Airlines are suspending service to Cuba amid a fuel crisis in the nation. A NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) was issued by the government due to the unreliability of the aviation fuel supply at Cuban airports. Specifically, it is believed that aviation fuel will not be commercially available beginning February 10, 2026.
Air Canada Suspends Service to Cuba
Because of the fuel crisis, Air Canada announced that it will suspend service to the Caribbean nation for the foreseeable future. Cuba is a popular vacation destination for Canadians, especially during the winter months. Air Canada operates 16 weekly flights, on average, from its hubs at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL).
The airline is planning to operate ferry flights to Cuba over the next few days in order to bring passengers home. The return flights will operate between Cuba and Canada as originally scheduled. Air Canada estimates that there are approximately 3,000 passengers in Cuba that will need to return home.
As part of the service suspension, Air Canada has cancelled flights to Frank País International Airport (HOG) in Holguín and Abel Santamaría Airport (SNU) in Santa Clara for the remainder of the season. Year round service to Jardines del Rey Airport (CCC) in Cayo Coco and Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport (VRA) in Varadero are cancelled through at least May 1, 2026.
How Other Airlines Are Responding
While Air Canada has cancelled all flights for the foreseeable future, Canadian airlines WestJet and Air Transat have announced that they will continue flying to the island.
WestJet, and its partner Sunwing, announced that all of its aircraft arrive in Cuba with enough fuel to depart. Air Transat plans to continue running its full schedule of flights but notes that planes may need to make a technical stop to refuel along the way.
While carriers operating shorter routes may have the ability to carry enough fuel for roundtrip flights, those operating longer flights have more logistical hurdles to overcome. Specifically, Russian carriers are having logistical issues with the route due to the potential unavailability of fuel in Cuba.
Aeroflot and Rossiya have begin to reschedule service between Russia and Cuba. This included the cancellation of Rossiya Flight 6849 between Moscow and Havana after the flight already boarded. The airline dispatched a ferry flight to Cuba to retrieve stranded passengers.
On the other hand, Nordwind Airlines is maintaining its current schedule of flights to Cuba, including planned flights to Holguín on February 11 and to Varadero on February 12. It is estimated that there are up to 5,000 Russian citizens currently in Cuba.
Summary
Airlines are cancelling flights and adjusting service to Cuba as the country grapples with a jet fuel shortage. It is estimated that the country’s airports may fun out of fuel as early as February 10, 2026.