to Madrid.
Iberia remains suspended until 2027
The situation is very different for Iberia.
The Spanish airline has officially suspended its route to Havana during the period from June 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
The information published by Iberia offers affected passengers alternatives such as changing dates or using other airports, including Miami, Mexico City, Panama City, and Santo Domingo.
Therefore, although Iberia's system may display certain commercial itineraries to Cuba, this should not be interpreted as the restoration of its direct Madrid-Havana flight during the suspension period.
Air Canada has also not resumed its flights to Cuba
Air Canada remains out of the Cuban market after suspending its operations to the island due to the fuel crisis.
In its latest official update regarding Cuba, the company stated that it was postponing the resumption of its services until further notice.
The suspension began in February, when Air Canada announced that it would temporarily cease flights to Cuba due to a lack of aviation fuel.
The company even sent planes with additional fuel and organized flights to evacuate passengers who were already on the island.
Air France and Turkish are also still out of regular operation
The report published on October 5 by EFE also includes Air France and Turkish Airlines among the major airlines that suspended their flights to Cuba amid the crisis.
In the case of Turkish, itineraries featuring Havana may appear in sales systems, but that does not necessarily mean there is currently a direct flight operated by them between Cuba and Istanbul, as some routes may involve connections operated by other airlines.
Why can some airlines continue operating while others cannot?
The difference largely lies in the distance.
For a relatively short flight from Florida, Mexico, Panama, or another nearby point in the Caribbean, it is more feasible to load enough fuel at the departure airport to fly to Cuba and return without needing to refuel on the island.
In aviation, this practice is known as additional fuel transport or tankering.
On long-distance routes from Europe or Canada, that solution can become much more complex due to the additional weight, consumption, and operational limitations.
Another alternative is the one used by Air Europa: making a technical stop in a third country to refuel before completing the flight.
The latest NOTAMs have expired, but that does not prove that the fuel has returned
There is also an element that can create confusion among travelers.
The A3054-A3063/26 series affected, among others, Havana, Varadero, Santa Clara, Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey, and Cayo Coco.
However, that an aviation notice reaches its expiration date does not in itself demonstrate that the supply has been normalized.
So far, there has been no public announcement from the Cuban aviation authorities confirming the stable restoration of Jet A-1 in the ten affected terminals.
The official NOTAM system of the Cuban Air Navigation Company (ECNA) remains the operational reference for checking current aviation restrictions.
What should someone do if they have a flight to Cuba?
The availability of flights does not mean that the entire schedule will remain unchanged.
The fuel crisis has forced companies to change schedules, suspend frequencies, and alter refueling procedures for months.
Therefore, anyone planning to travel should check the status of their flight directly with the airline before heading to the airport, especially if the journey includes connections or a departure from Cuba.
It is also advisable to check if there is a technical stop that was not originally included in the itinerary and to verify the baggage conditions, as these may vary depending on the airline and the route.
The conclusion, for now, is clear: Cuba maintains international air connections, but with a much more reduced network and subject to extraordinary operational adjustments due to the ongoing fuel crisis.
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