Air Canada Suspends Cuba Service Due to Jet Fuel Shortage

Air Canada said it would suspend all flights to Cuba due to an aviation fuel shortage on the island. The airline said it will operate repatriation flights to bring home roughly 3,000 customers who are already there.

The immediate trigger was a NOTAM, an official aviation bulletin airlines use to plan operations, warning that Jet A-1 (standard jet fuel) would not be available in Havana from February 10, with restrictions expected to last until at least March 11.

What’s driving the shortage: oil supply pressure and logistics

Cuba’s fuel imports tightened after the US increased pressure on oil shipments linked to Cuba’s main supply routes, making deliveries harder to arrange. That reduced the fuel available across the country, including for aviation.

Then, on January 29, 2026, the White House issued an order allowing the US to impose additional tariffs on imports from countries found to be helping send oil to Cuba. That raised the risk for suppliers and shippers, which can further slow or block deliveries—leading to the jet-fuel warning airlines received.

What it means for travel

For travelers, this mainly means cancellations, rebookings, and disrupted package holidays, especially during the peak winter season for Canadian leisure travel to Cuba.

For airlines and tour operators, the fuel issue creates a second problem: if aircraft can’t refuel on arrival, some carriers must add a “technical stop” in another country just to refuel. That adds time, increases costs, and makes schedules less reliable if weather or airport congestion hits. In practice, fewer dependable flights usually mean weaker demand and more last-minute changes across hotels, transfers, and tour operators.

Photo by John McArthur on Unsplash