Obtain a passport. United States citizens must have a valid passport. You can obtain a passport through the passport section of the U.S. Department of State website.
Obtain a tourist visa card if you do not have a passport. A tourist visa card costs $25 in the United States and may be issued by tour operators, travel agents and airlines for a single entry holiday trip of up to 30 days provided all travel arrangements are prebooked and paid. The traveler must also have a return ticket or proof of onward travel. Make certain you have sufficient funds (of around $50 a day) to be able to obtain and use a tourist visa card.
Acquire a general license to visit the country. Licenses are issued for families traveling to Cuba to visit close relatives, people traveling to Cuba for their job, such as journalists and researchers, or government travelers on official business. For more information on whether you quality for a license and how to obtain one visit the U.S. Department of Treasury website and search for the section on Cuba travel licenses.
Verify that your health insurance is up to date. Heath insurance is required by law for all visitors to Cuba. Travelers who do not have acceptable health insurance will be asked to purchase Cuban health insurance when they arrive in the country. Vaccinations are not required, but if you are planning to travel to more rural areas of Cuba, take precautions against diseases such as typhoid. Bring all your necessary prescription drugs to Cuba because it will be difficult or impossible to purchase them in the country. Have a copy of the prescriptions and a doctor's letter to be shown at customs to verify the need for the prescriptions you are bringing into the country.
Use a travel agency or website to plan your trip to Cuba. The best option is Destination Cuba, which is a U.S. government-authorized travel service provider to Cuba. The website will provide visa information, booking travel, travel regulations and other information.
Booking a direct flight to Cuba from the United States is impossible. You must fly to Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico or a European country to get to Cuba. For instance you could fly from New York City to Montreal and then to Cuba. U.S. citizens flying to Cuba must have a connecting flight in another country to get to Cuba. Jose Martí International Airport is the main airport in Cuba and is served by major airlines from Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Europe, and the major airline is CubaJet.
Book accommodations in Cuba with Cuba Accommodation. Choose from various locations in Cuba ranging from Las Tunas to Holguin, and various styles of accommodations such as villas, bed and breakfasts, or hostels. Most reservations must be may ahead of time, but some reservations can be made when arriving in the country.
Learn about the tourist currency in Cuba. Tourist currency is different compared to the official currency of Cuba. The tourist currency is the Peso Convertible (CUC), which is almost equal in value to the U.S. dollar. Money should be exchanged at the official bureaux or banks to avoid scams or confusion. Make certain to have money on you, as Cuba does not accept U.S. bank cards, credit cards or checks. No U.S. dollars can be accepted as payment.
Buy an English-Spanish guidebook. Spanish is the official language of Cuba; however, basic-to-fair English is spoken in some tourist areas.
