Delta Air Lines has won tentative approval to begin flying to Havana from Atlanta and two other cities, opening scheduled flights to Cuba for the first time in more than five decades, the U.S. Transportation Department said Thursday.
Delta’s once-daily flights were among service from 10 cities to get new routes to Havana that Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced Thursday as part of President Barack Obama’s push to normalize relations with Cuba.
Delta is also won approval for a daily flight each from New York and Miami.
Foxx said eight airlines, including Southwest, American, United, JetBlue and Frontier, won tentative approval for flights that may begin as early as this fall.
"Restoring regular air service holds tremendous potential to reunite Cuban American families and foster education and opportunities for American businesses of all sizes," Foxx said in a press release.
The other cities that were approved for Havana service include Charlotte, North Carolina, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, N.J., and three other Florida cities: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa.
Foxx said approval of the routes won’t be final until later this summer, after a public comment period.
Last month, the DOT approved routes to nine other cities in Cuba, but excluded Havana, Cuba's capital and most populous city.
Delta had only targeted Havana for new commercial service, seeking routes from New York, Atlanta, Miami and Orlando.
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