US approves American Airlines flights to more cities in Cuba

The U.S. government is giving American Airlines permission to resume flights to five cities in Cuba outside the capital of Havana

American Airlines Cuba (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

U.S. officials on Wednesday approved a request by American Airlines to resume flights to five destinations in Cuba that were stopped in 2019 when the Trump administration sharply curtailed air service between the two countries.

The Transportation Department decision will let American resume flights from Miami to Santa Clara, Varadero, Holguin, Camaguey and Santiago de Cuba.

American said that starting in early November it will operate two daily flights to Santa Clara and one daily flight to each of the other airports.

American currently operates six flights a day between Miami and Havana. JetBlue and Southwest also fly to Havana.

The Trump administration, which wanted to starve Cuba's regime of cash, suspended flights between the U.S. and destinations in Cuba other than Havana. Two months ago, the Biden administration reversed that decision and announced it would loosen restrictions on U.S. travelers to the island.