Binter and Air China to Connect the Canary Islands with Havana

Canary Islands-based airline Binter has announced a strategic agreement with Air China that will broaden air connectivity between Europe and the Caribbean. The deal, known as a Special Prorate Agreement (SPA), was finalized at the end of 2025 and made public only recently. Its purpose is to integrate the routes of both carriers to facilitate travel from the Canary Islands to key international destinations within Air China's network — among them Havana, Beijing, and São Paulo — via a connecting stop in Madrid.

Passengers departing from the Canary Islands will be able to connect at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport with Air China flights to these cities. In the case of Cuba, two weekly connections will be available, scheduled for Wednesdays and Saturdays. The itinerary begins with a Binter flight from either Gran Canaria Airport or Tenerife Norte Airport, departing at approximately 7:00 a.m. and arriving in Madrid at 10:45 a.m. From there, the Air China flight to Havana departs at 2:45 p.m. and lands at 6:50 p.m. local time.

One of the key benefits of the agreement is that travelers will be able to book the entire journey under a single reservation, simplifying the process considerably. Baggage will be checked through to the final destination, eliminating the need to collect luggage during the Madrid layover. Passengers will also be able to transfer between terminals using their boarding pass for the connecting flight.

The Cuba operation carries certain logistical particularities. Due to fuel shortages on the island, Air China confirmed that the return flight from Havana to Madrid makes a technical stop in the Bahamas to refuel. This procedure does not affect the outbound leg, though it may slightly alter return flight schedules. The return flight from Havana is scheduled to depart at 11:55 p.m., arriving in Madrid at 3:20 p.m. the following day. Passengers may then continue onward to the Canary Islands, with a departure at 8:15 p.m. and arrival at 10:20 p.m.

The new air connection aims to strengthen tourism and commercial ties between the Canary Islands, Spain, and international destinations, while also offering a new travel alternative for those moving between Europe and Cuba, expanding available options and improving air connectivity across these regions.