US approves new American Airlines, JetBlue flights to Havana

WASHINGTON D.C.: The U.S. Transport Department has announced that the Biden administration has approved the expansion of U.S. flights to Havana, Cuba.

On top of the current six daily American Airlines flights and three JetBlue flights on weekdays to Havana from Florida airports, the approval will add 13 weekly American Airlines departures from Miami and a weekly JetBlue departure from Fort Lauderdale, Florida beginning mid-December.

In June, the department lifted a series of measures restricting flights to Cuba, including one prohibiting U.S. airline flights to smaller Cuban airports outside Havana.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the action was taken "in support of the Cuban people, and in the foreign policy interests of the U.S."

The previous administration under President Donald Trump barred passenger airline flights to smaller Cuban airports.

Earlier this year, American Airlines said these flights to Cuba "will enhance service and access between the U.S. and these non-Havana points, after more than two years during which such service was suspended."

The Trump administration banned charter flights to all Cuban airports except Havana, imposed a cap on charter flights to Cuba at 3,600 per year, and later suspended private charter flights to the
country.