U.S. signs off on American Airlines flights to Cuba

The U.S. Transportation Department has approved American Airlines request to resume flights to five Cuban cities. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo


July 14 (UPI) -- The United States has approved a request from American Airlines to resume passenger flights to Cuba, the latest measure by the Biden administration to improve relations with Cuban citizens.

The Transportation Department announced the decision to grant the approval from American Airlines on Wednesday, stating the flights will fly from Miami to Camaguey, Holguin, Matanzas/Varadero, Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba.

Under terms of the approval, American Airlines is required to begin its service within 90 days, the department said, adding that all flights will have daily service to four of the cities with Santa Clara's service being twice daily.

"This change will make it easier for families to visit their relatives in Cuba and for authorized U.S. travelers to engage with Cuban people, attend meetings and conduct research," the department said in a statement.

The approval comes two months after the Biden administration said it would allow flights to Cuban cities to resume and more than 2 1/2 years after the Trump administration suspended commercial flights to the island nation in 2019.

The Biden administration has sought to soften the United States' stance toward Cuba in contrast to the strict Trump administration, which saw relations between the two nations sour.

Along with axing the flights, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Cuba, returned it to the State Department's state sponsor of terrorism list and suspended a family reunification program.

Among the changes made under the Biden administration was its decision in May to reinstate the family reunification program.