Air Canada waives fees for Cuba rebookings as resorts consolidate guests

Air Canada has issued a goodwill rebooking policy for travellers to and from Cuba’s main gateways - CCC (Cayo Coco), VRA (Varadero), SNU (Santa Clara) and HOG (Holguín). The policy covers tickets issued on or before February 5, 2026, with original travel dates between February 6 and February 25, 2026, and lists Ticket Stock 014 as the relevant ticketing series.

Under the measures, customers are permitted one free change up to two hours before departure, and change fees are waived both within and outside the rebooking window. Rebooking is limited to Air Canada-operated flights, however, and the policy notes that any applicable fare difference - identified in the text as ADC/ADCOL - will still apply. The policy table lists the rebooking window as N/A, and the carrier’s internal guidance warns staff and customers to expect higher contact volumes and to favour digital channels. As the memo puts it: "Please also remind the network that with these options, we may experience higher call volumes and where we list the self-serve options, please read and take advantage of them."

The airline’s move comes as Cuba’s tourism infrastructure contends with constrained fuel, power and supplies. Tour operators and hotel managers are consolidating guests into fewer properties so limited fuel can maintain some hotels, generators, and basic services. An employee, speaking anonymously to Bloomberg, said many staff are losing their jobs and that in 20 years at the hotel, he had never seen a shutdown unrelated to hurricanes. Closures are being framed as temporary by some officials, but sources caution they could last longer without larger fuel deliveries.

The Cuba policy follows a pattern of flexible rebooking measures Air Canada has used elsewhere. A Newark policy from May 2025 also limited rebooking to Air Canada-operated flights and offered one change fee waiver up to two hours before departure, while a Toronto winter-weather policy earlier this year allowed rebooking on Air Canada-operated or Air Canada codeshare flights and provided a defined rebooking window and an endorsement code for some GDS exchanges. In August 2025, Air Canada expanded an exceptional policy to cover reasonable accommodation and out-of-pocket expenses and reimbursed alternate transport for customers disrupted between August 15 and 23, 2025; that campaign included a claim that the airline was transporting more than 127,000 customers as operations recovered.

Practical implications for travellers: check your ticket-issue date and original travel dates against the eligibility window, and if eligible request the single free change up to two hours before departure. Expect fare differences (ADC/ADCOL) to apply when upgrading or changing cabin, and expect longer wait times on phone lines - use the airline’s self-serve options whenever possible. Note that the Cuba policy does not explicitly promise accommodation or out-of-pocket reimbursements that were part of the August 2025 exceptional measures.

For readers with trips to Cuba now or soon, act promptly to rebook if needed and monitor hotel confirmations as operators consolidate guests; fuel arrivals and power availability will dictate how long temporary closures last.