Flights and air formalities

Every passenger flying to Cuba needs a passport valid for the whole stay, the electronic tourist visa (eVisa) issued before departure and the D Viajeros advance declaration submitted online before boarding; airlines check both at the gate. U.S. travellers must also fit one of the 12 OFAC authorized categories and may not bring Cuban alcohol or tobacco home. Watch what is flying now, then build the roadmap for your case.

Before you fly

Travel medical insurance is checked at entry

Cuba asks arriving travellers for proof of medical insurance; without it you may have to buy a Cuban policy at the airport, with limited cover. Buy a policy that explicitly covers Cuba before departure and carry the certificate with your eVisa and D Viajeros QR. Source: Cuba — proof of medical insurance required at entry (Government of Canada travel advice) · verified 2026-10-24.

U.S. travellers: a U.S. insurer may issue travel insurance for travel that OFAC authorizes or exempts (OFAC FAQ 104). Cuban hospitals do not take U.S. cards, so expect to pay and claim.

Its Cuba page lists travel medical plans for U.S. and non-U.S. residents that it says provide coverage in Cuba, bought online before departure. For U.S. residents on OFAC-authorized travel and non-U.S. residents. Listed, not endorsed — CubaAtlas has no commercial relationship with this provider. Cover, prices and acceptance in Cuba are set by the insurer; read the policy wording. Checked 2026-10-24.

Build your traveller roadmap for the insurance, visa and customs steps that apply to your case.

Live flights over Cuba now

Our own live layer from open ADS-B receivers: arrivals and departures at Cuban airports in orange-red, aircraft crossing Cuban airspace in pale grey. Click an aircraft for its route and trail; the full tracker adds the 24 hour airport table.

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Arrivals and departures

Observed movements at each Cuban airport with landing estimates, the flights expected next from patterns learned over past days, and the airlines that serve the airport. Times are Cuba local.

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On arrival

Cuban customs: what you can bring

Cuba rewrote the passenger regime in October 2026: the noncommercial limits stay, and anything beyond them can now be cleared as a commercial import paid in US dollars instead of being seized. The rows below are read from the Gaceta Oficial and the Ministry of Finance and Prices; duty is charged on the customs value, not your receipt.

Personal effects and the duty-free margin
Personal effects enter free. Other noncommercial goods are duty-free up to 50.99 USD of value per trip.Resolución 352/2020 of the Ministry of Finance and Prices (MFP), in force since 1 Jan 2021. Duty is assessed on the import value, not the receipt.Source: MFP — passenger tariff: 50.99 USD duty-free margin, 100%/200% bands (Resolución 352/2020)✓ verified 2026-10-24
Food, hygiene products, medicines, medical supplies, generators
Duty-free with no value limit when brought as noncommercial imports. Up to 2 generators.MFP Resolutions 9 and 10 of 2026; the MFP confirmed on 21 Oct 2026 that they stay in force while the conditions persist and that any repeal gets at least 30 days' notice.Source: MFP Q&A — food, hygiene, medicine, medical-supply and generator exemption stays in force (Res. 9 and 10 of 2026)✓ verified 2026-10-24 · Gaceta Oficial No. 83 (5 Oct 2026) — Decreto-Ley 132, Res. 197/2026 (MFP), Res. 340/2026 (Aduana) full text✓ verified 2026-10-24
Noncommercial goods above the margin
Duty in Cuban pesos: 100% of value from 51 to 500.99 USD and 200% from 501 to 1,000 USD for non-residents and repeat importers; residents pay 4% to 8% on their first import of the year.Noncommercial baggage is capped at 1,000 USD of value (Decreto-Ley 22 of 2020). Miscellany (clothes, shoes, food, toiletries) can be valued by weight at 10 USD per kg.Source: MFP — passenger tariff: 50.99 USD duty-free margin, 100%/200% bands (Resolución 352/2020)✓ verified 2026-10-24 · Gaceta Oficial No. 83 (5 Oct 2026) — Decreto-Ley 132, Res. 197/2026 (MFP), Res. 340/2026 (Aduana) full text✓ verified 2026-10-24
Over 1,000 USD, or commercial quantities (since 12 Oct 2026)
Customs clears what fits the noncommercial rules, then offers a second clearance for the rest, paid in US dollars: 15% up to 2,000 USD, 20% on the next 2,000, 25% up to 6,000, 30% above, plus a service fee of 2 to 50 USD.Decreto-Ley 132/2026, MFP Resolución 197/2026 and Aduana Resolución 340/2026 (Gaceta Oficial No. 83, 5 Oct 2026). Pay by card in USD; cash only at airports. If you decline you may re-export the goods; otherwise they are seized. Repeated commercial-looking imports can suspend your right to import.Source: MFP — goods over the noncommercial limits may be cleared as commercial imports paid in USD (Decreto-Ley 132/2026, Res. 197/2026, Res. 340/2026)✓ verified 2026-10-24 · Gaceta Oficial No. 83 (5 Oct 2026) — Decreto-Ley 132, Res. 197/2026 (MFP), Res. 340/2026 (Aduana) full text✓ verified 2026-10-24
How many of the same item
Usually up to 5 units of one article (3 if each is worth over 50 USD) and 5 kg of a single miscellany item; up to 5 mobile phones and 3 computers of any kind; the excess goes to the USD clearance.Aduana Resolución 340/2026, Annex III and chapter 5 (computing and communications equipment). Routers, radio transmitters and satellite phones need MINCOM authorisation.Source: Gaceta Oficial No. 83 (5 Oct 2026) — Decreto-Ley 132, Res. 197/2026 (MFP), Res. 340/2026 (Aduana) full text✓ verified 2026-10-24 · MFP — goods over the noncommercial limits may be cleared as commercial imports paid in USD (Decreto-Ley 132/2026, Res. 197/2026, Res. 340/2026)✓ verified 2026-10-24
Flying home to the United States
Cuban alcohol and tobacco may not be brought into the U.S. as accompanied baggage, whatever the value.Enjoy them in Cuba. Many ordinary items are also restricted on U.S. entry.Source: CBP — Cuban alcohol & tobacco not allowed as accompanied baggage✓ verified 2026-10-24 · CBP — many ordinary items are prohibited/restricted✓ verified 2026-10-24

Verified 2026-10-24 against Gaceta Oficial No. 83 (5 Oct 2026) and the MFP notices of 7 and 21 Oct 2026. The Aduana website (aduana.gob.cu) was offline for maintenance at that check. Cuba’s exemptions are temporary measures that have changed many times; confirm against the current resolution before you pack. CubaAtlas cites authorities; it does not clear customs.

Official sources

Live tracking & aviation data

The free, industry-standard tools, focused on Cuban airspace. Live flight tracking, official weather and open data — each opens in a new tab.

Free third-party resources, as used across the industry. CubaAtlas neither hosts nor rebrands this data — we link the real source.

Frequently asked questions

Which Cuban airports receive international flights?
Havana (HAV) carries most scheduled international service, followed by Varadero (VRA), Santa Clara (SNU), Holguin (HOG), Santiago de Cuba (SCU), Camaguey (CMW), Cayo Coco (CCC) and Cayo Largo (CYO). Each airport page lists the airlines that serve it and the destinations nearby.
What must I submit before flying to Cuba?
A passport valid for the whole stay, the electronic tourist visa (eVisa) obtained before departure, and the D Viajeros advance traveller declaration completed online up to 72 hours before arrival. Airlines check the eVisa and the D Viajeros QR code at the gate, so finish both before you travel to the airport.
What can I bring into Cuba through the airport?
Personal effects, plus other noncommercial goods duty-free up to 50.99 USD of value per trip; above that, duty in Cuban pesos of 100% to 200% of the value up to the 1,000 USD passenger limit. Food, hygiene products, medicines, medical supplies and up to two generators enter duty-free with no value limit under MFP Resolutions 9 and 10 of 2026. Since 12 October 2026 anything over the limits, or in commercial quantities, can be cleared as a commercial import with duty paid in US dollars (15% to 30%) instead of being seized. See the customs table on this page for the sources and dates.
Can U.S. citizens fly to Cuba?
Yes, on scheduled flights from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Houston and other gateways, but only under one of the 12 travel categories authorized by OFAC; tourism is not one of them. Travellers certify their category to the airline, keep records for five years, and may not bring back Cuban alcohol or tobacco. Build the traveller roadmap for the exact rules that apply to you.