• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • TravelingDad

Traveling Mom

Traveling tips, deals, info from moms and families

  • COVID-19
  • Road Trips
    • ROAD TRIPS ACROSS THE USA
    • ROAD TRIP PLANNER
    • ILLINOIS ROAD TRIPS
    • TEXAS ROAD TRIPS
    • GEORGIA ROAD TRIPS
    • CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIPS
    • NORTHEAST ROAD TRIPS
    • MIDWEST ROAD TRIPS
  • Destinations
    • Northeast
    • Southeast
    • East Coast
    • Midwest
    • South
    • Southwest
    • Northwest
    • West
    • US Cities
      • New York City
      • Chicago
      • Los Angeles
      • Orlando
      • San Diego
      • San Francisco
  • Disney
    • Disneyland
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney Worldwide
    • Disney Cruise
    • Discount Disney World Tickets
  • Outdoors
    • Skiing
    • National Parks
    • RV/Camping
    • Beaches
  • Travel Resources
    • Babies and Toddlers
    • Free Things to Do
    • Packing
    • Discount Attractions Tickets
    • Discount Disney World Ticket
    • Discount Universal Tickets
    • Grandparents
    • Cruising
    • TravelingDad
  • Search
  • COVID-19
  • Road Trips
    • Road Trips Across the USA
    • Road Trip Planner
    • Illinois Road Trips
    • Texas Road Trips
    • Georgia Road Trips
    • California Road Trips
    • Northeast Road Trips
    • Midwest Road Trips
  • US National Parks
  • RV and Camping
  • Beaches
  • Disney
    • Disneyland
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney Worldwide
    • Disney Cruise
    • Discount Disney World Tickets
  • Cruises
  • Skiing
  • Free Things to Do
  • Traveling with Babies and Toddlers
  • Traveling Grandparents
  • TravelingDad
  • US Destinations
    • Northeast
    • Southeast
    • East Coast
    • Midwest
    • South
    • Southwest
    • Northwest
    • West
  • US Cities
    • NYC
    • Chicago
    • Los Angeles
    • Orlando
    • San Diego
    • San Francisco
  • International
  • Travel Resources
    • Book A Trip
    • Discount Attractions Tickets
    • Discount Disney World Tickets
    • Discount Universal Tickets
    • Packing
  • Contact Us
  • About Us

Mobile Menu

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
You are here: Home / TravelingDad / International Travel / Tips for Travel Between Miami and Havana

Tips for Travel Between Miami and Havana

July 28, 2016 //  by Raphael Ocampo//  Leave a Comment

FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn

Travel Tips: Miami to Havana, Cuba

travel tips miami havana air
We waited in the wrong line because Havana Air was nowhere on our tickets / Photo: Raphael Ocampo
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and buy, TravelingMom may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

I previously wrote about the logistics of planning a trip to Cuba here. Once you’ve booked your flight, here are some tips for the respective airports.

If you’ve grown accustomed to the automated kiosks at US airports, semi-efficient checkin lines, and paperless air travel of the US airline industry, you’re in for a rude awakening when traveling to Cuba. Travelers are advised to arrive four hours before your flight and it was immediately evident why.

The majority of the travelers were checking in a ton of luggage. The line at the airport resembled the checkout line at Best Buy during early December than an airport line. 50” big screens, computer monitors, and luggage wrapped so thoroughly that you’re more concerned about the state of the Earth with all that plastic being utilized.

Our flight was at 10am so we were advised to arrive at 6am. We arrived at Terminal G, which is where most of the flights to Cuba originate from, promptly at 6am. After standing in line for about one hour, we get to the check-in counter only to be told we were in the wrong line!

TRAVEL TIP #1: Make sure you’re in the correct line for checking in. They all look to be the same so send someone to the front of the line to make sure you’re in the correct line, even if you get some ugly looks from your fellow passengers.

Double check your airlines. When we booked our flight, we choose Vision Airlines because they had flights that suited our schedule over American Airlines flights. Our tickets, however, stated Swift Airlines. When we got to the airport, we eventually made our way to the “correct” line, which was a line for Havana Air. Once we got to the plane, the plane was Eastern Airlines. Confused? So were we!

TRAVEL TIP #2: Your airline that you reserved, may not match your ticket, which may not match the airline at the airport. Ask questions when you get there so you know what’s going on.

travel tips miami havana
Travel tips Miami Havana / Photo: Raphael Ocampo

Our ticket stated Terminal F. We somehow ended up at Terminal G, which turned out to be the correct terminal. As of this posts, all Cuban charter flights are out of Terminal G, except for American Airlines.

TRAVEL TIP #3: Allow time to find the correct terminal as ours didn’t match what was on the ticket.

Allow enough time at the airport. We gave ourselves 4 hours and probably had 1.5 hours of waiting at the gate. It would have been more waiting time if we didn’t wait in the wrong line for an hour. You probably don’t need the 4 hours but the process is so manual that I recommend doing the 4 hours just in case.

TRAVEL TIP #4: Be prepared to pay additional fees for fees and checked in luggage.

You will have to pay fees at the airport for taxes and checking in luggage. We paid $25 per person, plus $29 for checking in a luggage that was too heavy to bring as carry on. They are less concerned about size as they are about weight.

Travel Tips: Jose Marti La Habana International to Miami International

jose_marti

We are advised to arrive 4 hours before the flight, similar to our checkin time at Miami. We had almost 2 hours to kill at Miami; however, this was NOT the case at the Havana airport. There is only one line to checkin for your flight, regardless of your airline or flight time. That means the line was much longer than the Miami line and much slower. We were in line for at least 2 hours, maybe more. Then, we had to get in another line for Cuban immigration, which took another 20 mins or so. Finally, we were able to proceed to the gate, find a quick bite, which can be found in the terminal near the gate to depart. With all the said and done, we barely had 20 mins to spare to scarf down our food.

TRAVEL TIP #6: Allow enough time to for waiting in the massive line in Havana. You will need every minute of the 4 hours.

The restrooms were clean, but lacked two key components of functionality: 1) toilet seats, and 2) toilet paper. We suspect they lack those components to prevent passengers from getting too cozy in the restroom and sticking to number one.

TRAVEL TIP #7: Use the restroom before you get to the airport or bring some TP and be prepared to work on your quads as you squat, hovering over that little commode.

Our driver seemed to think that we had to pay 25 CUC at the airport so we had Cuban money in case that was true. It turned out that the fee was already included in our ticket. This was not the case at Miami and we had to pay the fee at the airport. Either way, you can exchange money at the terminal – both before and after the immigration checkpoint – so you should be fine.

TRAVEL TIP #8: Avoid exchanging money with any locals or the bathroom attendant (although you’ll want some change to tip her). We heard stories of receiving fake money – both US and Cuban money – from the locals. Exchange money at the airport or the hotel. Sure, you will lose a few percentage points (87 to the 100, vs 90 to the 100 on the street) but you will have confidence knowing that you have bona fide money.

We didn’t have to pay for checked in luggage in Havana, in contrast to Miami. Our luggage was a bit heavier on the way home due to belongings we bought (someone say cigars?) but there was no fee for it at the airport!

FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn

Category: International Travel

You May Also Like

  • Three kids in a playhouse
    Have Triplets, Will Travel: Tips for Traveling with Triplets
  • Autism Travel Tips for Beginners
  • Whether it's sand or snow your seeking for your family's holiday vacation, these tips will help you stay stress free.
    The Best Stress-Free Holiday Travel Tips
  • Cyber safety tips for travel.
    12 Most Important Cyber Safety Tips for Travel
  • What are the best travel apps? Our Traveling Mom family weighs in!
    Best Travel Apps
  • This awesome play area is at O'Hare International Airport.
    Tips for First Time Flyers Traveling with Kids
Previous Post: «A stay at North Fork 53 in Nehalem, Oregon, a farm-to-table bed and breakfast, offers foodie tours of the on-site three-acre organic farm. Farm to Table Goodness at North Fork 53 in Nehalem, Oregon
Next Post: Free Family Fun at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, AR. The immortal story of the "Tortoise and Hare" engage children in art at Crystal Bridges.»

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Ask Us!
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Manage Push Notifications

Copyright © 2021 Traveling Mom ยท All Rights Reserved