Transit flight documentation

To fly from Cuba, one can book flights through Turkish Airlines from Moscow or Kazan via Istanbul and Panama to Havana. The Panama-Havana leg is operated by Copa Airlines. It is crucial that all tickets are part of a single booking. Direct flights with one stop in Istanbul are expected to be available from October. Alternatively, one can fly to neighboring countries like the USA, Mexico, or Panama, and then onward. Visa requirements for onward travel should be considered.

Flights from Moscow to Cuba via Istanbul and Panama generally involve checking luggage through to Havana and receiving three boarding passes. In Istanbul, passengers are typically asked for return tickets and the Cuba QR code. In Panama, immigration and baggage procedures are usually straightforward with no changes to boarding passes, but strict carry-on rules apply (one bag and one backpack only). Upon arrival in Cuba, luggage inspection may be minimal or absent. Typical layover times in Istanbul and Panama are approximately 3 hours each.

Turkish Airlines has ceased selling single transit tickets to Havana via Panama (previously codeshared with Copa Airlines). Travelers must now book flights to Panama directly and purchase the Panama-to-Havana segment separately. Payments using Russian MIR cards on the Turkish Airlines website and mobile app are only allowed if the flight departs from the Russian Federation. Alternatively, tickets can be paid for with Russian cards at physical Turkish Airlines offices in Moscow (near Dobryninskaya metro station or Vnukovo airport) and St. Petersburg (Nevsky Prospekt, 19).

Turkish Airlines canceled direct Istanbul-Havana flights from March 30 for two months due to a Jet A-1 fuel shortage in Cuban airports. The optimal alternative routes for travelers from Russia to Cuba and back, as advised by the acting Consul General of Russia in Cuba, Alexey Nekrasov, are: 1. Fly from Havana to Panama with Copa Airlines, then connect to Turkish Airlines flights from Panama to Istanbul, and Istanbul to Moscow. This option increases travel time to nearly two days and raises costs. 2. Fly from Havana to Mexico City with Aeromexico. On the way from Mexico City to Istanbul, Turkish Airlines makes a technical stop in Cancun. Direct Istanbul-Havana tickets were unavailable until the end of May, with the situation to be re-evaluated in June. Previously, flying via Panama could sometimes be cheaper than direct flights to Havana from Istanbul.

When booking flights from Cuba to Russia, especially for groups, direct payment for initial segments (e.g., Copa Airlines from Cuba) can be problematic with international Visa/Mastercard. The solution is often to book a single, combined ticket (e.g., Havana-Moscow with Copa and Turkish Airlines) directly through the website of the main airline (e.g., Turkish Airlines), which facilitates payment through their system. If the desired date lacks sufficient seats for the entire group, splitting the booking into smaller groups or across different dates may be necessary. Always confirm transit visa requirements for all layover countries, such as Panama, for all passengers.