United to Suspend Houston-Havana Flights Amid Low Demand

United Airlines has informed the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that it plans to suspend its nonstop service between Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Havana’s José Martí International Airport starting September 2, 2025. The decision, attributed to seasonal demand fluctuations and tightening U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba, will temporarily halt the only scheduled Cuba route operated from outside Florida.

The airline, a member of the Star Alliance, currently flies the Houston-Havana route daily using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. In its DOT filing, United cited ongoing volatility in off-peak demand as the main reason for the route’s suspension, noting that traffic has been “highly seasonal” with insufficient passenger numbers during shoulder periods to sustain daily service.

United is invoking seasonal flexibility already granted by the DOT to suspend service through the end of the winter 2025–26 season and has also requested a waiver of dormancy conditions to preserve its right to resume the route by summer 2026. The carrier originally gained authority for the route in 2016, with added frequencies approved in 2018.

The move comes as U.S. policy toward Cuba continues to tighten. In June, the Trump administration reinstated visa restrictions on Cuban officials involved in government labor programs and announced stricter enforcement of the ban on tourist travel. While travel to Cuba remains permitted under 12 specific categories—such as family visits, education, and humanitarian purposes—the increased restrictions are expected to further suppress demand.

American Airlines remains the dominant U.S. carrier in the Cuba market, operating 83 weekly flights to six Cuban destinations from Miami, according to OAG Schedules Analyser. American holds a 68.4% share of seat capacity, followed by Southwest Airlines with 12.8%, Delta Air Lines with 11.8%, and United with just 7%. Delta and Southwest each operate 14 weekly flights to Havana from Miami and Tampa.

Despite the suspension of its Houston-Havana route, United will continue to operate a weekly charter flight from Jacksonville to Guantanamo Bay using Boeing 737-9 aircraft, according to OAG data. The suspension underscores the challenges airlines face in maintaining profitable U.S.-Cuba routes outside of Florida, especially under the weight of regulatory uncertainty and fluctuating demand.

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