Iberia suspends direct flights from Europe to Cuba from June and may not resume until November 2026
Iberia planes parked in Madrid (Spain). Photo: AFP
TL;DR
- Iberia will temporarily suspend direct flights between Madrid and Havana starting June 2026.
- The suspension is due to the crisis in Cuba caused by conflicts with the United States.
- The withdrawal will be phased: three weekly frequencies in April, two in May, and suspension in June.
- Demand for flights has significantly decreased, making operations unsustainable.
- Passengers can travel via Panama City through a code-sharing agreement with Copa Airlines.
- Air Canada and Air France have also suspended flights to Cuba due to fuel shortages.
- The root cause is a disruption in Venezuelan oil flow to Cuba following political changes and U.S. sanctions.
- Cuba is facing prolonged blackouts, shortages of food and medicine, and high inflation.
- Diplomatic pressure from the U.S. has led some Latin American countries to cancel medical cooperation agreements with Havana.