The Cuban government has given the green light to air service between Tampa and Havana, with once-a-week charter flights beginning as early as Sep. 10. A second weekly flight will likely be added in October.

Joe Lopano, CEO of Tampa International Airport, said July 27 that the flights — one of the few foreign flights anywhere out of Tampa — will be on Miami-based ABC Charters, which already operates between Miami and various Cuban cities.

“Accessing this vital international destination will benefit all of Tampa Bay with its economic impact and it is great news for our Cuban-American community,” Lopano said in a media statement.

Tampa airport officials said about 140,000 people of Cuban ancestry live within 90 minutes of the airport. The Tampa Bay area ranks second in the nation only to the Miami area in the size of its Cuban-American population, according to the U.S. Census.

“ABC Charters is proud to facilitate the reunification of the Cuban American families in Tampa and the adjoining areas,” said Tessie Aral, president of ABC. “They no longer will need to drive several hours to Miami so they can visit their families in Cuba.”

Round-trip fares will range between $399 and $459, said Aral. American Airlines will operate the flights using Boeing 737-800 jets with 145 seats. The announcement follows years of lobbying by Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), who said it was “fantastic news” for families who for too long have had to travel to Miami in order to get to Cuba. “They have had to spend extra money for plane tickets and hotel rooms to do so, making an already expensive journey even more cumbersome,” she said.

Tampa was one of eight U.S. cities approved for charter flights to Cuba in March by Washington, but Havana had not given its goahead for the Tampa flights until now. Tampa used to have flights to and from Havana until the U.S. trade embargo was imposed in 1962 to put pressure on Cuba’s communist government.