Cuba Faces Severe Energy and Economic Crisis, Impacting Travel and Daily Life
Cuba is currently experiencing a severe energy and economic crisis, significantly impacting daily life and travel. As of November 2026, the country is grappling with long daily blackouts, several nationwide grid failures, and persistent fuel shortages. These issues affect transportation, flights, and even dive boats. Major Canadian airlines, including Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat, and Sunwing, have suspended their Cuba flights indefinitely, and other airlines have cut or rerouted services due to fuel scarcity. Furthermore, Visa and Mastercard cards stopped functioning on the island in June 2026, regardless of their issuing country, making cash essential for visitors. The U.S. continues to restrict travel to Cuba, prohibiting tourism and requiring travel to fall under specific authorized categories, such as family visits or support for the Cuban people. Recent changes by the U.S. Treasury Department's OFAC have also ended group people-to-people tours and the general license for professional meetings, fu...
