Air Canada, Air Transat and Westjet suspend Cuba routes but organize repatriation flights

Air Canada, WestJet Group and Air Transat have all announced significant operational changes following government advisories and NOTAMs  (Notice to Airmen) warning of unreliable jet fuel supplies at Cuban airports.

The decision follows also the latest travel advisory by Global Affairs Canada which advises travelers to exercise a high degree of caution when traveling to Cuba.

Air Canada

Air Canada confirmed it is suspending service to Cuba. It became effective from February 9 due to the ongoing fuel crisis.

The airline will however operate empty southbound flights over the coming days to repatriate approximately 3,000 Canadian customers currently at Cuban resorts, many of whom booked through Air Canada Vacations packages.

To maintain safety margins, Air Canada said remaining flights will tanker additional fuel and may require technical refueling stops on return journeys. The airline operates roughly 16 weekly flights from Toronto and Montreal to destinations including Varadero, Cayo Coco, Holguín and Santa Clara. Seasonal routes to Holguín and Santa Clara have been cancelled for the remainder of the season, while year-round services to Varadero and Cayo Coco remain suspended pending a tentative restart review on May 1.

Air Canada Vacations also introduced a refund policy, allowing customers who had scheduled departures to Cuba and experienced flight cancellations to automatically receive a full refund in their original form of payment.

Air Transat

Air Transat has likewise suspended all flights to Cuba until April 30, 2026, citing the same difficult operational conditions. The airline is normally flying from 5 Canadian airports to Varadero, Cayo Coco, Holguín and Santa Clara.

Customers with departures scheduled between February 11 and April 30 will receive automatic refunds, while the airline is organizing repatriation and regular flights to return passengers currently in destination.

Westjet Group

The WestJet Group has also begun what it describes as an “orderly winding down” of winter operations to Cuba. All trips booked via WestJet, Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations and Vacances WestJet Québec have been cancelled effective immediately. The company says affected travelers will receive communications outlining refund or rebooking options.

WestJet noted there are currently no safety or security concerns for guests already in Cuba but confirmed it will send empty aircraft to the island carrying sufficient fuel to ensure departures without reliance on local supplies.

Westjet is currently the largest Canadian air operator to Cuba. The airline flies to 7 destinations in Cuba (Cayo Coco, Cayo Lago del Sur, Cienfuegos, Havana, Holguín, Santa Clara and Varadero).

From Varadero, the carrier had until yesterday non-stop flights to 13 Canadian cities. That includes Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, London, Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor and Winnipeg.

The widespread disruption underscores Cuba’s importance to Canada’s outbound leisure market. Nearly 900,000 Canadians visited the island last year, making it one of the country’s leading winter sun destinations.

European airlines continue to serve Cuba with refueling stop

With Air Canada, WestJet and Transat reducing or suspending services, industry observers say displaced travelers are likely to shift toward alternative Caribbean markets such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and French Caribbean Islands of Guadeloupe/ Martinique.

Airlines say they will continue monitoring the situation closely and will determine timelines for resuming normal operations once fuel supply stability improves.

In another development, European carriers confirmed to continue flying to Havana, by adding a refueling stop on their way back from Cuba. Air Europa and Iberia stops in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Air France stops in Nassau, Bahamas and Turkish Airlines in Cancun, Mexico.

Flights to Miami from US carriers are not affected by the fuel shortage in Cuba due to the short flying distance. 

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