Airlines Cut Back Capacity on Cuba Flights — but JetBlue Adds More
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
US airlines were thrilled when they learned that they’d be allowed to fly to Cuba and immediately launched dozens of routes between the former adversary. However, it’s become clear that travelers aren’t booking as many trips to the island as anticipated and airlines have been forced to scale back substantially in the less than two years since they’ve relaunched service. Alaska, Frontier, Silver Airways and Spirit have eliminated their Cuba routes altogether.
The exception is JetBlue, which was also the first airline to operate commercial service between the US and Cuba following the agreement. JetBlue announced this week that it’s expanding and diversifying its schedule to Havana with new service from Boston (BOS) and more flights from Fort Lauderdale (FLL). This is in addition to JetBlue’s existing nonstop service from New York (JFK) and Orlando (MCO), meaning that JetBlue will have more gateways to Cuba than any other US airline.
Although JetBlue began scheduling smaller aircraft in May 2017, the airline says that its Cuban markets are developing in line with its expectations contrary to some of its competitors. “We carried more than 390,000 customers on nearly 2,000 flights between the U.S. and Cuba in just our first year of commercial service,” a JetBlue spokesperson told TPG in an email. “JetBlue remains dedicated to fostering travel and cultural connections between the two countries in accordance with all legal requirements and believe we are poised for further growth as other airlines eliminate service to Cuba,” the spokesperson added.
Part of the reason demand has fallen is due to new travel and commerce regulations on Cuba imposed by the Trump administration last November. Additionally, many travelers are choosing to visit the island nation by cruise ship since the country doesn’t yet have the kind of infrastructure that many luxury-loving travelers demand.
This card from Bank of America gets really interesting if you have a BofA checking, savings or investment account. Depending on the value of your combined accounts you can potentially get as much as 3.5x points on travel/dining and 2.625x points on other purchases making it the richest consumer banking bonus out there.
- Receive 50,000 bonus points – a $500 value – after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
- Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase
- No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire
- Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center
- Get up to $200 in combined airline incidental and airport expedited screening statement credits + valuable travel insurance protections
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Low $95 annual fee
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.