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Castillo del Morro and its lighthouse at the entrance to Havana harbour, Cuba

Flights to Cuba from the UK

Routes, airlines, flight times and the best months to fly in 2026, with tailor-made Cuba trips built around you.

There is no direct flight from the UK to Cuba, so every trip to Havana has at least one change. The quickest route is Air Europa from London Gatwick via Madrid, about 15 hours in total. Aeromexico via Mexico City and Copa via Panama City take longer, and Turkish Airlines plans to fly to Havana again from the end of March 2027.

Jet fuel is short in Cuba, so some airlines have paused their flights and schedules can change at short notice. We book the flights, casas particulares (family-run guesthouses), transfers and your e-Visa together as one ATOL-protected trip.

Flights to Cuba at a glance

  • Distance

    About 4,650 miles

    London Heathrow to Havana is 4,651 miles (7,484 km) in a straight line.

  • Flight time

    About 15 hours with one change

    That is Air Europa from Gatwick: about two and a half hours to Madrid, a change, then about 10 hours to Havana. Other routes take 19 hours or more.

  • Direct flights

    None from the UK

    As of 2026 no airline flies non-stop between the UK and Cuba, so every route changes planes at least once.

  • Time difference

    5 hours behind the UK

    Cuba changes its clocks like the UK, so it is 5 hours behind for most of the year and 4 hours behind for a few weeks in March and from late October to early November.

  • Airports

    Havana (HAV)

    Most routes from the UK land at José Martí airport in Havana. Varadero has no flights from Europe, and it is about two to two and a half hours by road from Havana.

  • Cheapest months

    May and June

    When we checked fares on 9 October 2026, returns from London in May and June started at about £670 to £680, and February at about £750. Christmas is by far the dearest.

How long is the flight to Cuba from the UK?

About 15 hours with Air Europa from London Gatwick: about two and a half hours to Madrid, a change of about two and a half hours, then about 10 hours to Havana. Via Mexico City, Panama City or Istanbul it takes 19 hours or more. A non-stop flight would take about 10 hours, but no airline flies one.

How to fly to Cuba from the UK

As of 2026 these are the ways from the UK to Havana. The times are from London and include the connection. Iberia has paused its Madrid to Havana flights until the end of June 2027.

  • Via Madrid with Air Europa

    About 15 hours in total

    From London Gatwick, with four flights a week from Madrid to Havana. The flight home has at times stopped in Punta Cana to refuel.

  • Via Mexico City with Aeromexico

    21 to 23 hours in total

    Non-stop from Heathrow to Mexico City, then a short flight to Havana, usually after a wait of six to eight hours.

  • Via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines

    About 19 and a half hours

    Turkish Airlines plans to fly Istanbul to Havana again from the end of March 2027, with connections from Heathrow and Gatwick.

  • Via Panama City with Copa

    19 hours or more

    Air France, KLM, Iberia or Turkish Airlines to Panama City, then Copa to Havana. It has two changes, so it takes longer.

How much do flights to Cuba cost

As a 2026 guide, return economy fares from London to Havana run roughly £670 to £750 in February, May and June, £800 to £900 over Easter and in August, £800 to £1,500 in November and about £1,100 to £2,000 or more over Christmas, depending on the dates. Air Europa, the quickest route, often costs more than the lowest fare.

With fewer flights, peak-season seats (November to April) sell out early. We hold pre-allocated seats for our Cuba trips, so we can often still find availability and an accurate, up-to-date price.

When to fly to Cuba

The dry season runs from November to April, the most popular time. May to October is hotter and wetter, and the hurricane season runs from June to November, at its most active from August to October. Fares from the UK are lowest in May and June. For what is open in Cuba now, read what is open in Cuba in 2026.

Before you go: UK visitors need a Cuban e-Visa, which allows one stay of up to 90 days that can be extended by 90 days in Cuba. In the 72 hours before you land you also fill in the free D'Viajeros arrival form online and keep the QR code it sends you. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after you arrive. To travel from Cuba to the US you need a US visa. Always check the UK government travel advice for Cuba before you book.

Vaccinations: TravelHealthPro, the UK travel health service, lists what it recommends for Cuba. Cuba asks for a yellow fever certificate only if you arrive from a country with yellow fever, or spent more than 12 hours changing planes in one, so a change in Madrid, Mexico City or Istanbul does not need one. See your GP or a travel nurse 4 to 6 weeks before you go.

Frequently asked questions: flights to Cuba

No, but there are fewer of them. Jet fuel is short in Cuba and some airlines have paused their flights, Iberia among them until the end of June 2027. Air Europa still flies Madrid to Havana four times a week, and Turkish Airlines plans to return from the end of March 2027. Schedules can change at short notice.

No. As of 2026 no airline flies non-stop between the UK and Cuba. The quickest way is Air Europa from London Gatwick with one change in Madrid, about 15 hours in total.

Air Europa via Madrid is the main route, from London Gatwick. Aeromexico flies from Heathrow via Mexico City, and Copa flies to Havana from Panama City, which you can reach with Air France, KLM, Iberia or Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines plans to fly Istanbul to Havana again from the end of March 2027.

About 15 hours with Air Europa: about two and a half hours from Gatwick to Madrid, a change of about two and a half hours, then about 10 hours on to Havana. Via Mexico City, Panama City or Istanbul it is 19 hours or more.

May and June. When we checked fares on 9 October 2026, returns from London in those months started at about £670 to £680, and February at about £750. Christmas costs the most by far.

With fewer flights, the dry-season dates from November to April fill first, so book 4 to 6 months ahead for those, and earlier for Christmas and Easter.

As a 2026 guide, a return economy fare from London to Havana is roughly £670 to £750 in February, May and June, £800 to £900 over Easter and in August, £800 to £1,500 in November and about £1,100 to £2,000 or more over Christmas, depending on the dates.

Yes. UK visitors need a Cuban e-Visa, which you apply for online. It allows one stay of up to 90 days, which can be extended by 90 days in Cuba. You also fill in the D'Viajeros arrival form online in the 72 hours before you land. We include the e-Visa with every Cuba trip we book.

Yes. Cuba asks every visitor to have medical cover that is valid in Cuba, and some UK policies leave Cuba out, so check that yours names it. If you arrive without cover Cuba accepts, you can buy it at the airport from ESEN for about US$3 per person per day.

Not from the UK. Varadero has no flights from Europe, so you fly into Havana and go on by road, about two to two and a half hours. For Cayo Coco, ask us and we will plan the best way there.

There are no flights to Cuba from UK regional airports. You fly to Madrid or another hub in Europe first, or connect at Gatwick or Heathrow, which adds a few hours to the journey.

We can quote flight-only to Cuba if you ask. Most people let us book the flights with casas particulares and transfers as one ATOL-protected trip, so one company looks after everything if a flight changes.

For where to go and when, read our Cuba guide, or tell us your dates and we will build it.

Planning a trip to Cuba?

Tell us your dates and what you want from the trip, and our specialists will build it around you, with flights, casas particulares and transfers in one ATOL-protected trip.

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