Cuban airport could be without commercial flights from Miami this summer

American Airlines will suspend its direct commercial flights to this eastern Cuban airport this summer, at its own request, due to low demand and operational restrictions.Santiago de Cuba's Antonio Maceo International Airport will no longer have direct flights from Miami starting in the summer. 2025.

The decision is based on a request submitted by American Airlines to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), in which the airline requests an extension of its temporary inactivity exemption for certain services between the U.S. and Cuba, including this one.

American argued, according to magazine specialized, that the measure responds to "the greatest challenges for thecupgeneration of passenger demand between the US and Cuba," in a context of restrictions and difficulties affecting bilateral air traffic.

The suspension includes daily flights between Miami and Santiago de Cuba, leaving this airport without direct connections to commercial airlines with the United States during the peak summer season.

Cuban airport and flights to Miami this summer

In the same document, the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline also requested to adjust some frequencies on its Miami-Havana route, but will maintain flights to other Cuban destinations such as Camagüey, Holguín, Matanzas/Varadero and Santa Clara, which were already covered by a previous exemption granted in March. 2025.

If approved by the DOT, the Suspension will mark the complete departure of American Santiago Airport, which represents a significant blow to travelers who depend on this direct connection between South Florida and eastern Cuba.

The airline clarified that the requested exemption is temporary and is limited to the remainder of the summer season. 2025.

He also left open the possibility of resuming services if market conditions improve in the future, although this seems unlikely given the U.S. government's increased restrictions on Cuban travelers.