Aeroflot is all set to resume flights to Cuba from July 1. The flights will be operated twice weekly on Thursdays and Saturdays connecting Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) to Kawama International Airport (VRA), serving Varadero, Cuba
Aeroflot also plans to increase the weekly flights from two to three, beginning on September 5. The estimated time per flight for this route is typically 14 hours. The route is currently the only direct connection between Russia and Cuba.
The Moscow to Varadero route has been a popular route in the past. However, after the invasion of Ukraine led to sanctions, the airline was forced to cancel this route including many routes that connected Russia to destinations in the Caribbean. There are airspace restrictions imposed on Russia by the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, as well as others.
As per Russian Tourism Agency, Aeroflot continued its Caribbean route by flying through Turkey and Serbia. About 38,000 Russian tourists have visited Cuba in Q1 of 2023.
This flight is set to be operated by Rossiya Airlines, part of the Aeroflot Group deploying its B777-300ER on the route.