Buy a Flight to Cuba and Get One Free with Silver Airways

It's a huge year for travel to Cuba. In March, several airlines proposed nonstop flights from the US to a handful of Cuban destinations, and last month the Department of Transportation approved new service on several US-based carriers — including American, Southwest, JetBlue and Silver Airways, among others. Now, that latter airline is working to fill seats on its first flights, first offering a 33% discount code and now giving customers an opportunity to buy one flight and get another for free (before taxes and fees), to take later in 2016.

While you might not be planning to visit Cuba once this year, let alone twice, it could be worth checking out this promotion. Here's how it works:

• Buy a non-refundable ticket to Cuba using the CUBA4FREE promo code by July 11, 2016
• By July 30, you'll receive a voucher (via email) for the full value of the reservation's base fare
• Redeem your voucher at least 10 days before departure for travel on/after September 5 and on/before December 20, 2016
• The voucher is transferrable, so you can use it for a friend
• Pay taxes and fees on the new ticket "starting from $10.10 for each passenger for each segment will apply, up to $140 within the United States or $304 for to/from international flights"
• Pay $35 for the first checked bag, $50 for the second and $150 for the third

Silver Airways' flights to Cuba kick off on September 1, with a new nonstop from Fort Lauderdale to Santa Clara. Here's the full breakdown of Silver's approved flights:

You can also fly the airline throughout Florida and the Bahamas, though the free voucher only applies to flights to Cuba.

While Cuba is clearly a very exciting new addition for US carriers, it's possible that the flights aren't quite as popular as airlines may have hoped, especially given the saturation at launch. This promotion gives Silver Airways an opportunity to drum up some interest while filling seats throughout the year. While it may be a good deal if you're looking to visit Cuba twice in 2016 (or you can share the voucher with a friend), your best bet for travel from Florida to Cuba may be to redeem British Airways points for American Airlines flights, which may be available for as little as 4,500 Avios each way.

You might also want to consider cruising to Cuba. TPG Senior Editor Kaeli Conforti recently returned from the first cruise to Cuba in more than 50 years. She found the locals to be friendly and very welcoming to American tourists, and while you'll definitely have a busy few days on the ground, you'll have plenty of opportunities to experience Cuban culture. Click here for her full review of the cruise.

Are you planning to visit Cuba this year?

H/T: View from the Wing