For many Canadians, Cuba has been a popular winter getaway for decades. With affordable all-inclusive resorts, four-hour flights, and white-sand beaches, it was the easiest spot for a quick dose of sunshine without a high price tag.
But since February 2026, all Canadian flights have been halted with no restart date in sight. Global Affairs Canada has advised against non-essential travel to Cuba, every major Canadian airline has paused their flights indefinitely, and Canadian arrivals fell by around 70% in the first half of 2026 compared to last year.
If you had a Cuba trip booked or were thinking about one, we’re here to help you navigate your options. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what’s happening on the island, whether you can still get there from Canada, what the government is warning about, and alternative sun destinations that can fill the gap this winter.
*Information in this article is accurate as of September 10, 2026. Airline schedules, travel advisories, and refund policies may change, so check official sources before booking.
What's happening with Cuba travel right now
Global Affairs Canada raised its Cuba advisory to Level 3 in February 2026, warning Canadians to avoid non-essential travel. The advisory was updated in September 2026, and the guidance hasn’t softened. The island is currently experiencing shortages of fuel, electricity, food, water, and medicine, affecting travellers and locals alike.
The advisory makes it clear that the shortages are spreading beyond local communities and affecting resorts and hotels. Fuel availability has dropped and become difficult to predict, affecting resort services, ground transportation, and even operations at the Canadian Embassy. Global Affairs says the conditions are expected to persist in the immediate term and could worsen during hurricane season, and its ability to provide consular services in Cuba may become limited if things deteriorate further.
Blackouts are another ongoing concern. A single grid failure in March left around 10 million people without power, and outages have remained part of daily life on the island since. The current advisory notes that unexpected nationwide outages can last more than 24 hours and that fuel shortages can affect whether resort generators run.
Disruptions across the island have been severe. More than 1,700 flights have been cancelled, and close to 27,900 Canadian tourists had to be repatriated. By February 20, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed that the last Canadian airline flights had left Cuba with no scheduled return.
Why is travel to Cuba restricted?
While Canadians aren’t banned from going to Cuba, it’s unlikely to be a pleasant experience once you arrive. Getting there and staying comfortably has become difficult, largely due to fuel shortages.
Cuba’s fuel supply dropped sharply in early 2026, when a US executive order threatened tariffs on any country selling or supplying oil to Cuba. News reports linked the loss of Cuba’s Venezuelan crude shipments to the political conflict in Venezuela earlier in the year.
On February 9th, the Cuban government issued a notice to airlines that Jet A-1 fuel wouldn’t be available at nine international airports, including Havana, Varadero, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Cayo Coco, and Manzanillo.
Air carriers need to be able to refuel on arrival to operate a normal round trip. So once Cuban airports ran dry, many carriers had to cancel their routes, most within 48 hours.
Since then, just 511 Canadians arrived in Cuba in March 2026 compared to 99,000 in March 2025. Hotel occupancy across the island was 12.9% in the first quarter of 2026, down from 23.7% a year earlier.
Are airlines even flying to Cuba right now?
No Canadian airlines are currently flying to Cuba. Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat have suspended service until further notice, while Air Canada Vacations, Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and Vacances WestJet Québec are contacting affected customers about rebooking and refund options.
The suspensions began as temporary but have since become open-ended. Air Canada suspended service on February 9th after fuel ran out and initially planned to resume in May, later pushing that to November 1st. Air Transat and WestJet followed within days. Air Transat targeted a June 20th restart, and WestJet cancelled flights through October. In early June, all three airlines changed their pauses to an indefinite suspension due to ongoing political and economic uncertainty.
As of early September, current notices from Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat all describe Cuba service as suspended until further notice, and the Global Affairs Canada advisory says the same.
International airlines are also pulling back. By spring 2026, at least eleven airlines have suspended Cuba service, including:
Air Canada
WestJet
Air Transat
LATAM Peru
Magnicharters
Air France
Iberia
Rossiya
Nordwind
Turkish Airlines
World2Fly
Some American and Mexican carriers have been able to continue flights from nearby hubs like Miami, Tampa, and Mexico City, where shorter distances mean aircraft can carry enough fuel for the return leg. As of publication, airlines reported to be operating flights to Cuba include:
Air Europa
Aeromexico
Viva
Copa
American
Delta
Southwest
Several of these carriers are operating Cuba routes at reduced frequencies, with some dropping Cuba routes entirely throughout the year. Before booking, check directly with the airline to confirm the route is expected to continue operating.
For Canadian travellers, getting to Cuba currently requires connecting through a third country on a foreign carrier. Even then, airlines have reduced these routes and keep rescheduling them, making cancellations and travel disruptions likely. Global Affairs Canada has warned that the remaining international commercial options could be cut back on short notice, leaving you scrambling to find a way home.
Is Cuba safe to travel right now?
Global Affairs Canada’s “avoid non-essential travel” advisory isn’t a blanket ban or a warning you’ll be in danger the moment you land. It’s a warning that the normal comforts and services you rely on, like power, water, food, ground transport, and emergency response, aren’t working the way you’d expect.
The advisory, last updated September 1, 2026, also warns that foreigners may face an increased risk of opportunistic crime. Because of the economic and infrastructure constraints, police and emergency services can’t respond as quickly as normal.
Right now, travelling to Cuba means accepting weaker local security, fuel and basic-necessities shortages, and prolonged daily blackouts. Some things you might experience include:
Resort generators and backup systems that don’t run reliably or continuously through extended outages
Food, bottled water, and medicine are in short supply, even at hotels
Unpredictable ground transportation and long fuel lineups
Cellphones not working and limited internet access
Having to show proof of medical insurance on arrival and online customs forms (you may complete the forms as early as 72 hours before entry)
What Global Affairs Canada says you need to know before you go
Before going to Cuba, Global Affairs Canada has explained some requirements that may catch travellers off guard:
You’ll need a Cuban eVisa if you’re connecting through another country, which you must apply for online in advance.
Visa and Mastercard no longer work in Cuba as of June 6, 2026, leaving cash and Cuban domestic prepaid cards as the remaining options.
You’ll need to bring enough cash for your entire trip. Canadian dollars aren’t widely accepted or easy to exchange, so US dollars or euros are the most reliable option.
Your insurance must cover medical evacuation, and you'll need proof of medical insurance on entry.
Some travellers are still visiting the island, especially repeat visitors who know the country well and are willing to work around the disruptions. But with no direct Canadian service, getting there and back adds another layer of complexity. A disrupted return leg will leave you rebooking through a third country, rather than simply calling Air Canada or WestJet to sort out a new flight.
What this means if you already booked
If you’ve already booked a trip to Cuba, it’s likely your airline and tour operators have already reached out to offer refunds or rebooking options. Here’s what the major carriers are offering:
Air Canada said it would offer affected customers options, including refunds.
WestJet began offering refund and change options to ticket holders from June 21.
Guests with Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and WestJet Vacations Quebec packages are being offered alternatives, rebookings, or a full refund.
Air Transat processed automatic refunds to the original form of payment.
If you haven’t heard anything or booked through a travel agent, online agency, or foreign carrier, check directly with whoever holds your booking. You can also check your travel insurance policy for trip cancellation and disruption. Just be aware that policies often treat a government advisory issued before you booked differently from one issued after you booked.
Before making any new plans, check the official Global Affairs Canada advisory page for the current guidance. The situation has continued to evolve throughout the year, and it can shift in either direction without notice.
Best alternatives to Cuba for Canadian travellers
Even though flights to Cuba have been suspended, you don’t have to give up on your winter escape. Sun destinations like Cancun and the Riviera Maya, Punta Cana, and Puerto Plata offer similar affordable all-inclusive resorts and direct flights from major Canadian cities without the same uncertainty.
Cancún and the Riviera Maya
Cancún is one of Mexico's top budget vacation destinations for Canadian travellers, thanks to its large selection of all-inclusive resorts, easy flights from Toronto and Montreal, and swimmable Caribbean waters. The Riviera Maya, stretching toward Tulum, also offers quieter beaches and cenote day trips for travellers who want a less resort-focused experience. Flight times from Toronto and Montreal are similar to a trip to Cuba, and all-inclusive values are comparable to Cuban resorts.
Punta Cana
Punta Cana sits on the Dominican Republic’s east coast, making it a roughly four-and-a-half-hour trip from Toronto. Here, you’ll find large all-inclusive resorts that come closest in price to Cuba and palm-tree-lined beaches that are highly comparable to Varadero. WestJet is also adding a new non-stop Winnipeg to Punta Cana service for winter 2026/2027, giving travellers more non-stop options this season.
Puerto Plata and the wider Dominican Republic
If Cuba’s quieter, less-developed end was the appeal, the Dominican Republic’s north coast is the closest substitute. Puerto Plata features beach resorts surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and a walkable town centre, and its prices tend to run lower than those in Punta Cana. Sunwing Vacations is bringing back Puerto Plata packages for winter 2026/27, and Air Canada is launching a new non-stop service from Montreal to Santo Domingo from December 10, 2026, through April 18, 2027, giving you a second gateway into the south of the country.
Because Canadian airlines currently aren’t flying to Cuba, one of these vacation spots is likely a better fit for your winter getaway. Carriers are adding more routes and seats to Mexico and the Dominican Republic, so you’ll likely have more choice for dates and departure airports than in recent years.
Where to go from here
Even though the island is off the table for now, you don’t have to scratch Cuba from your travel bucket list forever. WestJet said it remains optimistic about the island’s long-term recovery and its return as a favourite Canadian destination, while airlines are framing these decisions as suspensions rather than complete exits.
This winter, explore Skyscanner to find a new sun destination with the same value, easy flight options, and all-inclusive resorts, with planes still landing.
