A Cuban traveler on a flight from Tampa to Havana encountered an unexpected surprise at the airport: Southwest Airlines has stopped including free checked baggage on its flights to Cuba. "Ladies and gentlemen, no more free bags to Cuba, at least with Southwest," announced Reinier Cruz in a video he posted on his TikTok account. According to him, the first checked bag now costs $35, and the second is $45. "Remember, this is just for now, assigned seating hasn't started yet," he added, noting that passengers can still board without assigned seating.
The young man documented his journey from Tampa Airport to Terminal 2 in Havana, capturing each step along the way. He first took the airport's internal train to reach the boarding gate area, pointing out that flights to Cuba typically depart from gate A3. "When they called for boarding, I was surprised by the number of people there. This 12 PM flight is usually not so crowded," he remarked. He also noted the absence of police checks, which he had observed on previous trips: "There was absolutely no one; you could walk straight to the plane without being stopped."
Once inside the aircraft, he noticed that nearly every seat was occupied, an uncommon sight in his previous experiences. The flight proceeded smoothly, despite experiencing some turbulence due to bad weather.
Upon arriving in Cuba, he explained that, as usual at Terminal 2 of José Martí International Airport, passengers do not use jet bridges for disembarkation. Instead, they were transported by bus to the terminal. "Once you enter immigration, the officer welcomes you with ‘welcome to the homeland,’" he recounted. After collecting his luggage, he concluded his journey heading towards Rancho Boyeros.
This change in baggage policy had already been announced by Southwest Airlines in March of this year. The company stated that they would discontinue offering two free checked bags on international flights, including those to and from Cuba, a move industry analysts have called "historic." At the time, Southwest explained that the decision was part of operational and economic adjustments to maintain competitiveness.
The video, which has amassed thousands of views, illustrates how these changes are beginning to directly affect Cuban travelers, especially during the peak summer season when demand for flights between Florida and Cuba is rising.
Impact of Baggage Policy Changes on Cuban Travelers
Why did Southwest Airlines stop offering free checked baggage for flights to Cuba?
Southwest Airlines discontinued free checked baggage for flights to Cuba as part of operational and economic adjustments aimed at maintaining its competitiveness in the market.
How much does it cost to check baggage on Southwest flights to Cuba now?
The first checked bag on Southwest flights to Cuba now costs $35, while the second bag is priced at $45.
Are there any changes to the seating policy on Southwest flights to Cuba?
As of now, there are no changes to the seating policy, and passengers can still board without assigned seating on Southwest flights to Cuba.