US DOT allocates new Havana flights to big five carriers
The US Department of Transportation has tentatively allocated reassigned US-Havana routes with American, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue and United Airlines each getting additional flights to the Cuban capital.
As expected, most of the additional frequencies are centered on the South Florida market.
American is adding an fifth daily flight on the Miami-Havana route and Delta will add a second daily Miami-Havana flight.
Southwest Airlines has been offered an additional slot for Fort Lauderdale-Havana flights and JetBlue gets an extra six flights a week on the same route.
JetBlue would also have approval to fly once a week on Saturdays to Havana from Boston.
Finally, United Airlines’ weekly Houston flight to Havana gets a major boost, with frequencies jumping to daily service.
The extra capacity was made available after a spate of route cancelations from the likes of Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Alaska Airlines overestimating long term viability of certain routes.
The DOT partly allocated the new frequencies on the ability of carriers to maintain long term service, as well as ensuring sufficient market competition.
"Carriers have been adjusting schedules and capacity, and some have left the market altogether," the DOT said.
"Adding to the still evolving nature of the market the administration announced a change in its policy toward Cuba and implemented regulations that, among other things, ended the widely used authorization for ‘individual people-to-people’ travel to Cuba."
The addition services must be implemented within 90 days of final approval, the DOT says, and other carriers have two weeks to lodge any opposition with the DOT against the tentative allocations.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive