Starting on Tuesday, February 16, the U.S. Department of Transportation will begin taking bids from airlines looking to secure a share of 110 round-trip flights between the U.S. and Cuba. The flights are being made available after an agreement was struck between the countries in December 2015.
Multiple news sources, including Politico and CNN, broke the news on Friday, after a notice from the Department of Transportation to Capitol Hill offices began circulating in the media. The DOT will ultimately decide which airline will operate each service, in a way that encourages competition.
According to CNN, U.S. carriers will have 15 days to submit applications, with the airline bidding process likely lasting until the middle of March. Routes could be awarded as soon as this summer.
It should be noted that the opening of commercial flights does not change the current restrictions on trade and travel, which have to be removed at the federal level, so those looking to book a flight to Cuba will have to qualify under one of 12 categories (which may include the planning of and attendance at meetings).
