DFW International Airport Approved as a Gateway Airport to Cuba

(DFW AIRPORT, TX – March 8, 2011) – Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport has received final approval from the United States Customs and Border Protection agency as one of eight new gateway airports eligible to host charter flights to and from the island nation of Cuba. Prior to today only three U.S. airports, Miami International (MIA), JFK International (JFK) and Los Angeles International (LAX), had been eligible to host charter flights to Cuba.

"We are pleased to be approved as a gateway to Cuba for charter flights," said DFW Airport CEO Jeff Fegan. “Given the Airport’s position as a major midcontinent hub with numerous domestic connections, DFW would be an optimum choice for charter service providers to operate flights to Cuba.”The designation enables DFW Airport to market directly to the limited number of government-approved firms that operate public charter flights to Cuba. Flight operators are permitted to sell seats only to persons eligible to travel to Cuba under U.S. Treasury Department regulations, including Cuban-Americans and their families, educators, and religious groups.

General U.S. travel restrictions remain in place for most Americans, prohibiting tourism as well as regularly scheduled airline service to Cuba.

Other airports receiving charter flight approval from U.S. Customs include Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International (ATL), Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International (BWI), Chicago O'Hare International (ORD), New Orleans Louis Armstrong International (MSY), Pittsburgh International (PIT), and San Juan, Puerto Rico International (SJU) and Tampa International(TIA).