U.S. Authorizes Eight Airlines to Fly to Havana

This Thursday, July 7, United States Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx, announced that eight U.S. commercial airlines had been authorized to operate flights to Havana

The airlines to obtain authorization to fly to the Cuban capital are: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines.

Flights to Havana will depart from the airports of Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Newark, New Jersey; New York and Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando and Tampa, Florida.

United Airlines lobbied unsuccessfully for a direct route to Havana from Washington D.C., which would facilitate the travel of congress members, politicians and diplomats.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the services have been assigned to cities with significant populations of Cubans and important air traffic centers.

In February, Cuba and the United States signed an agreement to restore regular flights to the island, which are still subject to many restrictions contained within the laws of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by for over half a century.