You can soon fly from New York to Cuba - but it will cost $850

Cuba Travel Services (CTS) announced this week that it will be launching weekly flights from New York's JFK International to Havana, starting March 17.

Limited charter flights between South Florida and Cuba have been going on for years. But this is the first time scheduled service between the Big Apple and the Cuban capital will be offered.

Round trip tickets from New York will be sold at the introductory price of $779 for the inaugural flight, but will then increase to $849.

Those who want to travel in luxury can upgrade to first class for an additional $475.

We actually thought $850 sounded rather steep. New York to Rome, London, or even Hawaii - sure. But to Cuba? Really?

But a little digging revealed that $850 might not be all that outlandish.

We called CTS, and Michael Zuccato, the company's general manager, explained the cost of the ticket.

Since the once-a-week flights from New York will be operated by Sun Country Airlines using a Boeing 737-800. CTS will have to pay Sun Country to lease a plane.

Airlines typically price tickets at wide range of price points, but the CTS flights will be sold at a flat rate.

The $850 ticket also includes obligatory travel taxes, along with required medical insurance that amounts to a couple of hundred dollars.

Considering that a short flight form South Florida to Cuba costs between $400 and $450, this flight may actually be a halfway decent deal.