Commercial flights from Tampa to Cuba are back for the first time since 1962, when relations between the two countries broke off during the Cold War.

The first flight left Tampa International Airport Thursday afternoon for Cuba. Tickets to the island aren’t cheap, often running more than $400 for the 75 minute trip.But the region’s deep-rooted Cuban-American community no longer has to travel to Miami or New York to visit the island. Many Cubans began coming to the Tampa Bay in the late 19th century, including Cuban poet Jose Marti, who raised funds for the Cuban independence fight against Spain.

The Obama administration has eased some travel restrictions. Two Miami-based companies and a Tampa firm will operate weekly flights for Cuban-Americans and those with business, educational or other visas.