Why Today Is a Monumental Day for Anyone Who Has Cuba on Their Bucket List
Obama made history in 2014 when his administration announced restored relations between Cuba and the US. Since then, the island has become one of the hottest travel destinations of the summer. Close in proximity to the US with a noticeably foreign feel, the country has seen a 17 percent jump in tourism since the change in policy. Even the Kardashians recently took a very public trip to the place.
View this post on InstagramOur Cuban crew's view of Santa Clara's warm welcome. #HolaCuba #JetBlueSNU
A post shared by JetBlue (@jetblue) on
The JetBlue flight, which departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 10AM, marked a monumental moment in travel history as it was the first commercial flight to Cuba from America since the ’60s. The 150-passenger plane was a celebratory journey complete with guava pastries and Cuban music.
On board the inaugural @Jetblue flight to Santa Clara, Cuba. #AvGeek #PaxEx #jetbluesnu #h… https://t.co/N41T2wCAtV pic.twitter.com/SdZVNQEDTP
— Seth Miller (@WandrMe) August 31, 2016
While JetBlue was the first to make this historic journey, it isn’t the only American airline headed south. So far six other airlines (two of which include American Airlines and Silver Air) have been approved to fly to nine Cuban cities.
There are still a number of stipulations that prohibit a straight-up “chill on the beach with a cocktail” sort of vacay (see Cuba’s travel restrictions here), but these flights paired with Airbnb’s recent expansion to the city all point to a promising future for American tourists looking to experience the previously forbidden land.
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(Photo via Getty)