Cuba Fuel Shortages February 2026: Latest

Much of the problem with trying to identify what its like in Cuba right now its figuring out what’s scaremongering and what’s real.  And that’s sometimes pretty tough.  Fuel shortages in Cuba are nothing new, they have been a “feature” of the island since the US embargo began in the 1960’s.  But what does it mean to you as a visitor planning to vacation in Cuba?  Some say it’s nothing new, and that Cuba has dealt with this for years. In this post, we’ll cover the latest information available on the Cuban fuel shortages, and what you should do if you have travel planned to Cuba, how you can mitigate against the issues that you’ll find. I first wrote about this in 2019, and we’ve updated it regularly since.  We’ll also advise sources of information from those on the ground in Cuba and able to report on up-to-the-minute information.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

I began these updates on fuel shortages, product and food shortages in Cuba in 2019. There was a major update, resulting in this blog post in May 2023 and a major update in February 2024 and then in October 2024, and again in July 2025, now as we’re in February 2026 it will be updated until the situation resolves.

The TLDR is that as a visitor to Cuba, you ARE going to be impacted by the issues in Cuba at this time. How much so depends on when you visit and where you’re visiting. As this post is about fuel shortages, I’ll cover this, but also deal with the issues around electricity outages and other supply problems. If you’re sitting here reading this, wondering if you should travel to Cuba or not. Then read my guide of Pros and Cons here.

Why are there fuel shortages in Cuba?

The government of Cuba states that the fuel shortage situation in Cuba is a result of US policies and the hardening of economic, commercial, and financial blockages from the USA towards Cuba.   With the January 2026 declaration of a National Emergency by US President Trump’s administration, its hard to argue with that.

There have been a variety of sanctions against Cuba since 1962. Additional measures were announced on September 9^th, 2019 which limited remittances sent to the country and slowed down financial transactions made to Cuba through third-party counties.  Since then, hardening economic sanctions, even with Airbnb, have made things worse.

The immediate fuel shortage is occurring as a result of both the ongoing worldwide economic crisis, but also because of a lack of investment in Cuba.  In 2024, there was (according to experts) plenty of crude oil in Cuba.  Back then, Cuba managed to provide about 50% of its needs and imported the rest (from Venezuela) and also reportedly from Russia (although that was a report, and not confirmed).  Clearly since January 2026 things changed fundamentally.

Add to that the problem that Cuba lacks the ability to refine crude oil, which it refines in facilities that were built in 1957. Yes, that’s nearly 70 years ago!

The Cuban Government has always said it’s the sanctions from the USA that causes the problems, but this time they’ve also admitted that some of the countries sending fuel haven’t sent as much as planned, perhaps as little as two-thirds of what was supposed to be sent.  The January 2026 changes and promises of tariffs if fuel is supplied to Cuba is hitting hard. It changes the way you can get to Cuba, so here’s my 2026 guide on how to get to Cuba.

“We are living difficult moments, but are going to come out ahead,” said Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on May 1 2023. 

We’re still waiting.

A lack of fuel in Cuba impacts every part of life on the island.  When we first think of fuel we think of gas for vehicles – for buses, taxis, trains and airlines.  But fuel is needed for much more than transport.  It’s needed for electricity generation, for cooking, for the operation of factories.  So a fuel shortage in Cuba doesn’t just mean that a bus is cancelled it means that alternative ways of cooking dinner need to be found.  And so on.

While some changes have been made to the power generating capacity of the island over the past few years, with some solar capacity (estimated to provide, according to some sources, 38% of the daily requirements) available it has eased some of the demand on fuel, it hasn’t fixed the problem of fuel shortages in Cuba.

Fuel Shortages, Power Outages and Cuba in 2026

I’ve written about fuel shortages in Cuba since 2019, so why is this different now in 2026?

Cuba has dealt with shortages of fuel, food, and basic goods for decades since the US began sanctions in 1962.  Several elements made it different this time – both since the ’60s and since the big fuel shortages of 2019.  As 2023 rolled through, wars, economic problems throughout the world and a worldwide pandemic have all contributed to issues in Cuba, but things are different now in 2026.  Here’s the situation as it stands in February 2026.

This is why shortages are different this time around.

Internet Access in Cuba in 2026

We know more about the fuel shortages, and that’s because more Cubans (and visitors to the island) are online. There’s not only WiFi across the island (albeit paid for), many tourists now visit and use data roaming services from home, buy a SIM card, or an eSIM so they’re able to get news while they’re on the island. And share their own news.  Literally in real time.

Internet access for both Cubans and visitors to Cuba has never been more available.  There are hundreds of public Wi-Fi hotspots across the country (see our post on Internet Access in Cuba here), plus private internet access has become available.  Add to that, that many Cubans and now Tourists have mobile internet (my guide to that is here) It is possible now for Cubans to post on social media sites (usually with the use of a VPN)  about their experiences.

Much Higher Expectations in Cuba in 2026

Visitors to Cuba in the earlier days of tourism to the island nation, during the Special Period (which I talk about here in our article on Casa Particulars) had much lower expectations of Cuba, they were trailblazing the new tourism in Cuba.   They didn’t expect great things.  They didn’t see Instagram posts of perfect everythings, that rarely exist.

Even today, there are some who visit Cuba expecting the island to be the same as other Caribbean islands. It’s not. Cuba exists because of and despite a unique set of variables.

Today we expect much more than we did during the Special Period. Visitors to the island in 2026 expect more than ever before the pandemic years. We do not expect to be met with fuel shortages, blackouts, and general problems with transportation in what many view as a holiday destination.  Especially after several years of no travel because of COVID, visitors expect more. 

And those who have never traveled to Cuba also think that a visit here is the same or similar to other Caribbean countries.  Spoiler:  Again. It’s not.  It’s not as cheap as Central American countries like Guatemala, yet people expect it to be.  It’s not as easy as the Dominican Republic or Mexico

No, tt’s not like other Spanish speaking countries like those you find in Central or South America either.

Cuba is unique.

There are a LOT Fewer Tourists in Cuba in 2026

Tourism is the main source of income in Cuba. Without a doubt.  And a lot of tourism revenue is in cold, hard cash.

According to official figures released by Cuba’s National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), the island received only 1.8 million international visitors in 2025, representing a 17.8% decline compared to 2024 (2.2 million visitors). This is the lowest level in more than 20 years, excluding the pandemic period of 2020–2022.

In 2024, the Cuban Government estimated there would be 3.2 million tourists visiting, so their 2024 shortfall was 1 MILLION people.

In 2023, they missed their target by a million people too.

These numbers are important, because they bring in a huge amount of cash to Cuba. And numbers have been falling since 2018, when there were 4.6 million tourists visiting Cuba, 4.2 million in 2019.

And this isn’t because no one is traveling, other Caribbean countries are doing extremely well. The Dominician Republic went from 6+ million visitors in 2019 to more than 10 million in 2023. Cuba ranks 28th in the Caribbean when it comes to tourism recovery post pandemic.

Why are there fewer tourists in Cuba and therefore less money?

The US economic embargo continues, of course and of course the Ukraine – Russian War stops Russian visitors.

The US Embargo Canceled the ESTA for visitors to Cuba

I can’t emphasize enough how huge this is.  Obviously it doesn’t impact Canadians, who continue to be the biggest percentage of visitors to Cuba.  It doesn’t impact Americans, who have been able to travel to Cuba for years, just not for tourist purposes (that’s an American rule, not a Cuban one – read about legal travel to Cuba for Americans here.)

For the rest of us, who have long been required to have an ESTA to travel to the United States, its really difficult.  If you’ve traveled to Cuba since January 2021, then your ESTA is automatically cancelled and you won’t get a new one.  (My full article on this is here. It makes traveling to Cuba for those who go via the USA (and use an ESTA) extremely difficult.

The “ESTA” problem also makes it more difficult to get to and from Cuba, as you can’t fly home via the United States, even though there are daily flights between the USA and Cuba. 

The continuing war in Ukraine

For the last two decades, Venezuela has provided Cuba with good-quality crude oil and while the amount and quality have been decreasing over the years, there was a change because of the war in Ukraine.

In November 2022 the USA issued a license to Chevron to export petrol from Venezuela to the USA for the first time in many years.  The higher quality crude oil stopped being sent to Cuba.  Even that fuel which Venezuela did send decreased – down from 60,000 barrels a day in the first 9 months of 2023 to 32,600 a day over the same period in 2024. Fuel sent from Mexico and Russia has also decreased.

In February 2024, it was reported that fuel imports to Cuba had dropped by 46% in recent months. This oil is what powers the electricity generating plants in Cuba.

The changes in Venezuela in January 2026

You can’t have missed what’s happened in Venezuela.  Early in the morning of January 3^rd, forces from the USA attacked sites across Venezuela, capturing the country’s President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.  They were flown to New York to face terrorism and drug charges.  The removal of Maduro and the statement that the USA will now “run Venezuela” cut off the dwindling supply of oil to Cuba.

The US National Emergency Declaration of January 29^th 2026

With the Executive Order 14380 issued on January 29^th 2026, President Trump declared a national emergency with respect to Cuba.  He authorized the imposition of new tarrifs on imports from any country that directly or indirectly supplied oil to the Government of Cuba.

And, well after that it hardly seems worth mentioning the Hurricane Damage that Cuba has suffered in recent years.  The hurricane seasons of 2022, 2023, 2024 and most recently with Hurricane Melissa in 2025 destroyed crops and infrastructure.  Hurricanes are hard enough to deal with, but when public infrastructure is neglected through lack of investment and repair, it means that the issues just get bigger.

What’s the impact on you the tourist in visiting Cuba in 2026?

In the short term, as I write this in February 2026, there’s a lot of uncertainty.  There’s fuel on the way (allegedly), there’s support from Mexico, from China from the United Nations.  The situation CANNOT go on indefinitely, but to be fair, as someone who’s been writing about this since 2017, well, that feels like forever, imagine living it every day.

Anyways.  Let’s not get despondent. Here’s what you should do.

Assume costs will go up, and plan accordingly

First with a shortage of gas for transport you can expect the costs to go up, but as I update this (18th February 2026), I can see that you can still get a taxi from Havana Airport to the city for about US$35. Shorter rides around town might cost you a little more. It’s still peanuts to what you’d pay at home. Havana to Varadero will now cost you around US$130 versus US$90 last November. (see what your options for this route are, get a shared shuttle or a bus to save gas).

Get good trip insurance

Get good insurance.  Not every insurance company covers Cuba.  These do.

Buy a policy that includes trip curtailment and cancellation.

Plan Ahead

So you should plan ahead, if you are not prebooking and prepaying you should plan to take more cash with you (read our guide to Cuban currency here). Do NOT rely on ATMs in Cuba, either working (either because of maintenance issues, or lack of electricity) or having cash in them. Take cash (US dollars, Euros). Read my guide to ATMs in Cuba here.

Prebook what you can

Try and prebook what you can – travel, accommodation, and trips. It not only helps your cashflow, it helps Cuba plan. If a tour guide knows that they have 5 people to take to Vinales on Monday, then they can plan to pre-purchase the gas ahead of time. It means that they know they have work.

TOP FUEL SHORT TIP

Pre-Book Transport

The best way to guarantee a price and your transport is to prebook it. It not only gives you confirmation of the cost, but it allows your driver to arrange for fuel.

Book your transport here

I see questions all the time from people saying that perhaps they shouldn’t go to Cuba this year, and that would mean they won’t be taking away from the Cuban people. STOP THINKING LIKE THIS.

Tourism is a huge part of the income of the country. If you don’t go it gets worse. But look back at the beginning of 2020. Who knew what was coming then? (it was the pandemic if you’ve put it from your mind) Don’t put things off, time is stopping for none of us.  Read my guide on the pros and cons of traveling to Cuba here.

Be aware of your surroundings. Cubas has always been a safe place to visit, but sometimes desperation gets the better of people anywhere around the world. Make sure your valuables aren’t on display, and are locked away. (read my guide to portable travel safes here). Take care when walking around towns and cities – do NOT rely on traffic lights to cross roads. Power outages mean that they might not be working!

Organise your Cash

Go, but plan ahead. Take money (or the ability to get money out of a cash machine). If you’re staying in a Casa Particular (and I URGE you to do this), then ask your Casa owners if there are any goods that you can bring to help them. AS A GIFT.

Take advantage of the new customs and import rules to help Cuba

As the Cuban government continues to allow food, medicines, toiletries and hygiene products to be imported without customs duties, I suggest bringing more than you need. The February 2026 details of what you can bring into Cuba without paying tax have changed. Significantly.  My guide to February 2026 customs and import levels is here.

If you’ve got a free bag on the plane, check with casa particular owners, or read my guide here on what to bring, and stuff the bag full of items that will be of use to Cubans.

Stay in a Casa Particular

I URGE you also to use Homestay.com to book (at least your first) Casa Particular. They don’t charge the Casa owner any fees, which means more money to the owner. The site isn’t a singing dancing flash Airbnb, but it is a good company for Cubans.

AirBnB announced in February 2025 that they were unable to make payments to Cuban Casa owners via MLC accounts and that while they will honor existing bookings unless a Cuban Casa owner can provide a way for them to be paid OUTSIDE of Cuba, they will NOT list the properties. Here’s more detail on what’s happened and what to do.  In 2026, they’ve doubled down and started cancelling bookings.

Use Homestay. You pay a deposit online. That forms the “fees” for the service they provide (i.e. finding you for the Casa owner and letting you book). Then you pay the remainder DIRECTLY to the Casa Owner.

This next bit is historical and I’ve left it in there, because truly we forget how long this has been happening for.  So read if it you want.  Its eye opening.

Historical Fuel Shortages in Cuba – 2024/2025

Shortages of fuel and power outages became a regular fact of life in Cuba in 2025. You can read further down this post and find out why, but they rarely affected visitors, if you planned.  It wasn’t so much gas for vehicles, but fuel to generate electricity.  We saw very few Viazul Buses cancelled, trains mostly ran to their timetables and rental cars had few problems because of specially designed fuel stations just for their own purpose (of course if the electricity was out, then the pump didn’t work, but hey ho).  Read my guide to rental cars in Cuba here.

Power Outages in Cuba in 2025

There simply wasn’t enough electricity-generating capacity in Cuba for the demand, that wasn’t because the demand was increased, it was because of a lack of fuel for the electricity-generating plants. And a delay in implementing solar generating capacity. And the further away from Havana you get, the worse the problem was.

2025 Cuban Power Outages (Electricity)

From 2023 to 2025, much of Cuba has received power for on average 6 hours a day. Again, the further away from Havana, the worse it was.  Those in the tourism sector have countered this by purchasing and installing generators. The tourism sector is rarely affected.  Despite dwindling tourism numbers (Ukraine/Russia War, removal of ESTA for Cuba visitors being just two reasons), tourism is EXTREMELY important to Cuba.  It props up the economy.  Tourism allows Cubans to survive from day to day,

There were several island-wide blackouts.

The Cuban government attempted to “plan around” the shortage of power by having “rolling blackouts” run to a schedule, so that everyone knew when there was an expected blackout. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to keep to the schedule, and it created more chaos for the regular Cuban.

UNE published (and still does) planned blackouts and the latest reports on its website. You can see them here. It details the incidents and problems. None of this, as you can tell, actually helps with generating more electricity; it just means that everyone knows what’s going on. If they have the power to see the website. If the website has the power to be displayed.

The electricity problem causes another issue. Cash flow. If you’re reliant on getting money from the ATM (really, really, really try not to – read my guide to Cuban Currency here), then a lack of cash and a lack of electricity means that ATMs are a bit of a shot in the dark too.

Fuel Shortages in Cuba in 2025 (Gasoline)

Cuba had for a long time received fuel (i.e. crude and gasoline) from allies such as Venezuela, but figures at the end of 2024 showed that they’d sent 44% less than in previous years. And while Mexico made up some of the shortfall it was not been able to keep up with demand.

Both countries mainly sent crude to Cuba, and it’s up to Cuba’s refineries to use that to make diesel and gasoline for cars, trucks, and generators. Cuba’s refineries are mostly obsolete, needing maintenance and struggling with supplies of maintenance materials.

It led to lines at gas stations.

Of course, if you’re a taxi driver, colectivo driver, or a driver of a rental car, then you get access to Cuba’s special fuel stations reserved for the tourist dollar. But even so, it was challenging to get gas for the car. If there is no electricity, the gas cannot be pumped.

Fuel Shortages in Cuba in 2025 (Cooking Gas)

In addition to the problems with gasoline or crude oil to generate electricity, there was a shortage of cooking gas in Cuba. If you can’t cook using electric devices because there is no electric, then you need another source. Liquified Gas. And there are shortages of this as well.

This type of gas also has to be imported. Back in January 2025, the resupply ship had arrived in Santiago de Cuba, but wasn’t unloaded because payment had not been received. It affected the whole country. Lines built up at gas cannister stores, with little to no supply available many Cubans turned to using firewood. Charcoal soared in price.

The tourist dollar was never (until 2026) so important to Cuba, it was this that kept the people going.

Power Outages in Cuba October 2024

After months of electricity outages (both planned and unplanned), including blackouts of up to 15 hours a day in some areas, Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout on 18th October 2024. The outage continued after the power grid collapsed on Friday 18th October at 11:00 local time.

It was the previous day that an “energy emergency” was declared in the country. But it was when the Antonio Guiteras power plant in Matanzas, Cuba’s largest went offline.

The Cuban Government announced the following with immediate effect.

1. All non-vital services that generate energy costs are suspended.
2. The MINCULT suspended cultural activities, both in the state and non-state sectors.
3. Only vital centers, such as hospitals and those that prepare food, will continue to operate.
4. Nightclubs and recreation centers are suspended until at least Monday.
5. The MINED suspended teaching activities from Friday to Sunday at all levels of education.
6. All Energy Councils will be activated.
7. Only essential personnel are to report to work, to safeguard electricity supplies. Non-vital government services have been suspended.

The outage was blamed on “deteriorating infrastructure, fuel shortages, and rising demand”

However, the President said “The fuel shortage is the biggest factor”

What impact did the 2024 Cuban Nationwide Power Outage have on visitors?

Visitors were held at customs, after flights have landed, as there was no electricity to check visa and passport details. Water was no longer be supplied to apartment buildings as they are reliant on electric pumps bring water to taps. The same applied with petrol pumps, which tend to be electrically operated. A lack of cooking gas led to increased usage of electricity for cooking, and so the demands on the power grid increased.

By Friday 18th October a fuel ship unloaded and delivered fuel to the power plants and the situation began to ease, although there were reports that some areas received electricity before then. Problems with the weather and the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, led to issues offloading the fuel from the supply ships.

2026 What is the impact of fuel shortages on the Cubans?

There isn’t an area of the Cuban’s life that hasn’t been impacted by the fuel shortages and power outages. There are lower numbers of visitors, which tend to be where the highest earning jobs are in Cuba. Tips are VERY MUCH needed here – read my guide to tipping here – but please don’t tip for bad service, that’s just plain wrong.

There’s no only an energy crisis in Cuba, but a knock on effect of this on food supply problems, transport and healthcare. There is plenty of food if you have the money. But those on the standard Cuban wage don’t necessarily have plenty of money.  Pensions and the Cuban National Wage have decreased significantly in real terms.

Healthcare issues for Cubans because of the fuel shortages

Cuba has long heralded a great healthcare system for their citizens, but it has suffered in recent years. Many hospitals, doctors and dentists have closed in recent years, with others suffering from neglect and lack of maintenance leading to health issues. Additionally, a chronic shortage of medicines has resulted to the Cuban Government requesting “donations” from abroad. Donations including medical equipment, ambulances and medicines have been delivered from associations, and organizations such as the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, United Nations Development Program, and UNICEF, but there continue to be issues with supply within Cuba.

Healthcare is free in Cuba, but it’s hard to dispense healthcare if wards are closed, if there is no electricity for operating theaters to be open, and there are no painkillers available. As a result of the shortages the Cuban government continues to extend the date for importing food, hygiene products and medicines without customs duties. In January 2026 this changed, and the end date is now “open” – my guide to what you can bring is here.

Food supply issues for Cubans because of the fuel shortages

Cuba has delivered a “ration card” of food to its citizens for about 60 years now and although the Cuban Government claimed (in 2024) to spend around US$230 million a month (!) guaranteeing products such as rice, coffee, sugar, and grains to distribute in more than 12,000 ration stores nationwide, the amount that is distributed has been going down over the years. Amounts that are distributed have decreased (especially when it comes to coffee and sugar, which incidentally are produced within Cuba, albeit in decreasing amounts!).

There are issues with fuel to distribute the food stuffs across the provinces, and Cuba even requested assistance from the UN World Food Program to provide powered milk for children under the age of seven, as its been unable to guarantee milk produced in the country. The government has also faced problems producing the bread sold through the ration stores because there’s a lack of imported flour available. Imported wheat has increased in cost (I refer you back to the continuing war in Ukraine) although it seems the problem is not always with imported wheat, it is with broken mills that cannot process it in Cuba. In 2024 there were 5 mills that can process wheat in Cuba, but only one was operational, and I again refer you back to electricity outages.

September 2024 saw the reduction in the weight of the breadrolls provided as part of the rations from 80 grams to 60 grams.

Water supply issues for Cubans because of the fuel shortages

This one is a doozy.  Fuel impacts everything.

The shortage of fuel has a knock on effect just about everywhere, especially for the Cuban who doesn’t have an income from outside the island. While the Cuban Government included the right to drinking water in its constitution in 2019 they’re barely meeting that at all. The water supply infrastructure is outdated and severely in need of maintenance. Spare parts aren’t available, leaks occur and millions of liters of water is wasted before it’s fixed.

Electricity outages mean that electric pumps to supply water to taps in apartments doesn’t work.  With these problems water gets stored in containers and tanks and led to increasing health problems of chikngunya, dengue and other mosquito borne diseases (read my guide to mosquitoes in Cuba here)

It’s all a bit of a mess.

And while you can buy bottled water, Cubans rarely can afford it.

(I really don’t recommend bottled water, it causes a recycling problem (my guide is here), but do NOT DRINK THE TAP WATER in CUBA – read my guide to why not, and yet also how to avoid buying bottled water here)

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This is the best filter water bottle for Cuba

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How Long Will the Fuel Shortages in Cuba Last?

This has been going on for so long it’s hard to see an end to it.  What tends to always happen in Cuba is adaptation.  Resetting of expectations. 

This is a difficult question to answer – at the end of this post, we’ve included some links to folks who report directly from Cuba, both on blogs, in news releases, and on social media.  We’re following them to keep up to date with what’s going on.

We say, monitor the situation and watch for more news.

How will the Fuel Shortages in Cuba affect you?

The combination of fuel shortages and the economic crisis impacts Cuba in many ways, but here’s how it could affect you on your trip to Cuba.

Fuel Shortages in Cuba will impact ground transport

The primary effect of the fuel shortages in Cuba is that of transport within the country.  There are reports throughout the country of lines for gas.  In the past the government has limited who can buy gas for transport.  Priority services include the government, official transport, and emergency services.  Bus services and officially registered taxi drivers are included in this. 

The best way to guarantee a price and your transport is to prebook it. It not only gives you confirmation of the cost, but it allows your driver to arrange for fuel.

If you’ve rented a car in Cuba you’re also covered in the “special category” – BUT being at the front of a line is no help if there is no gas, so monitor the situation carefully if you have a rental car.  You should also be extremely careful when driving. (read my guide to rental cars), but electricity outages mean that traffic lights may not be working, so approach junctions with lights with caution!

Prices are generally increasing for taxi routes.  If truth be told, the only way to guarantee a price is to prebook and prepay it.  Or to confirm the price again when you get there. 

The Government appears to have reinstituted a transport option that was used during the 1990s – known as the Camels these transporters could move 300 people at a time.  You can read more about that here.  You shouldn’t expect to use these as a tourist though.

Fuel shortages will impact internal (and some international) flights

It was announced on 9^th February 2026 via a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) that Cuba, as of today will not have the capacity to refuel aircraft.  For flights from the USA this doesn’t matter so much, as they tend to carry enough fuel for their return flight.

Note that as of 10th February 2026 ALL FLIGHTS from Canada have been cancelled until April at the earliest. More here.

When this has happened in the past, airlines coming from further afield have made arrangements to refuel in Panama or Barbados.  The best place to follow for flight information in Cuba is the Telegram account of Ecasa.  This is the Cuban Government owned entity that manages the 22 airports in Cuba.

Rolling Electrical Blackouts

There have been rolling blackouts in Cuba on an ongoing basis.  This happens because the majority of electrical power in Cuba comes from fuel powered electricity generation. These outages are generally publicized but may last for a significant time.  Your casa particular owner will be able to advise of them.  If you’re staying on a resort, then your resort will 99% likely have a generator and oil for it, so you likely won’t even notice.  Many casa particular owners now also have generators for power.

Equally:  Much of Varadero’s energy usage comes from a Canadian Company Sherritt, who operate the most modern power plant in Cuba – the Energas Varadero power plant.  It doesn’t use imported fuel, it is powered by natural gas produced by domestic oil wells.  Domestic production of gas increased in 2025 and there aresome interesting oil explorations ongoing in Cuba with the gas produced as a by-product.

Make sure you take a solar charger, and a power pack for your electronic devices. Ensure that you have downloaded ALL travel documents AND printed them out before leaving for Cuba.

Fans and AC in rooms might not operate, so consider taking

A solar charger > This is a great option

A portable fan > This works well

There are NO shortages of Food

I have seen NO – ZERO – reports of shortages of food for tourists and visitors to the island.  Ever.  In all the time I’ve been updating on this.  Food is available for purchase.  You might see some stores shuttered, but this is about conservation of power.  If there were 4 stores open in 2025, there might be 2 open now.  But they’re open and serving customers.  Restaurants and cafes too.

You can even order food online and have it sent to a casa particular!  If you want to help out, consider ordering some food for your casa particular.  You can order it online and get it sent to your Cuban host.  Supermarket 23 comes highly recommended and your host will need to show ID to accept it.

Supermarket23 is one of the options that I recommend if you’re wanting to send cash to Cuba – here’s my guide to it and the others.

Potential shortages of bottled drinking water

I’ve not seen ANY issues in this area, but please DONT buy bottled water in Cuba. Take a filter water bottle. Then you can save both the environment from single-use plastic and necessary resources by avoiding the requirement to buy bottled water!

I wrote about drinking water in Cuba here, if you want more detail.

There could be a knock-on effect on internet access

With power outages there comes all sorts of other problems.  There’s no internet if there’s no power.  So plan ahead.

Download offline maps (maps me is GREAT for Cuba)

What You Can Do if You Already Have Travel Planned to Cuba

If you already have travel planned to Cuba, then there are a few steps you can take to safeguard your travel plans. 

Make sure you have travel insurance for your trip to Cuba

Trip cancelation is a key element of travel insurance and if your trip has to be canceled, postponed, or changed as fuel shortages make your trip impossible.  You should ensure that you check the small print of your travel insurance policy – or indeed buy one if you don’t already have one – and ensure that trip cancelation by the provider is included. A reminder, too, that Cuba has a requirement that you have medical insurance in place before entering the country.  You can read more on this in our guide to Cuban travel insurance. 

Sign Up for Government Updates

A department in your home government will provide advice for foreign travel.  In the UK that’s the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the FCDO.  If their policy about a certain country or area changes, then you’ll get notified automatically by email. Check out their advice.

• UK Government Advice on Travel to Cuba – the FCO > details here
• US Government Advice on Travel to Cuba – the State Department > details here
• Australian Government Advice on Travel to Cuba – DFAT – the Smart Traveler > details here
• New Zealand Government Advice on Travel to Cuba > details here
• European Union – EU Advice on Travel to Cuba – details here
• Canada Government Advice on Travel to Cuba – details here

There are currently NO advisories against traveling to Cuba from any government because of Cuba’s fuel shortage.   This may obviously change.  So be sure to sign up for email alerts.

Contact your Tour Operator or Accommodation Provider

If you are traveling to Cuba with a tour operator contact them to ask if any of your trips will be affected by the fuel shortage – and how.   Depending on the answer that you get, you may be offered alternatives.

If you are traveling to Cuba independently, then we recommend that you contact your accommodation provider.  If you are staying in a Casa Particular then contact your casa particular owner, if they have not already contacted you.  If you are traveling imminently ask them the following:

1. How you can get from the airport to their location
2. What the cost is for that trip.
3. If you have booked any buses or trips are they still operating?
4. If transport has been canceled do they have recommendations for how you can travel instead?
5. Do they have details of what is not operating?
6. Can they keep you informed?
7. Are there any items that you can bring to Cuba that will help?

Download a VPN before getting to Cuba

There has been public Wi-Fi internet access in Cuba available in public places for several years now.  Internet access is now available in private spaces as well.   And many visitors to Cuba also buy a Tourist Sim Card.  However, many sites that provide information on life in Cuba are blocked within the country, because of the US embargo.

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If you plan to use Viazul buses on your trip to Cuba

We recommend continuing booking as normal.  You can book online.  If Viazul cancels any buses your tickets will be refunded.

Plan for your Cuban Holiday costs being a little more than expected

Depending on when you are traveling to Cuba, this may all be a distant memory, but if your trip is imminent, then we’d recommend that you should assume that costs will be a little higher as demand will be greater and supply potentially disrupted.   You’ll want to read about Cuban Currency and how to access your cash in Cuban – here’s a guide to it here.

Embrace Cuba and Her Ingenuity

Cuba has been dealing with challenges of this nature since 1962 and Cubanos have become adept at managing in extremely difficult circumstances.  You just need to look at the number of classic cars that are more than 60 years old driving around the country to understand this. 

There are many ways to travel around Cuba and experience the country.  From colectivos and shared rides to classic cars, buses and trains.

Final Thoughts on Cuba’s Fuel Shortages

Cuba has been here before. Regularly. It’s different now though, but as I say this, I said it was different in 2022, and then 2024 and so on. There are many challenges facing Cuba, and this in many ways is what has shaped the country, so be kind, review your travel plans and visit if its appropriate for you. Send what help you can to the regular Cubano on the street.

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