Bad news for the airlines often translates as good news for travel consumers.
27.07.2023 - 18:30 / smartertravel.com / Tim Winship / Airlines
The Department of Transportation today announced its nominees to operate nonstop flights to Havana, Cuba. In all, eight airlines were approved for service to Havana from 10 U.S. airports, as follows:
Alaska Airlines – from Los Angeles (daily) American – from Miami (4x daily) and Charlotte (daily) Delta – from New York (daily), Atlanta (daily), and Miami (daily) Frontier – from Miami (daily) JetBlue – from Ft. Lauderdale (2x daily but 1x on Saturdays), New York (daily), and Orlando (daily) Southwest – from Ft. Lauderdale (2x daily) and Tampa (daily) Spirit – from Ft. Lauderdale (2x daily) United – from Ft. Lauderdale (daily) and Houston (1x weekly)According to the DOT, the selections were made to “maximize public benefits, including choosing airlines that offered and could maintain the best ongoing service between the U.S. and Havana. The proposed nonstop Havana routes provide service for cities with substantial Cuban-American population, and to important aviation hub cities with their convenient connections and competitive service.”
Related:Travel + Leisure Picks the World’s Best AirlinesThe airlines and other interested parties have until July 22 to comment on the DOT’s proposed allocation of flights, which should be finalized before summer’s end. Thereafter, authorization from the Cuban government must also be received, with Havana flights expected to begin operating as early as this fall.
Last month, the DOT approved services by six U.S. carriers to nine smaller cities in Cuba, also set to launch in the fall.
Notwithstanding the reestablishment of scheduled air service between the two countries, significant restrictions on Americans’ travel to Cuba remain in place. In particular, tourist travel to Cuba must fall under one of 12 categories recognized by the DOT’s Office of Foreign Assets Control: “family visits; official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; journalistic activity; professional research and professional meetings; educational activities; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and certain authorized export transactions.”
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More from SmarterTravel: Free PreCheck for JetBlue Elites From Virgin America: 50% Bonus Points Through August 31 $35,000 for Unlimited Biz-Class Flights to London, Paris. Deal?After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a
Bad news for the airlines often translates as good news for travel consumers.
Beginning on June 1, Spirit will become the third airline to pull out of the Cuba market altogether, joining Frontier and Silver Airways. Two other airlines, American and JetBlue, have cut capacity on their Cuba flights, either by reducing frequency or downgrading to smaller planes.
Likely in response to JetBlue’s systemwide double-points promotion, in effect through February 29, Virgin America is also offering double points, but only on select routes.
With the high probability of Virgin America’s being folded into Alaska Airlines within the next two years, Virgin loyalists are in the market for an alternative. And JetBlue wants to be that alternative.
It’s a basic premise of savvy loyalty-program participation that the best return-on-investment is to be had by redeeming points for the program host’s own services. Airline miles are best redeemed for flights, and hotel points are best redeemed for free room nights. Sure, all major programs offer alternative award opportunities—consumer electronics, clothing, event tickets, and on and on—but when you do the math, it inevitably turns out that such options offer very poor value.
Flying to Europe between now and July 31? Good. Flying on a first-, business-, or full coach-fare ticket? Even better. Because, bonus miles.
Alaska Airlines is justly lauded for its Mileage Plan loyalty program, which among other features boasts 17 airline partners, allowing program members to earn and redeem miles for flights throughout the world.
Enter the Clos Du Bois “Spring in Sonoma” sweepstakes by April 26, 2016, for a chance to win one of the two grand prizes: trips for two to Sonoma, including air, three nights’ hotel, and $700 spending money.
Until yesterday, American Airlines customers dismayed at the airline’s August 1 pivot to a spend-based mileage program had a fallback option: Earn miles for their American flights in Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan program, which still awards miles the old-fashioned way, according to the distance flown.
Could you justify spending $35,000 for a year’s worth of unlimited business-class flights between New York and London or Paris? Probably not. But if so, La Compagnie has a deal for you.
U.S. commuters wasted 8 billion hours sitting in traffic last year.
Headed Down Under? Delta has announced a new bonus-mile promotion for Australia flights. But it’s not the only option.