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Havana Jose Marti Airport Review | Michael Tanner

Jose Marti International Airport has at least five terminals, despite what you may read in this website and in other media. One terminal, a decade old in 2008 built with Canadian expertise, deals with most long haul internatiional flights, and one with mainly with Cuba internal flights. there are also separate terminals for charter flights from the USA (UK citizens not permitted) and flights from other Caribbean destinations. Please ensure that you know the terminal before booking your taxi to the airport. Immigration can be delayed if several flights arrive simultaneously, and procedures are thorough. The CADECA money changing desk has now closed in the baggage reclaim hall (March 2011) but several are available once you enter the main terminal concourse. Duty free shopping has quite a wide choice of Cuban specialities eg rum and cigars, at excellent prices.

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Holguin Cuba Airport Review | Jonathan Edwards

Always reserve the Holguin VIP  lounge as soon as you arrive ready for your return. I didn’t and sat jealously sweltering and being bitten by mosquitos as I waited for my inevitably late flight. Otherwise if there is only one flight due, there seems to be enough room and seats, probably get too crowded if more than one flight waiting to depart. Arrival and getting through customs is a fuss and very slow, although the security people are friendly, I got my passport stamped as well as the visa when I asked (nice free souvenir). Toilets were a bit smelly and not totally operational but did have toilet paper (Gents). Stuff is sold in both duty free shop and kiosks around the departure lounge. Note, as expected, the duty free shop is much cheaper. One can only pay in CUC’s – or at an crazy markup, by credit card. Good views of the apron from the lounge and the only downside is if you are a fervent anti-smoker. This is cuba, they sell cigars, you can work it out! Tip, a few people had stuff confiscated from their hand luggage, tobacco and spirits – I think it was all stuff that the proper export tax hadn’t been paid on. Keep a few CUC’s to slip the staff at the airport, and they also really apreciated a drink or two. As everywhere the porters are quite bullish. Don’t get upset at being asked for a tip just for loading the suitcase into the coach, Look how much you earn and then realise how much CAD 2  is worth to them.

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Holguin Cuba Airport Review | Loney Baker | Canada

When we arrived at Holguin Airport we were three hours in advance of the flight time I went inside and immediately noticed two things. Incredibly long lines for check in and an unbearable smell, we waited in a long line of people for one hour and twelve minutes to check in and headed for the washrooms. Every flush in the terminal was full to overflowing and there was no water with to flush or even wash ones hands. Disgusting! On arrival at the booth to pay my departure tax, all I had were a 20 peso note and a 10 peso note. I gave these to the man at the desk and he took them, put them somewhere under the counter and folded his arms and refused to look at me again. I got no change. We went to the cadeca exchange to change my remaining 40 pesos to Canadian and I received $33cdn. On questioning the lady she screamed “no change, no coin”! I am totally disgusted with this airport. I loved my stay in Cuba, but my experience at Holguin will in all probability keep me from returning.

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Havana Jose Marti Airport Review | John Briggs

I travelled through Havana Airport in September and agree it is clean and pleasant. Immigration was friendly and courteous both inwards and outwards. Signposting is good and seating is adequate. Only negative comment would be concerning the length of time it takes to get baggage off the plane – 90 minutes in my case. This is unacceptable and was made worse by it being midnight after a long flight.

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Varadero Cuba Airport Review | Mike Jones

Terrible place. On arrival waited 50 mins around a baggage claim carousel that displayed the flight, for it to change to the other one (yes, only 2 claim belts in an arrivals hall) So not a problem you may think, wrong. Literally hundreds of people (One full British flight and one full Russian flight) shoved in one room waiting for their luggage at the right belt, then for it to be switched at the last minute is not a good combination. On return flight, check in speedy and good, overweight baggage didn’t stir an eyebrow (to my advantage) but then the fun commenced. A queue stretching around the departure lounge and back again for security checks, and the reason, one person at the control desk. There were at least 7 flights due to leave according to the flight board. After leaving our Varadero Hotel and getting there with everyone queuing to get through but the queue just grew longer and longer as the names of flights were shouted out to try push past everyone in an attempt to make their flight (we arrived in ample time thanks to our tour operator). Utter unorganised chaos. And all this in sweltering heat as very little in the way of air-conditioning.

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Havana Jose Marti Airport Review | Joan Hardy

We found Havana airport clean and well signposted. The downside was the length of time needed to check in and pass through immigration. We arrived over 3 hours before the Havana flight and it took 2.5 hours to get airside. If you want a choice of seat, I suggest a minimum of 3.5 hours.

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Havana Jose Marti Airport Review | Edward Keene

Flying with Air France to Paris and on to Birmingham, economy class. There was unusually no queue for check-in at Havana, and my Air france Frequent Flyer card was processed. The CUC25 departure tax is payable in cash at this stage at a separate counter. Passport control was the usual thorough process, enlivened somewhat by the passage through of the Cuban national baseball team en route to Mexico; they were being photographed with and signing autographs for the Cuban travellers who were going abroad! Customs checks were cursory, but security checks thorough, before entry into the large departure lounge. A limited range of shops is available; avoid purchasing alcohol at this point, unless you want to see it confiscated in Paris! All purchases in this area have to be made in CUC convertible pesos, so keep some for this purpose if required. Seating is basic, but was uncrowded during my visit, and the flight left on time for Paris.

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Holguin Cuba Airport Review | Angela Marsden

Have someone get off the plane asap, get right through and head for the Cambio (Exchange counter) especially if your numerous or a group. Otherwise you may be queued up for a while. The rates are fair. There is a small drinks stand down an “alleyway” between Arrivals & Departures. Assuming you were smart enough to bring back some CUC or got a small amount in the airport, the beers & pop are cold & cheap. Still only .80 for a Crystal or Buccanero, but oddly enough it’s 1 Peso for a Tucola. Cheaper than on the bus, if offered. Back in March 2007, there was extensive work being done to bring more A/C to the upper level and close in the open outside balcony on the upper level. I guess the crowding factor made them notice. The duty free is the best deal in town. Not being computerized for check-in does have it’s drawbacks when it comes to seat selection, etc. Especially when HOG is a stop on the way and others have already boarded. Found no difference between Cubana & SkyService, it’s the airport running the show. The Customs / Immigration staff always seem to be polite but not too friendly, after all, they do have a job to do protecting Cuba. Once we left and nobody wanted my cigar documents, another time, they were all over the boxes. A few pleasantries en Espanol goes a long way. Be a gracious tourist and learn some of the lingo. Note that liquids in carry-ons is not the concern as in most other countries. Full bottles of rum? No problem. Bottles of lotion? No problem. And this is for goods packed before Security screening, not after like with duty free stuff.

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Havana Jose Marti Airport Review | Andre Perez

Three terminals at Havana airport keep travellers well separated into categories. Terminal 3 is for foreign tourism. It is modern, clean and fairly efficient. The reviews in this page are referred to this terminal. Terminal 2 is for Cuban exiles visiting the island. It is small, generally overcrowded, not particularly clean (specially the restrooms) and even a bit chaotic. Lots of custom and immigration officers everywhere. Terminal one is for nationals. No words for this one.

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Havana Jose Marti Airport Review | Stefan Delage

Seems that leaving Cuba is harder than getting’ in! When you land immigration doesn’t ask anything, but when you leave they want to see all your bags etc. As I’ve got an old Brazilian passport they even searched it carefully and asked if I were really Brazilian and not Cuban?! Check in agents are slow – food is overpriced and bad, this airport is a nightmare!