Cigar Aficionado.
Americans Can Now Bring Cuban Cigars Back Home.
The traveler stood in line at JFK. In his bags, he had $2,000 worth of Cuban cigars that he had purchased in London. His arrival was a week after the U.S. Treasury had further loosened the rules for American citizens importing Cuban cigars and rum into the United States. Still there were limits: $800 worth or 100 cigars to come in without duty. The traveler was honest. He declared everything, expecting to pay a four-percent duty on the cigars in excess of the limits. "Have a nice day," said the customs agent. "We're giving you a holiday on the extra duty."
Just a few weeks later, I stood in the Global Entry customs line in Dallas. For the first time since I began working at Cigar Aficionado , I carried in my bag Cuban cigars—four sticks purchased in Mexico. Now understand, this scenario used to set off a routine that went something like this: I would approach the customs counter, hand over my passport and wait for the inevitable question: "So, Mr. Mott, which magazine do you work for?" My response was always to cut to the chase: "I don't have any cigars, sir." This time, no one even asked me if I had cigars, but rather, I got a perfunctory, "Welcome to the United States."
Each example illustrates how customs greetings have changed in a few short years for Cuban cigar enthusiasts returning to the United States. The shift began on December 17, 2014, when President Obama announced that he was moving toward normalizing relations with Cuba, and was committed to finding ways to allow more U.S. travel to Cuba without violating the parameters of the Cuban trade embargo, which is subject to Congressional oversight. Since then, significant moves have been made: restrictions on people-to-people tours have been loosened; scheduled air flights now fly between a number of U.S. cities and several destinations in Cuba, including Havana; and U.S.-flagged cruise ships regularly dock in Havana's harbor. In addition, the U.S. Interests Section in Havana was upgraded to a full-fledged embassy last summer and earlier in 2016, President Obama visited Cuba with his family.
Still the rules governing importation of Cuban cigars and rum were fairly restrictive: $100 worth of one or the other or both products combined, and only for those who were travelling between Cuba and the United States, with no purchases allowed in other countries. Even then, only authorized travelers to Cuba could take advantage of the privilege to return with barely a handful of cigars. But on October 14, 2016, the rules changed in ways that no one had anticipated. Suddenly, U.S. citizens were allowed to legally buy Cuban cigars or rum in any country, including Cuba, and bring them back to the United States under the same limits applied to all tobacco or alcoholic beverages: $800 worth or 100 cigars (whichever is less) to come in without fees; and one liter of alcoholic beverage. Prior to that new rule, Americans could not buy Cuban product anywhere in the world without breaking the law.
Here is how the regulations apply in general. Any traveler returning to the United States is eligible for a personal duty-free exemption on most goods. If you have been out of the country for more than 48 hours, and have not been out more than once in the previous 30 days, the amount is typically $800. The same limits now govern Cuban tobacco products. Any tobacco product exceeding the limit is subject to a 4-percent duty. Alcohol has long been an exception. Most departure points are limited to one liter regardless of price. Although certain Caribbean nations are granted a two-liter limit, Cuba is not one of those.
Sounds simple, right? Well, the law gets a little vague, if you want to extend the limit by paying duty. The law states very clearly: "Authorized travelers may also return to the United States with alcohol and/or tobacco products acquired in Cuba as accompanied baggage for personal use." (The same language applies to cigars bought in other countries.) The phrase "personal use" means that any customs agent is within his or her rights to question your intentions if you return with, say, a suitcase filled with 50 boxes of cigars. While the regulations also make it very clear that you may give your cigars to a third party, if you sell them or receive any kind of compensation in return for them, you are breaking the law.
Another issue that remains problematic is whether or not cigars acquired during the last 50 years and kept in storage outside the United States, are now eligible to be repatriated under the current regulation. The question was put to four different agencies: the U.S. Treasury, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, Customs and Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security. One office replied, "This response is off the record. I have no further guidance to give you on your subject." This may be an overthinking of the issue, but it is possible that a product purchased while it was illegal to do so might be subject to a different, perhaps stricter, interpretation of the law and confiscated if you tried to enter the country with it. Until there is a better answer, I would remain cautious bringing home boxes of 30-year-old Cuban Davidoffs.
Another point: If you are leaving Cuba with more than 50 cigars, or two boxes, be sure to have the invoices handy to show Cuban customs officials you purchased them from an official source, and are not trying to smuggle out contraband. One traveler in November had 450 cigars, some unbanded and others in boxes, and he was asked to produce documentation. But he also received the duty waiver in Miami at U.S. Customs.
Even as the rules have made it easier for individual Americans to acquire and return home with Cuban cigars, the prohibition remains in place on importing those same cigars for commercial use. Craig Cass, a retailer in North Carolina, says he has been getting frequent questions about "why aren't you selling Cuban cigars?" He has to explain that the trade embargo with Cuba is still in effect. Another retailer, Curt Diebel, of Kansas City, reported that same situation in his stores, but also added that no one is coming in waving their Cuban cigar around saying they bought them on their last trip out of the country.
There's also another reality for everyone to consider. As this article goes to print, the United States is less than a month away from President Donald Trump taking office, and he promised on the campaign trail to undo all of President Obama's executive orders. Presumably those orders that changed the rules on travel to Cuba would be included. Trump also promised in November to get tough again on Cuba. Presumably, if he does repeal those orders, then the rules will revert back to the previous administration's guidelines regarding purchases of Cuban products, including cigars and rum. It could mean a complete prohibition on cigars and rum or perhaps the lower $100 limit allowed for authorized travelers to Cuba. Third-country purchases would probably be eliminated too.
If that happens, American cigar smokers will have only enjoyed a brief window when it was legal to bring significant quantities of Cuban cigars into the United States. Stay tuned.
Baggage allowances.
See what you can take on your flight.
Flying to or from Algiers? The purchase of additional baggage is unavailable online, from our call centres or at the airport on flights to and from Algiers (this excludes any free baggage allowance included in your ticket).
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If you need to travel with more bags than your free British Airways baggage allowance permits, you can pay to add more by logging in to Manage My Booking.
Everything you need to know about baggage.
If you have more than two pieces of hand baggage, or they’re over the permitted size, you may have to put your larger bags into the hold as checked baggage.
When you’ve used your free checked baggage allowance, you’ll have to pay to put any extra bags into the hold. Check your baggage allowance using the calculator above. Please note, the carriage of excess baggage is subject to availability. In some destinations, additional local taxes may also apply.
If your journey includes a flight with another airline, their allowances may be different. Please check before you fly.
If your checked baggage weighs more than your allowance, you may have to pay a heavy bag charge. Check your baggage allowance in the calculator above.
We charge 65 GBP / 75 EUR / 100 USD / 100 CAD per overweight bag and one-way journey. If you’re flying from a country that uses a different local currency, the GBP amount will be converted to the local currency. In some destinations, additional local taxes may also apply.
At many airports, including London Heathrow, London Gatwick and in North America, you can only pay using a credit or debit card. Cash is not accepted and Avios cannot be used for this payment.
British Airways’ 23kg baggage weight limit applies to each bag and can’t be split between multiple bags. Bags over 32kg won’t be accepted as checked baggage.
If your journey includes a flight with another airline, their baggage allowances may be different. Please check before you fly.
The maximum dimensions for an oversize bag in the hold are 190 x 75 x 65cm.
Bags larger than the standard size but within these maximum dimensions are known as out-of-gauge bags. They're accepted as part of your checked baggage allowance but must be checked in at the out-of-gauge bag drop at least 90 minutes before your flight to ensure they travel with you.
You don't need to let us know in advance that you’re bringing a larger bag or item, but you must get to the airport early to check it in.
You must be able to turn on any electronic items you want to take into the cabin, so please ensure all your devices are charged before you leave home.
Items that aren’t charged will need to be packed into your checked baggage and travel in the hold. You can put laptops in your checked baggage, however any spare device batteries and power packs must be carried in your hand baggage in the cabin.
You can also purchase Wi-Fi on board to stream your favourite TV shows or catch up on work while you travel.
Take a look at the list of banned and restricted items for more information.
If your journey includes a flight with another airline, their restrictions may be different. Please check before you fly.
There aren’t any weight limits or overweight charges for medical equipment, but there is a limit to the number of checked bags you can bring for medication or medical supplies.
All checked bags with medical supplies need to be supported by an official medical letter and authorised when you check in at the airport.
You may be asked to check your larger cabin bag in on busy flights, so it’s best to pack essential medication into hand baggage that’s guaranteed to travel in the cabin.
Please see our medical information for specific advice.
If your journey includes a flight with another airline, their policies may be different. Please check before you fly.
On journeys with connecting flights that use a single booking reference, even if it includes other airline codes, your baggage allowance is generally determined by the airline that operates the longest flight in your itinerary.
You can usually check in your bags to arrive at your final destination if:
All your flights are under a single booking reference and ticket number, or Your flights are with one world airlines under a single booking reference, even if you have separate ticket numbers.
Check in your bags for your first flight. Collect your bags when you land – you may need to go through customs. Go to Departures and check your bags in again for your domestic flight. Collect your bags at your final destination.
If you’ve booked separate flights with different booking references to get to your final destination each flight is considered a separate journey. This applies even if both of your flights are with British Airways.
You’ll need to check your bags in for each separate flight. Make sure to leave enough time between each flight to do this and get to your departure gate for the next leg of your journey. Simply follow these steps:
Check in your bags for your first flight Collect your bags when you land - you may need to go through customs Go to departures and check your bags in again for your domestic flight Collect your bags at your final destination.
Please be aware that on journeys with separate tickets and different booking references, your bags will not be transferred on to your next flight as it is considered a separate journey.
Just so you know, airlines have no obligation to automatically check your baggage onto your next flight when you’re travelling on a separate booking reference to your previous flight.
British Airways’ infant baggage allowance includes a 23kg bag checked into the hold for an infant, no matter what cabin they are travelling in. There is no checked baggage allowance if you are travelling with your infant on a hand baggage only (Basic) fare.
Children, and infants with a seat, have the same free baggage allowance as adults. Find out what other items you can check in for your family.
one world Emerald.
In any travel cabin:
1 additional checked bag up to 32kg (70lb). Up to 32 kg (70lb) per checked bag.
This does not apply on a Basic fare, where there is no baggage allowance in any cabin.
one world Sapphire.
2 checked bags up to 32kg (70lb) in any travel cabin.
This does not apply on a Basic fare, where there is no baggage allowance in any cabin.
The above allowances apply to British Airways flights only.
You, as the Executive Club Member, must be travelling on the booking for those on your booking to get these benefits.
These allowances are not available on group bookings or to infants travelling without their own seat. Infants get one 23kg checked bag, no matter their cabin of travel.
It’s free to take wheelchairs, mobility aids and related equipment if it's for your personal use and within the size limits. Find out more.
You can travel with a wide range of personal belongings as part of your normal baggage allowance, including sports equipment and musical instruments. If they weigh over 23kg, you may need to pay a little extra.
All airport purchases count as items of hand baggage. If your gifts or duty-free bags take you over the hand baggage allowance, your extra bags may be checked into the hold. If you’ve already used your free checked baggage allowance, you’ll have to pay for extra bags in the hold.
Travelling on partner airlines.
If your flight number begins with anything other than ‘BA’ (e.g. AA123456X), you’re flying with one of our partners and your baggage allowances may be different.
If a journey with connecting flights includes ‘BA’ and other airline codes, your baggage allowance is generally determined by the airline that operates the longest flight in your itinerary.
You can take 1 checked bag up to 90 x 75 x 43cm (35.5 x 29.5 x 16in) and 23kg (51lb).
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