Cuba Travel for Americans

Although regulations are a bit trickier than they were in the past, all Out Adventures Gay Cuba Tours are unaffected! Read on for the most important takeaways. 

What are the major changes affecting American travel to Cuba?

Prior to June 5, 2019, American travellers were able to legally visit Cuba under specific licensed categories. The two most common recreational categories were ‘People-to-People’ and ‘Support for the Cuban People’. The restrictions introduced in 2019 eliminated People-to-People tours, but thankfully Support for the Cuban People – the category Out Adventures’ tours run under – did not change. 

In addition to removing People-to-People travel, the US is preventing any recreational vessel from visiting Cuba. This includes cruises and yachts.

I’m interested in travelling to Cuba on a Gay Tour with Out Adventures. Can I still go?

Yes. Out Adventures offers two gay Cuba tours: Cultural Cuba and Cuba New Year Fiesta. As mentioned, both of our tours run under the Support for the Cuban People category, which is not affected by the Cuba travel restrictions.

Are commercial flights to Cuba available?

Commercial flights from the US to Havana are still available, with a number of direct flights being offered from airports such as Miami, Newark, JFK, Houston and Atlanta (pre-pandemic). If you heard in the news that flights are no longer available from the US to Cuba, it may be because the US no longer allows direct flights to provinces outside of Havana. Flights from the US direct to Havana are available, however, at the time of this post, there are fewer available flights than there were pre-pandemic.

Can I spend money in Cuba?

Yes, assuming you are not supporting the Cuban regime. This means you can dine at our favourite paladares (local restaurants) and buy your favourite art (from local cooperatives) – assuming you have cash. American credit and ATM cards will not work in Cuba, so it’s important to travel with the cash you’ll need for your trip.

Where can I learn more?

Check out this episode of The Gay Travel Podcast to learn the ins and outs of travel to Cuba, then hop over to our Cuba Country page.

Conclusion

All of Out Adventures Gay Cuba Tours are still legal, and you’re welcome to join us.

If you have any questions about Cuba travel restrictions, never hesitate to contact our gay travel experts by email (info@outadventures.com) or phone (CAN/US: 1-866-360-1152. International: +1-416-531-8795).

Header photo by Alexander Kunze and courtesy of unsplash.com.