A Cuban woman who has been living in Spain for 14 years took to TikTok on Tuesday to share what she envies about Cubans residing in the United States: their geographical proximity to Cuba, which allows them the luxury of visiting family over a weekend.
Sulay, the creator of the video, recounted her recent return to Cuba—her first visit in eight years—to see her grandparents, particularly her grandmother, who is in fragile health and worsened after her visit.
“One of the few things I envy about the Cubans in the United States is their closeness to Cuba. I hear about people who leave on Friday morning and are back by Sunday night,” she mentions in the video.
The distance from Madrid to Havana stands at approximately 7,118 km, requiring flights that last between nine and ten hours, necessitating at least a week's commitment to make the trip worthwhile.
Conversely, Miami is just about 375 km from Havana, with flights lasting roughly an hour.
“If I were that close, I’d love to visit and spend the weekend with my grandmother. To kiss her, hug her, talk with her, and then simply return on Sunday afternoon,” Sulay expresses with longing.
The scenario is further complicated by the ongoing air connectivity crisis between Spain and Cuba. This Tuesday marked the implementation of the cancellation of the sole weekly flight from Cubana de Aviación between Spain and Cuba, following the withdrawal of Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas, citing risks from Trump administration sanctions dated May 1, 2026.
Meanwhile, Iberia announced in April the cessation of its direct Madrid-Havana flights starting in June, opting to operate only two weekly flights in May.
Overall, eleven airlines have suspended flights to Cuba in 2026, resulting in over 1,700 canceled flights, leaving just eight airlines operational and impacting more than 15,000 Cuban expatriates unable to travel back to the island.
Sulay captures the situation succinctly: “With all the fuel issues and everything... We know certain airlines have cut back on trips to Cuba. Instead of flying twice a week, it’s just once. So, without a doubt, you need a whole week to visit Cuba.”
The creator acknowledges that the advantage for Cubans in the U.S. isn't absolute either: “I’m not sure of the current situation in the United States. I think it’s quite delicate with Trump and all these measures he’s implementing.”
Indeed, Trump signed a presidential proclamation in June 2025 imposing travel restrictions on Cuban citizens, suspending tourist, business, and study visas, which was expanded to include 20 more countries in December 2025.
The Cuban community in Spain ranks among the largest in Europe: at the end of 2025, there were 287,490 Cuba-born residents registered in the country, according to the National Institute of Statistics, with more than 35,200 arrivals in that year alone.
Many of these immigrants share Sulay's frustration: the combination of distance, economic cost, and deteriorating air connectivity makes visiting family in Cuba a significant logistical challenge, markedly different from the relative ease historically enjoyed by Cubans in Florida.
Challenges for Cubans Traveling Between Spain and Cuba
Why is it difficult for Cubans in Spain to visit Cuba?
Cubans in Spain face challenges visiting Cuba due to the long distance, high travel costs, and recent reductions in flight connectivity between the two countries.
What recent changes have affected air travel from Spain to Cuba?
Recent changes include the cancellation of the only weekly flight from Cubana de Aviación and reduced services by Iberia, due in part to sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.