Before You Fly to Cuba:
You will need a valid passport with an expiry date of at least six months from the first arrival and at least three months from the day you leave Cuba.
You will need a Cuba Visa, also known as a Cuba Tourist Card. You can apply online at https://www.cubavisa.uk/apply. A tourist Card is a physical document and can’t be presented electronically. Make sure you do this with plenty of time before your trip.
Within two days before you arrive in Cuba, you must complete your “Advanced Passenger Information” form, a Health Declaration form, or Landing Card. Once you complete this application, you can save the PDF electronically or print it and take it. Note: there is an icon next to the Date and Time of Cuba top right corner where you can choose your preferred language. As with many online applications, we recommend using Chrome Browser for ease of use. Please visit https://dviajeros.mitrans.gob.cu/inicio
Please make sure that you have your medical cover for visiting Cuba. If you have travel insurance, this will generally have medical coverage (Please check that insurance Includes the country of Cuba) within its policies. If you need travel insurance, we recommend JustTravelCover; please check all details and compare them with others if necessary.
Following the information the airlines and the UK Government provide is essential: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cuba.
A few airlines fly from the UK to Cuba, so reserve a Cuba Holiday for your desired dates. Although just a few will be direct flights to Cuba, there is a wide range of airlines to suit your budget and dates that will fly indirectly.
BE AWARE: travelling from or via the USA to Cuba, you must acquire a “Pink Tourist Card” This can only get issued in the USA, regardless of which passport you hold. American Citizens must obtain a “Pink tourist card” irrespective of the country they travel from.
Currently, there are no direct flights from the UK to Cuba. However, there are talks about the possibility of a direct flight starting in April 2025. Keep an eye out for the latest updates on direct flights to Cuba from the UK, as dates will be released by September 2024.
With flights scheduled twice weekly, the awaited direct flights to Havana will occur in the summer of 2024.
TUI is the only airline with direct flights from Manchester to Varadero. However, in April 2024, TUI will stop all direct flights to Cuba.
There are also even more options when flying from the UK to Cuba. So, we’ve listed some airlines that will go to Cuba via their home hub airports.
With almost daily flights from London Gatwick to Havana, it is becoming a popular option. Flights depart from London Gatwick to Madrid, then Madrid to Havana. The carrier has improved quite a bit since they use their fleet to take you from London to Madrid, making sure that connections are prompt, minimising waiting time in Madrid, usually under two hours. Air Europa offers Business or Premium Economy seats depending on the time of the year. Contact us if you require more information and add upgraded seats to your Cuba travel plans.
Offering connections to the UK, we can now find flights from London and Manchester with good connections and competitive prices if booked to travel to Cuba. Destinations that Air Transat visits in Cuba are Varadero, Santa Clara and Holguin. You will need your Tourist Card and Advanced Passenger Information form to travel to Cuba.
Air France is one of the most popular airlines after Virgin Atlantic, operating six days a week.
You could also fly to Cuba from virtually anywhere in the UK with Air France, which offers a wide range of regional UK flights.
If you fly to Cuba from Scotland, Midlands, or Bristol, Air France offers the best connecting flights.
Air Canada also has flights every day of the week, flying from a few other locations in the UK; it also offers an alternative to connecting to other cities in Cuba, like Havana, Varadero, Santa Clara, Cayo Coco and Holguin.
Connecting time can be long, but our travel advisors will gladly help you find the best.
As the western part of Cuba no longer has a direct flight with Charter airlines like TUI, Condor Airlines ( codesharing with Lufthansa Airlines) flies from a few UK locations to Frankfurt, then to Holguin. Travellers who want to visit and stay around Western Cuba can opt for these flights, which are great if you want to avoid landing in Havana and going to Santiago or thereabouts.
Important information before you buy a flight from the USA to Cuba: If you would like to travel from the USA, you must get a Pink Tourist Card, which can be purchased online if you are based in the UK or from your nearest Cuban Consulate. Most importantly, you need to get a Full USA Tourist Visa; an ESTA will not allow you to travel via the USA to Cuba. You can read more about travelling to Cuba via the USA at https://www.cubavisa.uk/travelling-usa-cuba-info-uk-travellers/.
Travelling to Cuba from the US is legal; however, there are several limitations and restrictions. All US citizens and visitors must adhere to US regulations and be in one of the twelve categories for travel to Cuba from the USA.
Airlines and local tour operators in the USA can sell a Cuban Tourist Card, which costs 76 GBP per person.
Travelfab will include your Green or Pink Cuba Tourist Card in your package; please check with us if you have any questions and read our booking conditions for more information.
Travel Update:
Please note that you must fill in your travel declaration form online. The online form will ask for personal details, immigration and customs information and your health declaration form. Once completed, an email will be sent to you with a PDF file that has a QR code. You must present the QR Code electronically or on paper upon arrival to Cuba.
Please follow the link and choose your appropriate language to continue.
