Now you can search Kayak for Cuba flights and hotels

Cuba travel information on flights and hotels is now searchable on Kayak.com.

The travel search engine last Thursday made the decision to add information about flights originating outside the U.S. on Aeromexico, Copa Airlines and other carriers that go to Havana. (There’s no commercial service to Cuba from the U.S. because of the embargo that’s been in place for half a century.)

Kayak also added listings of more than 300 hotels in the island nation.

Why did Kayak take the step now?

“Because of the increased eligibility to travel there, there’s a whole lot more interest there,” Kayak’s chief marketing officer, Robert Birge, says. “And a whole lot of people started asking for information there.”

Demand has increased since President Obama relaxed travel restrictions to Cuba last year, even though the U.S. embargo remains in place. New rules went into effect Jan. 16 that eased the rules on which Americans are eligible to visit and conduct business in Cuba.

But there’s one thing you won’t find on Kayak’s Cuba searches: links to booking sites.

The company says it’s providing “information only” at this point and adds this note on searches:

“This page displays publicly available information only; travelers cannot make Cuba-related travel arrangements through Kayak, and Kayak does not represent that any of the listed sources actually can or will make bookings for Cuba-related travel arrangements.”

In other words, you have to pursue whatever leads you find on Kayak yourself -- for now.

The company says it will be ready to provide travelers with links to make their own Cuba travel arrangements if and when the U.S. acts to lift the embargo and allow unrestricted tourism.