José Martí International Airport, formerly Rancho Boyeros Airport, is an international airport located 20 kilometers southwest of Havana and is a hub for Cubana de Aviación and Aerogaviota, and the former Latin American hub for the Soviet (later Russian) airline Aeroflot. It is Cuba’s main international airport and handles several million passengers each year. It is operated by Empresa Cubana de Aeropuertos y Servicios Aeronáuticos (ECASA).
Located in the municipality of Boyeros, the airport connects Havana with the rest of the Caribbean, North, Central and South America, as well as Europe. It is named after the patriot and poet José Martí. The airport was used by bombers in the 1960s-1990s to send revolutionaries to Central America.
Cuban citizens are not allowed to own airplanes; all planes in Cuba belong to state-owned airlines or the military. Only state-owned and foreign-owned aircraft are allowed to use the facilities. As of 2020, Copa Airlines was the foreign airline with the most flights to the airport, operating 34 flights per week (approximately five daily flights) from Panama City, Panama and Bogota, Colombia.
The airport currently has three passenger terminals in general use. Terminal 1 is primarily used for domestic flights. Terminal 2 was opened in 1988, primarily for charter flights to the United States. Ten years later, on April 27, 1998, International Terminal 3 opened, offering many modern facilities and jetways that the former international Terminal 1 did not provide. A VIP lounge for private jet passengers is also available in Terminal 3.
Cuba private jet charter prices
Although Jose Marti Airport air charter fees depend on variables such as the number of passengers, departure airport, flight time, aircraft position, flight date, the prices for private jet charter from Istanbul → Havana are as follows.
| Heavy Jet | 117.900 EUR |
| Long Range Jet | 135.450 EUR |
| VIP Airliner | 163.900 EUR |
These prices are average amounts and you can contact us on our flight reservation screen or by phone for the most accurate price information.
History of Jose Marti International Airport
In 1961, diplomatic relations with the United States deteriorated significantly and airlines from the United States were not allowed to operate regular scheduled flights to the airport due to the embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba. That year, two days before the failed Bay of Pigs Landings organized by the CIA with the participation of Cuban exiles, Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft of Brigade 2506 bombed José Martí Airport and Antonio Maceo Airport in Santiago de Cuba.
Due to Cuba’s relationship with the Soviet Union, throughout the 1970s and 1980s the airport benefited from the presence of many Eastern Bloc airlines, such as Aeroflot, Czechoslovak Airlines, Interflug and LOT Polish Airlines.
In 1988, Terminal 2 was built for charter flights to the United States. In the 1990s, the US government authorized special charter flights from Miami for Cuban citizens living in the US who had close relatives in Cuba. Today, several airlines operate non-stop scheduled charter flights between Havana and Miami. Terminal 2 was remodeled and expanded in 2010.
On December 31, 1997, a Concorde landed for the first time in Cuba, landing at José Martí Airport. The Air France flight from London-Paris-Barbados-Havana was greeted at the airport by Fidel Castro, who boarded the plane and greeted the crew and passengers. The following year, on April 26, the new International Terminal 3 was inaugurated by Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Cuban President Fidel Castro. In 2002, Air Freight Logistics Enterprise (ELCA S.A.) opened José Martí’s first freight terminal, known as the Aerovaradero Freight Terminal. The terminal has a capacity of 600 tons, 2,000 m³ of space in two refrigeration and freezing rooms, humidity and gas controls.
Private charter flights to the United States were allowed starting in the 1990s, but they had to be operated by travel companies licensed by the US government and mostly from Florida. In March 2015, Sun Country Airlines began operating regularly scheduled charter flights from New York during the Cuban thaw. Regular scheduled commercial service to and from the United States resumed in the fall of 2016 with airlines such as American, Delta, JetBlue and, after January 2017, Alaska flying to Havana. However, towards the end of 2017, partly due to President Trump’s decision to reintroduce stricter travel regulations, many airlines reduced or even cut flights to Cuba, thus partially ending the Cuban thaw. Other reasons for airlines to terminate flights included weaker-than-expected demand and inadequate tourism infrastructure.
A VIP room at the airport was used for the historic meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill in February 2016.
In March 2020, Cuba announced it was closing its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, only humanitarian flights were allowed. On November 10, 2020, it was announced that the airport would reopen for commercial flights on November 15. Some airlines resumed operations. In January 2021, Cuban authorities imposed restrictions on the number of flights from a number of countries and stopped flights from several countries. Separately, Canadian airlines stopped flying to Caribbean destinations, including Cuba.
Havana attractions and food culture
Havana attracts tourists as the capital and largest city of Cuba. It offers a unique experience to visitors with its historical, cultural and natural beauties. The list of places to visit in Havana is quite long and varied.
First of all, “Havana Vieja”, the Old Havana district, located in the heart of Havana, is known as the historical center of the city. In this area, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, there are historical buildings, squares, cathedrals and museums. You can explore the history of the city by taking a walk here. Another of the places to visit in Havana is “El Malecón”, the wide street along the seaside. You can take a walk here and enjoy the beautiful view of the Caribbean. You can also sit in the parks along El Malecón and watch the life of local people.
“El Capitolio”, one of the symbolic buildings of Havana, draws attention with its resemblance to the US Capitol. Cuban government meetings are held in this historical building. A large statue in the garden of El Capitolio also attracts the attention of visitors. One of the most important art museums of Havana, “Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes” is a paradise for art lovers. The museum, which houses the best examples of both Cuban and world art, has many works of painting, sculpture and graphic arts.
Finally, the bar “La Bodeguita del Medio” serves the famous mojito cocktail and is one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite places in Havana. Here you can see Hemingway’s signature graffiti and have a delicious dinner with traditional Cuban food.
José Martí airport information
You can get from Jose Marti Airport to the city center and other destinations by taxi, bus and train. Trains, which serve on 12 lines in the city center, are the most basic means of transportation in the city. It is possible to take a taxi in front of the port. Old model vehicles from the 70s and 80s are used for taxi service. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the city center by taxi.
There is no bus stop at terminal number 3, the international passenger terminal, but small buses, which can be called dolmus, serve at terminal number 1. There are free transfer buses at the airport for traveling between these two terminals.
To travel by train, trains departing from Terminal 1 at the airport can be used. The journey takes approximately 40 minutes. You can also go to the city center with the vehicles you can rent from the car rental offices located in the parking lots outside the arrival building at the airport.
