New Cuba travel restrictions mean more business for charter flight companies

Critics of new rules say they only benefit Cuban government

MIAMI – Travelers are reacting to the new flight restrictions being placed on U.S. citizens who want to travel to Cuba. 

Critics of the changes say the new rules only benefit the Cuban government. 

The Trump administration said the new travel restrictions are aimed at hitting the Cuban government where it hurts – tourism. 

The restrictions are a direct result of Cuba's support of Venezuela and the ongoing repression on the communist Caribbean island. 

That means an increase in business for charter flight companies, which once again become the only way to travel directly to other Cuban cities. 

December flights to Cuba are currently priced at more than $400, but that price is typical for that time of year. 

With fewer flight options, prices are bound to go up. 

Joe Garcia, a former Democratic congressman from Florida, said it’s a failed policy. 

"It's going to benefit those who want more of the same, which is the government of Cuba and politicians in Miami," he said. 


About the Author:

In January 2017, Hatzel Vela became the first local television journalist in the country to move to Cuba and cover the island from the inside. During his time living and working in Cuba, he covered some of the most significant stories in a post-Fidel Castro Cuba.