Cuba Travel Guide
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247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Cuba.
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Guide
The hardest part of getting to Cuba right now is the fuel. Jet A-1 has been unavailable at ten Cuban airports, including Havana's José Martí, Varadero, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Camagüey, Cayo Coco, Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, Manzanillo, and Cayo Largo, and a notice reported on 17 September 2026 extends the shortage until 04:00 UTC on 1 October, after repeated extensions since February. More than eleven carriers, among them Air Canada, Iberia, Turkish Airlines, and Air France, suspended or reduced service, and more than 1,700 flights were cancelled by April. Reporting ties the crisis to halted Venezuelan oil supplies and tighter U.S. sanctions. Airports are open, but flights can be cancelled or need to refuel elsewhere.
The paperwork is simpler than the flights. Most visitors need a tourist card, which is an entry permit and not a visa. The green card is the most common, allowing up to 90 days, extendable once for another 90 in Cuba, and the pink one is for passport holders flying directly from the United States. Prices are quoted at 50 to 100 dollars depending on where you buy it, and airlines sometimes include it in the ticket.
Since 1 May 2025 every foreign visitor arriving by air, land, or sea has had to complete the D'Viajeros online declaration, within seven days of arrival, which generates a QR code. U.S. airlines check the PDF and code at check-in, and Cuban immigration checks it on arrival.
Border crossings
- An island with ten airports and no land crossing
Cuba has no land border to cross, so every entry is a flight or a boat, and the fuel shortage decides what is actually available.
Transit routes
- Expect airlines to work around the fuel
They either carry extra fuel from the departure airport or make a refueling stop elsewhere, which can add time to a trip. Check with your airline in the days before you fly.
- Give yourself slack at both ends
With flights subject to cancellation, a hard deadline at home right after a Cuba trip is a risk.
Entry point notes
- The tourist card and the D'Viajeros form are different things
The card is the entry permit, sold by airlines or through agents, while D'Viajeros is a free online declaration for everyone.
- U.S. travelers have an extra step
Because of U.S. rules, they must also declare one of the 12 authorized travel categories, and they need the pink card, which is bought through the airline at the gate or at a Cuban consulate.
- Confirm current requirements with your airline
The airline is the party that turns you away at check-in if a document is missing, so ask it exactly what it needs for your route.