HAVANA, Cuba (CMC) — The United States and Cuba have agreed to restore regular commercial flights, a move that could pave the way for thousands of visitors to the Spanish-speaking Caribbean nation, on a daily basis.

The deal was announced yesterday, exactly one year since President Barack Obama and President Raul Castro announced an ease on the strained relations between both countries.

While US law still bars travel to Cuba for tourists, the deal is expected to increase authorised travel between both nations.

It is not known, however, when the first Cuba-bound flights will take off.

In a statement yesterday, US President Barack Obama, touted the steps the US has taken to normalise relations with Cuba in the past year and called on Congress to lift its embargo.

In May, the US removed Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, an act that led to the reopening of embassies months later.

Last week, the US and Cuba announced they would resume direct postal services between both nations several times a week, alleviating the need to rely on routing mail through a third country.

Details of that deal are expected to be finalised in coming weeks.

On December 17, 2013, Cuban President Raul Castro and Obama announced the normalisation of relations after more than 50 years of hostility between both countries.