One year after Obama embraced Cuba, what has changed?

The governments of the US and Cuba have reached an agreement to resume commercial flights between the two countries, the US Department of State announced on Thursday.

Although the ban on tourist travel remains in force, the new accord will “facilitate an increase in authorized travel, enhance traveler choices, and promote people-to-people links between the two countries”.

Diplomatic exchanges between the USA and Cuba came to a screeching halt in 1961 when Washington announced that it would be breaking off its ties with Havana. At the same time, the improved public Wi-Fi availability in Cuba and eased travel restrictions for Cuban-Americans mean that contact between the island and Cuban communities in the United States now is much like that for other immigrant communities from around the hemisphere.

New York-based JetBlue Airways Corp, which already operates charter flights to the island, said it plans to apply to schedule service once it has reviewed the aviation deal.

On other issues, however, the US and Cuba remain far apart.

China and Japan have been among the most coveted restricted markets during the past two decades, with US airlines aggressively bidding on new routes as they’ve become available to those nations. “We look forward to offering service between our global gateways and Cuba as soon as we have approval to do so”, airline spokesman Charles Hobart said in an email.

The deal reached Wednesday night after three days of talks in Washington opens the way for USA airlines to negotiate with Cuba’s government for routes that could bring thousands more visitors a day to the island.

It is not known when the first Cuba-bound flights will take off.

US President Barack Obama himself called on Thursday for Congress to lift the embargo, calling it the “legacy of a failed policy”.

U.S.travel from Cuba is up more than 50 percent from previous year even though flying today requires wrangling with charter airlines that are expensive and hard to book.

The president said he hopes enough progress can be made in order for a visit to happen, and possibly to “nudge the Cuban government in a new direction”.

In a statement, Obama said “important steps” had been taken to mend ties, including re-establishing diplomatic relations and opening embassies.

Washington and Havana said they would work to resolve sensitive issues over the coming months.

“The atmosphere of relaxation makes it easier for Cuba to diversify its economic relations beyond just Venezuela”, its main ally and trade partner, said Jorge Duany, an expert at the Florida International University’s Cuban Research Institute.