U.S. approves new flights to Havana

The U.S. government will increase the number of U.S. flights to Havana, adding thirteen weekly departures by “American Airlines” from Miami and one weekly exit by “JetBlue” from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to the Department of Transportation.

This is in addition to the usual six daily American Airlines flights and three JetBlue flights departing weekdays from Florida airports to the Cuban capital.

The additional flights will begin by mid-December.

In June, the department lifted several restrictions on flights to Cuba, including a ban on U.S. airlines flying to smaller Cuban airports outside Havana.

Then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the measure was “in support of the Cuban people and the foreign policy interest of the United States.”

The previous administration of President Donald Trump had banned passenger flights to smaller Cuban airports, imposed a cap on charter flights to Cuba of 3,600 per year, and later suspended private charter flights to the communist-ruled Caribbean island.

Charter flights to all Cuban airports except Havana were also banned.