Iberia May Halt Flights to Cuba from Spain Due to Low Profitability

The Spanish airline, Iberia, has recently voiced concerns over the lack of profitability of its flights to Cuba, contrasting with the strong performance of its routes to the United States and Puerto Rico. In an interview with the specialized media outlet Reportur, Iberia's Director of Global Sales, Beatriz Guillén, highlighted that while ticket sales from Madrid to U.S. destinations and Puerto Rico have been robust, demand for Cuba is "quite variable," with fluctuating tourism cycles.

Currently, Havana is experiencing one of those less favorable cycles. Although occupancy levels are acceptable, the scarcity of airplanes has prompted the airline to prioritize more profitable markets, the executive indicated.

Airline Exodus: Iberia, Edelweiss, United, and Others Scale Back or Cancel Cuba Flights

In recent years, several international airlines have reduced or canceled their flights to Cuba due to declining demand and operational challenges. Here are some of the companies that have taken such steps:

Edelweiss Air, the Swiss airline, announced it will suspend its flights to Cuba starting in March 2025. This decision primarily impacts the route between Zurich and Havana, operated with the Airbus A340. According to the company, the move is due to the difficulty in ensuring stable and reliable long-distance operations at Havana airport, as well as a decrease in passenger demand.

In September 2023, American carriers United Airlines and Delta Air Lines announced a reduction in their flights to Cuba due to a drop in demand. United Airlines suspended its route between Newark and Havana effective October 29, 2023, eliminating the direct connection between New York and the Cuban capital. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines requested a waiver to temporarily reduce its frequencies between Atlanta and Havana, as well as between Miami and Havana, during the winter season of 2023-2024.

In August 2023, JetBlue Airways announced the suspension of all its flights to Cuba starting September 17 of the same year. The airline, which had been a pioneer in reestablishing direct commercial flights to Cuba in 2016, cited regulatory changes and restrictions affecting its customers' ability to travel to the island as the main reasons for this decision.

The Spanish airline Iberojet reported in August 2023 the cancellation of its route between Madrid and Santiago de Cuba, inaugurated less than a year earlier, due to "operational reasons." The last flight on that route took place on September 29, 2023. Later, in November 2023, Iberojet announced the cancellation of all its flights to Cuba starting January 2024, citing the lack of profitability of these routes.

Cóndor, the German airline, decided to cease its operations to Cuba in 2025, thus eliminating the only direct connection between Germany and the island. This decision adds to a series of cancellations that have affected Cuba's air connectivity with Europe.

Other airlines, such as the British TUI and the Colombian Avianca, have also reduced or canceled their flights to Cuba in recent years, responding to low demand and operational challenges on the island.

These decisions reflect a troubling trend for Cuba's tourism sector, which faces significant challenges in terms of air connectivity and attracting international visitors. The decline in tourist arrivals negatively impacts the island's economy, which heavily relies on tourism-generated income.