José Martí International Airport

José Martí International Airport (switchboard tel. 07/206-4644 or 07/33-5753) is 25 kilometers southwest of downtown Havana, in the Wajay district. It has five terminals spaced well apart and accessed by different roads (nor are they linked by a connecting bus service).

Terminal One: This terminal serves domestic flights.

Terminal Two: Charter flights originating in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York arrive at Terminal Two (tel. 07/33-5576 or 07/33-5577) carrying passengers with OFAC licenses. Occasionally other flights pull in here, although the outbound flight will invariably depart Terminal Three. There’s an Infotur information booth (tel. 07/55-8733) plus car rental outlets.

Terminal Three: All international flights except United States–Havana charters arrive at Terminal Three, on the north side of the airport. For information on arrivals and departures call 07/266-4133 or 07/33-5666.

Immigration and Customs: Immigration proceedings are slow. Travelers arriving without prebooked accommodations are usually made to book—and pay for—at least two nights’ hotel stay before being granted entry. You’ll be escorted to a tour desk where representatives sell hotel rooms at full price.

Beware porters who grab your bags as you exit the arrivals hall; they’ll expect a tip for hauling your bag the few yards to the taxi stands. Some may purposely drop your bag at the wrong tour bus or taxi so that a partner can get another tip for carrying your bags to the correct vehicle.

Information and Services: There’s a 24-hour Infotur (tel. 07/66-6101) tourist information office immediately on the left after exiting the customs lounge. You should check in here if you have prepaid vouchers for accommodations or transfers into town.

There’s a foreign exchange counter in the baggage claim area.

Terminal Four: This serves the military.

Terminal Five: Aero Caribbean and AeroTaxi flights arrive here.

Getting into Town

There is no public bus service from either of the international terminals. A green-and-white public bus marked Aeropuerto departs from Terminal One (domestic flights) for Vedado and Parque Central about 15 minutes after the arrival of domestic flights (one peso). The bus is intended for Cubans, and foreigners may be refused. It only runs about once every two hours.

Alternately, you can catch a “camel bus” (M2 originating in Santiago de las Vegas) or Ómnibus #480 from the east side of Avenida de la Independencia, about a 20-minute walk east of the terminal—no fun with baggage. The bus goes to Parque de la Fraternidad on the edge of Habana Vieja. The journey takes about one hour, but the wait can be just as long; the bus gets incredibly crowded, is renowned for pickpockets, and is one heck of a hassle that will appeal to only the most seasoned, penny-pinching travelers. You’ll need 20 pesos for the fare.

Taxis are plentiful outside the arrivals lounges. You’ll be charged about CUC10–12 by Cubataxi (yellow and black Ladas) and CUC12–20 by tourist taxis to downtown hotels. Some taxi drivers will not want to use their meter and may ask you how much you’re prepared to pay (they reset their meter at a discount rate and pocket the difference), in which case always quote below the fares given here. Avoid private (and illegal) taxis, as several foreigners have been robbed.

Most people arriving on package tours will have been issued prepaid vouchers for a shuttle; drivers are often happy to shuttle individual travelers, too.

Car Rental: The following have booths at Terminal Three: Havanautos (tel. 07/649-5197); Micar (tel. 07/33-0333); Rex (tel. 07/66-6074); and Transtur (tel. 07/33-5765). The following have booths at Terminal Two: Havanautos (tel. 07/649-5215) and Transauto (tel. 07/33-5764).

The cars are poorly maintained and I recommend against renting here.

© Christopher P. Baker from Moon Cuba, 4th Edition