Cuba was once the darling of the Caribbean for U.S. tourists and businesses alike. Popular flights to Cuba contributed to the growth of our favorite legacy airlines. This new progressive strategy by the U.S., while nascent, holds great promise for the aviation market and beyond.
Now that U.S. airlines are free to add scheduled services to Cuba, we look at which are ready to jump into this new market.
While new policies introduced today still don't allow for trips to Cuba as a tourism destination, the opportunities for U.S. airlines in today's announcement are clear: both travel agents and airlines can now provide authorized travel and air carrier services, without the need for a specific license.
An opening up of scheduled services gives airlines like American Airlines, Delta, and JetBlue, which already operate chartered flights to the island nation an opportunity to convert those charters to scheduled services, but they won't be without competition.
Other established low-cost carriers could jump in, providing discount fares which might attract a number of qualified travelers. Skift has previously received statements from key players on their views of opportunities in this burgeoning market.
Opportunities to add flights to Cuba to meet new demand aren't limited to U.S. carriers (traditional or low-cost) alone. Both Air Canada and WestJet already offer flights to Havana, and U.S. travelers who qualify could connect through their services. We reached out to WestJet and Air Canada for comment. A WestJet spokesperson indicated that the airline expects "no change in any plans with respect to Cuba." Air Canada has not yet replied.
Iberia, which is a Oneworld partner of American Airlines, and has scheduled flights to Miami which include onward connections might also benefit. The airline had previously pulled Havana from its schedule, finding flights to the island unprofitable, but an Iberia spokesperson, responding to questions on potential new services to Havana from Miami told us the company constantly reviews its routes policies and would reintroduce any flights if they proved financially advantageous.
For the new Eastern Airlines in Miami too, currently flying as a charter operator, this could be an ideal opportunity to revive its brand legacy by reestablishing its historic service to Havana. However, an airline spokesperson has not yet replied to our queries on the matter.