Amid the worsening situation in Cuba, which has intensified the decline in demand, Condor will cease operations on the island on May 2, 2025. For the first time, the Caribbean island will lose its connection with Germany, further reducing the availability of flights to Europe.

Cuba has historically been one of the most popular destinations for German tourists, drawn by its beaches and nostalgic charm. Various airlines have connected both countries over the years, including Lufthansa, Cubana de Aviación, LTU International, Air Berlin, and Condor, among others.

However, over the last decade, the number of passengers traveling to the island has dropped significantly. In 2017, Cuba received 243,172 German tourists, while in 2022, only 58,715 arrivals from Germany were recorded. The years 2023 and 2024 showed no signs of recovery in the tourism sector either.

The situation in Cuba remains critical. In recent months, power outages and shortages of essential goods have worsened. Additionally, travel recommendations from the Federal Foreign Office, updated in late October, may have contributed to the slowdown in bookings. According to these recommendations, tourists should “carefully plan their trip to Cuba and carefully consider the necessity of the trip.”

In this context, Condor confirmed that it will not offer flights to Cuba for the first time since 1990 during the upcoming boreal summer. “We will reallocate capacity to destinations with higher demand,” a spokesperson for the airline told the German outlet aeroTELEGRAPH. “The planning of flights and the network design of airlines are fundamentally based on the principle of economic efficiency,” they added.

The last connection to Holguín (HOG) is scheduled for April 27, 2025, to Varadero (VRO) on April 29, and to Havana (HAV) on May 2. The company did not provide details on a possible return during the 2025-2026 boreal winter season. According to data from the Cirium platform, the airline currently operates a daily flight between Cuba and Germany using Airbus A330-900 aircraft.

Cuba continues to lose airlines and destinations

Cuba’s position is also affecting other key markets, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.

During 2024, the TUI Group withdrew from Cuba. This company, the largest tourism airline connecting various airports in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands with five or six Cuban destinations (Havana, Varadero, Holguín, Santa Clara, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cayo Coco), announced timidly that it will operate flights from London/Gatwick and Manchester in 2025.

Currently, regular flights by Aeroflot, Air France, Air China, Edelweiss, Turkish Airlines, Air Europa, and Iberia to Europe remain, along with charter operations by Nordwind, Plus Ultra, and World2Fly.

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Transportation has revealed that American airlines are requesting flexibility in their operations with Cuba, seeking to reduce frequencies or adjust aircraft in line with market demand. At present, American Airlines, Southwest, Delta, and United connect Havana with Miami, Houston, Tampa, Atlanta, and New York. There are also operations to Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Santa Clara, and Varadero.