If your interest in visiting Cuba has been piqued sincePresident Obama ’s 2014 announcementof plans to amend relation between the United States and Cuba , you ’re in fortune : One of the area in which swift changes have been made is travel . Several U.S. airlineslaunched direct flights to a smattering of Cuban citiesin August 2016 , and tickets remain affordable and available . Here ’s what you need to make out to plan your own misstep to Cuba .
1. BOOKING A FLIGHT IS EASIER THAN EVER … BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S EASY.
For the first time in the history of the internet , U.S. travelers can book their flights to Cuba online . While flights still ca n’t be purchased through Expedia , all of the commercial airline that offer flights — including American , Delta , JetBlue , and Spirit — allow online booking , and a few aggregator site do as well , including CheapOair ( which offers flights from JFK Airport in New York to Holguín ) .
But just because you may corrupt your flights from your laptop while lying in bed does n’t mean the process is simple . Once you book your ticket , you ’ll still need to buy atravel visa(which you ca n’t yet do online ) and you ’ll need to be inclined to try that you come into one of the12 categories of approved travelerspublished by the U.S. Department of Treasury . While Word of God on the street is that regime are n’t in reality checking records to influence whether educational and “ people - to - people ” trips conform to battery-acid rules , you ’ll want to be indisputable to last out within the missive of the law .
If you have interrogation , ask your airline , but recall : Commercial flights are still relatively new , and many air hose factor are n’t yet conversant with specific regulations . When possible , get the name and form of address of the person with whom you mouth for accountability ’s rice beer .
2. GET TO THE AIRPORT NICE AND EARLY.
Many airlines and airdrome offering lineal flight to Cuba situate their Cuba escape bank check - in functioning outside the common “ Departures ” area . Give yourself the full three pre - departure hours recommended for international flying , and connect with the airline prior to your flying date to ask where you ’ll need to tick off in . Also , bear in mind that curbside curb - in and standardized amenities often are not usable for Cuba - throttle flights , even if you hold a special reward or fellow member position with an airline .
3. BRING PLENTY OF CASH.
While several major U.S.-issued debit and cite card companiesrushed to announcethey were arrange for their cards to be usable in Cuba , they’vebeen slowto make good on their word . In December 2015 , one small Florida camber was reported to be thefirst U.S. bank to forge a relationshipwith Cuba ’s central coin bank , and in June 2016 they debutedthe first U.S. credit card to ferment there . But do n’t get your hopes up : Very few Cuban vendors have stop - of - sale machines that work with U.S. plastic .
With none of the large U.S. banks operate in Cuba , you also ca n’t withdraw immediate payment from Cuban ATMs . Which imply you want to bring your funds with you . The match here is that you will always turn a loss an automatic 10 percentage when you switch U.S. dollars into CUCs ( Cuban Convertible Pesos ) at a CADECA ( the official currency substitution office ) . Finally , Cuba still has a dual - up-to-dateness organization . There are CUCs , which tourists tend to use , and CUPs ( Cuban Pesos ) , which Cubans tend to use . When being charged for good or services , be sure to ask what currentness is being used . While there has been talk about moving to a one - up-to-dateness systemsince 2013 , no timeline has been declare and both currencies stay on in effect as of this writing .
4. BE PREPARED FOR A DIGITAL DETOX.
In many ways , Cuba — or Havana , at least — is more digitally connected than it has ever been . Wi - Fi overhaul is more and more ubiquitous in the capital ’s park and public quad , and prices for Wi - Fi accessdropped significantlyin December 2016 . And with AT&T announcingroaming capabilitiesin October 2016 , it ’s possible to rest connected throughout your sojourn to Cuba . However , service can be pretty pricey , at $ 3 per bit for articulation and $ 2.05 per Bachelor of Medicine of data . It may be easier ( on your pocketbook and mind ) to just disconnect all .
5. DON’T PLAN ON WINGING YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS.
I ’m a traveler who ’s typically happy to forgo trip planning micro - management in favor of serendipity , but when it comes to accommodations in Cuba , this isnota good plan . Upon landing and move to Immigration , you ’ll be need to provide the address of your housing while in Cuba . Beyond potentially causing problem with entry into the country , you will also be hard - press out to find accommodations if you do n’t know Cuba well and you look until you land to look for a topographic point to stay .
Airbnb now list more than300 optionsall over the island and is likely the most low-cost , accessible , and simple way for Americans to book a lieu to delay before they meet down .
6. INDULGE IN RUM AND CIGARS TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT.
Do n’t worry about rummy and cigar limits ! In October 2015 , the Obama administrationannouncedthat Americans returning from trips to Cuba can pack their old bag with as much alcoholic beverage and cigars as they can gestate ( open to thestandard duties and limitation , of course ) . Be certain your wares are legit , though ; plenty of hustler , including employee at cigar factories , are piercing to trade boxes at cut rate , but these box are n’t likely to pass muster if inspected . Waited ' til the last minute to do your shopping ? you may buy cigars at Duty Free store in the Havana airport .
7. BRACE YOURSELF FOR CHANGE.
It ’s important to remember that these policies are still in flux , so stay apprize of changes by regularly checking in with the Department of Treasury’sOffice of Foreign Assets Control .
