Flights from Houston to Cuba announced

Miami-based Havana Air will soon offer nonstop service to Havana from Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport. Miami-based Havana Air will soon offer nonstop service to Havana from Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport. Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images Image 1 of / 53 Caption Close Flights from Houston to Cuba announced 1 / 53 Back to Gallery

Havana Air, a private airline, will offer nonstop service from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Havana, Cuba, beginning in August.

The Miami-based charter will offer the flights, leaving weekly on Wednesdays, with its direct air carrier partner Eastern Air Lines Group. Passengers will fly on the Eastern Air Lines Boeing 737-800 (Next Generation) aircraft.

"We are very pleased to open the Houston to Cuba market with our valued partner, Eastern Air Lines. HavanaAir has strived to extend the utmost in customer services to the island, and our partnership with Eastern has proven to provide an entirely new level of service to Cuba with their Next Generation Boeing aircraft, truly professional crew and support staff," Mark Elias, president and chief operating officer of HavanaAir Charters, said in a news release.

On Dec. 17, President Barack Obama announced diplomatic and economic changes in regard to Cuba. That means Americans can visit Cuba – without applying for a license – to see family, conduct professional research, participate in educational or religious activities, serve in humanitarian projects and more.

General tourism is still not permitted, according to a U.S. Department of the Treasury online fact sheet and FAQ.

Havana Air already offers service to Havana from Miami and Key West, as well as flights from Miami to Camaguey and Santa Clara, Cuba.

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United Airlines said in January that it would look to offer service from its Houston and Newark hubs to the Caribbean island.

Carnival Corp., meanwhile, announced last week that it aims to launch cruises to Cuba in May.

Carnival told the Associated Press it would become the first American cruise company to visit Cuba since the 1960 trade embargo. The cruises will be through its new brand, fathom, which focuses on trips where passengers sail to a destination in order to volunteer there.

READ: Opening up Cuba and remembering Fidel Castro's visit to Houston