Charter Flights to Cuba, 1999

On January 5, 1999, the Clinton administration (Bill, not Hil) approved direct charter flights from New York and Los Angeles to Cuba.  Secretary of State Madeline Albright made the announcement, which was heralded as the most significant change in policy toward Cuba in decades.  Travel was restricted to humanitarian-aid workers, athletes, scholars, teachers, and researchers, but no tourists were permitted.  An estimated 140,000 US citizens were able to visit Cuba in 1999.