How to Fly to Cuba from the US in 2027: Legal Routes, Layovers and the Fuel Crisis
Cuba is the only country in our network that US law bars Americans from visiting as tourists, and the only one where your layover city makes no legal difference. Flying via Cancún, Panama City or Mexico City can save money and keep you moving when US flights are cut, but US sanctions follow US citizens and residents wherever they board. The route is a travel choice; the travel category is a legal one.
Getting to Cuba from the United States in 2027 means planning around two things at once: US rules that limit why Americans can go, and a Cuban fuel and power crisis that has cut flights from much of the world. In January 2026 the US declared a national emergency over Cuba and moved to penalise countries that ship it oil. Jet fuel ran short at Cuban airports, and by February Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat had suspended their flights. Iberia has suspended Havana until 30 June 2027.
US airlines have kept flying, mostly by carrying enough fuel for the return trip, and Mexican, Panamanian and Colombian carriers still connect Havana with their hubs. So you can still get there. This guide covers what is legal for US travellers, which routes are operating as of October 2026, when a layover route beats a direct flight, the new Cuban e-Visa, and how to handle money in a country where US cards do not work.
Our earlier version of this article presented layovers as a workaround. We have corrected that: a layover changes your price and your schedule, not your legal obligations.
Since 1 July 2025, the old paper tourist card has been replaced by a Cuban e-Visa, single entry and valid for stays of up to 90 days. Canadians flying directly from Canada get it with their ticket; everyone else needs it separately, and US airlines arrange it for passengers flying from the US. You must also complete the D’Viajeros health and customs form online within seven days before arrival, carry proof of travel medical insurance, and hold a return or onward ticket. If you are not a US citizen, check what your passport needs with our Visa Assistant, and be aware that visiting Cuba makes most Visa Waiver Program nationals ineligible for an ESTA to visit the US afterwards: they need a full US visa instead.
The Legal Part: The 12 OFAC Travel Categories
US citizens and permanent residents can travel to Cuba only for activities that fall into one of 12 categories authorised by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). There is no application: you self-certify, usually through a form when you book or check in, and you must keep records of your activities for five years. The categories are:
| Category | Who it suits |
|---|---|
| Family visits | Visiting close relatives in Cuba |
| Official government business | US and foreign government officials |
| Journalistic activity | Working journalists |
| Professional research | Research directly related to your profession |
| Educational activities | Accredited academic programmes (individual people-to-people travel ended in 2019) |
| Religious activities | Organised religious work |
| Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic competitions and exhibitions | Many of these now need a specific licence |
| Support for the Cuban People | Independent travellers with a full-time schedule of activities that support private Cubans |
| Humanitarian projects | Aid and development work |
| Private foundations, research or educational institutes | Activities of those institutions |
| Exportation, importation or transmission of information | Information and media work |
| Certain authorised export transactions | Licensed commercial activity |
Stay in a casa particular (a private home licensed to rent rooms), eat in private restaurants (paladares), hire private guides and drivers, and fill each day with activities that put money into private Cuban hands. Do not stay at or pay any hotel on the State Department’s Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List, and avoid businesses on the Cuba Restricted List, which covers entities controlled by the Cuban military and security services. Both lists were expanded after the June 2025 presidential memorandum that also restated the ban on US tourism. Beach holidays at state resorts do not qualify. Keep receipts and a day-by-day itinerary for five years.
Which Flights Are Operating: October 2026
The fuel crisis means schedules change at short notice. This is the picture in early October 2026; confirm with the airline before you book and again the week you fly.
| Route | Airline | Status (Oct 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami–Havana | American, Delta | Operating | Short enough to fly without refuelling in Havana. Delta has asked to cut to one daily flight from 25 Oct 2026 to 27 Mar 2027. |
| Atlanta–Havana | Delta | Proposed suspension | Delta has asked to suspend all seven weekly flights for winter 2026–27. |
| Florida–Havana | Southwest | Operating | Aircraft carry enough fuel for the return leg. |
| Cancún / Mexico City–Havana | Viva, Aeroméxico | Operating | The main third-country route for US travellers. |
| Panama City–Havana | Copa | Operating | Good connections from across the US through Copa’s Tocumen hub. |
| Colombia–Havana | Wingo | Operating | Low-cost link from Bogotá and Medellín. |
| Madrid–Havana | Air Europa / Iberia | Air Europa operating; Iberia suspended to 30 June 2027 | Air Europa’s return flight has been stopping in Punta Cana to refuel. |
| Canada–Cuba | Air Canada, WestJet, Transat | Suspended | Air Canada suspended “until further notice”. |
Direct Flight or Layover Route? The Decision Gauge
Start by confirming your travel category and, if you are not a US citizen, your visa position with the Visa Assistant. Then decide on the route.
Comparing a direct fare with a layover route?
Add the extra night, airport transfers and meals at the hub, and check your minimum connection time before you book separate tickets.
The Best Layover Hubs for Havana
Cancún (CUN)
The shortest hop to Havana, about an hour, and the most US flights into the hub. If your two flights are on separate tickets, you will clear Mexican immigration and customs, collect your bag and check in again, so allow at least four hours. On a long layover, the Hotel Zone is 20 to 30 minutes away. Book a fixed-price car with Welcome Pickups rather than negotiating with the drivers in the arrivals hall.
Mexico City (MEX)
Direct flights from nearly every major US city and daily connections to Havana. Mexico City’s airport is congested, so give yourself five hours on separate tickets; with an overnight, the Centro Histórico is 30 minutes away. See our Mexico City layover guide.
Panama City (PTY)
Copa’s hub links more than a dozen US cities with Havana, often on a single ticket, which protects your connection. Tocumen is designed for transfers, and with six hours or more you can reach the Panama Canal’s Miraflores Locks. Our Panama layover guide has the details.
Bogotá (BOG)
Useful for travellers combining Colombia and Cuba, with low-cost Wingo flights to Havana. See our Bogotá layover guide.
US-issued debit and credit cards, including all American Express cards, do not work in Cuba, and ATMs are scarce outside Havana. Bring all the cash you will need, in US dollars or euros, in clean, undamaged notes. If you are a non-US resident, a Wise or Revolut card is the cheapest way to withdraw euros or dollars at your layover hub before the last leg. Neither card should be relied on inside Cuba itself.
Step by Step: Booking a Layover Route to Havana
What Travel in Cuba Is Like Right Now
Be ready for a harder trip than the photos suggest. The US State Department rates Cuba Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, and reports power cuts of up to 12 hours a day in Havana and longer elsewhere. Fuel shortages limit taxis and buses, and many medicines are scarce. Pack a power bank, a torch, any medicines you need for the whole trip plus spares, and some snacks.
In Havana
Spend your time in Habana Vieja: Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza Vieja and Calle Obispo are all walkable from one another. Walk the Malecón at sunset, eat at private paladares, and hire a private guide or a vintage-car driver for Vedado and the Plaza de la Revolución. Each of these supports private Cubans and fits within “Support for the Cuban People”.
Staying connected
Most international eSIMs do not cover Cuba. Buy a state ETECSA tourist SIM (Cubacel Tur) or use Wi-Fi cards at hotspots, and expect slow speeds during power cuts. Some US websites and apps are blocked from Cuba; a VPN such as NordVPN helps with banking and email. Install an Airalo eSIM for your layover country so you are online at the hub.
Insurance for Cuba
Cuba requires proof of travel medical insurance on arrival. US airlines include Cuban health cover in the fare on flights from the US, but if you route via a third country you must arrange your own. Many US-issued policies exclude Cuba, so check the wording for the word “Cuba” before you pay.
Our travel insurance for Cuba guide explains the requirement in more detail.
Getting Around at Your Hub and in Cuba
More Guides for Your Route
Flying to Cuba from the US: FAQ
Official Resources for Cuba Travel
The rules change often. Check these sources before you book and again before you fly.
Safety and Help in Cuba
Sources and Citations
- US State Department, Cuba Travel Advisory (Level 2, issued 7 May 2025; page updated 15 October 2026).
- CiberCuba, “Flights to Cuba amid the fuel crisis: which airlines are still operating and which have suspended service”, 5 October 2026.
- Cuba Headlines, “Delta Seeks to Cut Flights to Cuba Through March 2027”, 1 September 2026.
- Fox Business, “Airlines suspend Cuba flights amid jet fuel shortage”, 10 February 2026.
- FlightGlobal, “US airlines seek Cuba flight cuts amid fuel crisis”, March 2026.
- Cassidy Levy Kent via Mondaq, “Administration Signals Tightening of U.S. Restrictions on Cuba”, 21 July 2025 (NSPM-5, June 2025).
- Tourism Analytics, “Cuba makes electronic visas mandatory from July 1, 2025”.
- Smartraveller (Australian Government), Cuba travel advice: fuel, blackouts, medicines and cards.
- Luxury Travel Advisor, OFAC amendments of 24 September 2020 (alcohol and tobacco, meetings).
- OFAC, Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 CFR Part 515 (12 travel categories; five-year record-keeping).
This guide is general travel information, not legal advice. US sanctions on Cuba are enforced by OFAC; if you are unsure whether your trip qualifies, consult OFAC’s guidance or a lawyer. Flight schedules are changing frequently because of Cuba’s fuel shortage. Everything here was checked in October 2026. EpicLayover may earn a commission from some links on this page at no extra cost to you.
Another route to Cuba
- The back door to Havana: four layover routes into Cuba.
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