In pre-Covid times, flights through Cuba were one of the main routes on the way from Russia to Mexico. Aeroflot flew to Havana, and Aeroméxico and Interjet operated regular flights from Havana to Mexico City and Cancun. Tickets could be purchased very inexpensively. Russians do not need a visa to enter Cuba, and connecting independently in Havana did not cause any problems.
After Covid everything changed. Interjet went bankrupt, now Aeroméxico and Mexican low-cost airlines fly from Mexico to Cuba, asking far from low prices for tickets. With the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Aeroflot lost the chance to fly to Cuba, but in October 2022 Nordwind began flying again, although not to Havana. In general, the previous simple and inexpensive options for flights from Russia to Mexico via Cuba no longer exist, but others have appeared. Given the extremely high prices on Turkish Airlines tickets from Istanbul to Mexico, it's worth checking them out.
Nordwind from Moscow
Nordwind flies from Moscow to Cuba to resort destinations — in Varadero (2 times a week) and Cayo Coco. However, you can only buy a one-way ticket. It is more convenient to fly to Varadero, take a taxi, move to Havana, and then take Aeroméxico or Aeromar flights to Cancun or Mexico City. However, if you are willing to stay in Cuba for a day or two to see the sights, you can use the flight to Cayo Coco.
In addition to taking a taxi, it is also possible to get from Varadero to Havana by private carriers, of which there are many offers on the Internet. Regular buses also run along the route. From Cayo Coco you will only have to take a private cab.
All Nordwind flights arrive in Varadero at approximately 6:15 am. This gives you plenty of time to get to Havana and fly to Mexico on flights that usually depart after 3 pm.
Although direct flights from Varadero to Mexico are also available, you will not find tickets for free sale on aggregator sites. Because for some time now the air transportation market between the two countries has been very strictly regulated due to the large flow of migrants from Cuba to Mexico. But, upon arriving in Varadero, you have the opportunity to buy such a ticket for cash at the offices of Cuban travel agencies. Your friends can buy you such a ticket at travel agency offices in Mexico.
Turkish Airlines from Istanbul
We hope you know how to get from Russia to Istanbul. And from Istanbul to Havana you have the opportunity to fly direct flights with Turkish Airlines. The Turkish Airlines schedule includes this flight 3 times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The flight arrives in Havana at 2:15 am, so you will have plenty of time, more than 12 hours, to connect to Aeroméxico or Aeromar flights to Mexico. Russians do not need a visa to visit Cuba, and they can go out into the city and see the sights of Havana.
Let us remind you that Mexico's migration rules require you to have a return ticket from the country. This can be a ticket to where you flew from to Mexico, or to any third country. Return tickets for those arriving from Cuba will be checked very strictly for the reason we mentioned above.
On the other hand, flying from Istanbul to Havana on Turkish Airlines allows you to avoid the requirement of this airline to have a return ticket only to Istanbul and only in one booking with a return ticket, as if flying on an Istanbul flight. Mexico City — Cancun. When boarding a flight to Havana in Istanbul, Turkish Airlines still requires the passenger to have a return ticket from Cuba. But at the same time he admits that this ticket can be to a third country, and not to Istanbul. And you will just have a ticket to Mexico.