O'Hare will not get direct flights to Havana

CHICAGO (WLS) -- O'Hare did not make the list of U.S. airports approved to offer non-stop flights to Havana, Cuba.

The Department of Transportation gave tentative approval for direct routes out of select cities for eight airlines.

United and American airlines both asked for permission to fly direct between O'Hare and Havana. Chicago-based United is approved to offer non-stop service, but only out of its hubs in Newark and Houston.

The U.S. cities are Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Houston; Los Angeles; Newark, New Jersey; New York; and four in Florida - Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa. Of the 20 daily nonstop flights allowed to Havana, 14 are from Florida, home to the largest population of Cuban-Americans.

The other airlines are Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest and Spirit.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.