Can Americans Travel To Cuba?

Above, 1950s U.S. vintage cars can still be seen in Havana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in April 2019, a friend and I took a cruise aboard the Majesty of the Seas of Royal Caribbean to Key West, Florida and Havana, Cuba.

It was a fun and interesting trip. The interesting part was our visit to Havana. Since I have never been in a communist country before, I thought a trip there would be educational. The Cuban people were friendly. One thing I found, Cuban cigars are overrated, the ones I bought were no better than the Olivas I normally buy. 

Then, two months later, President Donald Trump paused group and cruise ship travel. But, Americans can still travel to Cuba. It is "perfectly legal for US individuals to visit Cuba for one of twelve specific purposes defined by the United States Treasury Department, and to travel on one of the many daily commercial flights to Havana, which mostly depart from Miami," according to travel writer Tony Perrottet in Condé Nast Traveler. 

Condé Nast Traveler has posted an article by Perrottlet on the current ins and outs of travel to Cuba.

It begins with:

Even in 2024, the question “can Americans travel to Cuba?” is still frequently asked among US travelers. Few destinations create such simultaneous longing and confusion as this crocodile-shaped island only 95 miles south of Key West. It has held a mythic status since the early 20th century for its vibrant mix of Latin and Caribbean cultures, its hundreds of miles of pristine beaches, its African-influenced music, and its vintage charm; today, Chevrolets and Buicks from the ’50s rattle down Spanish colonial streets in Old Havana that have hardly changed since Ernest Hemingway was knocking back mojitos there.

Yet Cuba has long been a metaphorical forbidden fruit due to political rifts. A web of travel restrictions imposed in the 1960s made it difficult for Americans to make the journey, an idea that still lingers today. And while the limits on tourism were largely lifted in 2016, many still find the prospect daunting.

For some insider knowledge, I spoke to Johnny Considine, founder of the travel agency Cuba Private Travel, a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist, and a long-term resident of Havana. We discussed the steps American travelers need to take when visiting Cuba, as well as the best times to go, what to see, and more.

To read more, go here.