FIRST TO FLY

Posted on 08/05/2016 | About Santa Clara, Cuba

As US airlines are setting schedules to begin commercial flights to Cuba, it is budget airline JetBlue that intends to be the first to fly there. The airline announced this week that the first scheduled flight from Fort Lauderdale to Santa Clara (three hours east of Havana) is August 31, 2016, pending approval from the Cuban government.

Fares for flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will start with a promotional rate of $204 return including all taxes and fees.
JetBlue will offer service three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) until October 1 when it will offer daily service from Fort Lauderdale to Camaguey from Nov.3 and to Holguin from Nov. 10.
In June the US Department of Congress gave approval to six airlines to travel to nine Cuban cities with international airports. The carriers are: American Airlines, Frontier, JetBlue Airways, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines.
Silver Airways will be flying from Fort Lauderdale to Santa Clara on Sept. 1.
American Airlines will offer flights from Miami to Cienfuegos and Holguin on Sept. 7, adding flights to Camaguey and Santa Clara on Sept. 9 and to Varadero on Sept. 11.
Washington has given tentative approval for flights to Havana on eight U.S. airlines as early as this fall and expects to reach a final decision later this summer.
Americans must have a visa (tourist card) to travel to Cuba and can only travel there for one out of 12 reasons, including a humanitarian endeavour or to visit family.
JetBlue will sell visas at check-in for $50.