Where it is and how it is laid out
The airport lies about 15 kilometres from the historic centre of Havana. Its passenger traffic is divided between three terminals that operate almost as separate airports: Terminal 3 for scheduled international arrivals and departures, Terminal 2 for the historic US-linked flights, and Terminal 1 for domestic and charter movements. Because the terminals are physically separated, a connection between an international arrival and a domestic departure means clearing the first terminal and transferring by road.
What to expect on arrival
Arrivals pass through immigration, baggage reclaim, and customs. Cuba requires proof of onward or return travel and, in practice, evidence of medical coverage for the trip. Currency cannot be obtained abroad in any useful quantity, so travellers change money on arrival at the airport bank or cadeca booth; card acceptance is limited and unreliable, and cards issued by US banks generally do not work. Arriving with a plan for cash is part of arriving well.
Onward travel
From HAV you can pick up a rental car, take an official taxi into the city, or connect to a domestic flight or long-distance Víazul coach. For most visitors the airport is the start of a road journey — to Havana itself, west to Viñales, or east along the autopista toward Varadero and the beaches. Plan the first leg before you fly; arranging transport at 2 a.m. in an unfamiliar arrivals hall is the avoidable part.
Connecting through Havana
Because HAV is Cuba's main hub, some journeys connect here — an international arrival into Terminal 3 followed by a domestic departure from Terminal 1, for instance. Allow generous time. The terminals are separate buildings linked by road, baggage is not through-checked between a domestic and an international carrier, and internal flights can shift or cancel at short notice. If your onward leg is tight, an overnight in Havana between the two is the low-stress choice, and it hands you an evening in the capital besides.