Washington, June 11 (RHC-teleSUR), -- The United States govnment has said six airlines can begin direct flights to Cuba, according to a U.S. Transportation Department statement, another move towards normalization of relations between both countries.

"Last year, President Obama announced that it was time to 'start a new journey' with the Cuban people," said Anthony Foxx, Transportation Secretary. "Today, we are honoring his promise relaunching air routes to Cuba after more than half a century".

American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines will be allowed to fly up to 10 round trips to the island a day, according to Reuters. In total, there will be 155 weekly flights with a capacity of over 20,000 people.

These airlines could start offering trips to Cuba from five U.S. cities, as soon as Sept. 2016.

The flights will be departing from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Philadelphia and Minneapolis/St. Paul. They will arrive at the Cuban cities of Camagüey, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo, Cienfuegos, Holguín, Manzanillo, Matanzas, Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba.

This will be the first time U.S. commercial airlines can fly to the island since the U.S. imposed a blockade on Cuba more than 50 years ago.