From Madrid, only Air Europa flies, three times a week, and Air China, once as part of its route from Beijing
14ymedio, Madrid, August 19, 2026 / The Spanish airline Iberia will extend the suspension of its direct flights to Cuba until at least June 30, 2027. The company itself confirmed this to 14ymedio, citing “the situation the country is going through, which has significantly affected both demand and operating conditions.”
Iberia also reports that ticket sales will reopen starting in July of next year, “provided that conditions allow.” For customers who already hold an issued ticket, the company has expanded its flexibility conditions.
Affected passengers can therefore choose a cash refund, a refund via voucher, or a change of destination to one of these regional alternatives – precisely competitors of the island – Miami, Panama, Santo Domingo, and Mexico.
Last April, Iberia announced that it was canceling its route to Cuba, at least during the low season. It was the first time in the Spanish airline’s history that it had done so for reasons attributable to conditions on the island – in this case, the unprecedented drop in tourism. At the time, it stated that it intended to resume flights for the high season, starting in November, but this will ultimately not happen.
Affected passengers can choose a cash refund, a refund via voucher, or a change of destination to Miami, Panama, Santo Domingo, or Mexico
Until then, the company maintained three weekly flights from Madrid to Cuba, which were reduced to two in May. Since June, the only remaining option with Iberia – still in effect – is to fly to Panama and from there on to the island with Copa Airlines, which has a codeshare agreement with the Spanish airline.
Iberia was one of the few airlines that persevered on its routes to Cuba, despite the unprecedented energy crisis, which worsened after the United States’ intervention in Venezuela to capture Nicolás Maduro and the subsequent oil blockade against the island. On February 9, it announced that, despite the shortage of jet fuel, it would keep its flights to Havana operating, refueling in the Dominican Republic. The lack of travelers from Spain, however, ultimately made the operation unsustainable.
Currently, the only airlines flying from Madrid to the island are Air Europa, with three weekly flights and a refueling stop in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) on the return flight, and Air China, as part of its route from Beijing.
According to the most recent data released by the National Statistics and Information Office (Onei), tourist arrivals have fallen below the dismal figures recorded during the covid pandemic. Only 28,100 international travelers arrived on the island in June, slightly below the previous two months, when the figure stood at just over 30,500.
Traditional tourist markets for the island now carry little weight: Spain contributed 704 travelers that month, Canada 698, and Russia 99. The final blow to visits from the Iberian Peninsula came from the threat of sanctions against foreign hotel chains, mainly the Spanish companies Meliá, Iberostar, and Barceló, which withdrew from the country in July. The next Onei report will show the effects on the sector.
Translated by GH.
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