Exactly two years ago to this very day  - back on March 11, 2009 – I wrote a column for ABCNews.com called “The Next Vacation Hot Spot: Cuba?” Now, it seems, that reality may be just around the corner.

We’ve received word that the United States Customs and Border Protection has now authorized more airports to offer passenger air service to and from Cuba via charter flights.

New York’s John F. Kennedy and Miami International are currently the only ones offering this service, and at the moment, charters are limited to travel for Cuban-Americans visiting relatives, for journalists and for those making authorized religious or educational trips.

But I imagine it won’t be long before we’ll see Cuba opening up to regular tourists like you and me. And why not?

A lot of us are ready for adventure: according to the latest government data, 30% of us have passports (and it would be great if more of us got them) – so why not use them for travel to an international destination in our own backyard that’s both accessible and affordable, especially compared to other popular Caribbean vacation spots? Anyway, it is great to see one of the last remaining icebergs from the Cold War – the ban on travel to Cuba – slowly but surely thawing.

And yes, I can hear all you cigar aficionados out there saying, gracias!

For the record, airports now authorized for charters to Cuba include the following (in no particular order):

• Pittsburgh International Airport
• Miami International
• New York’s John F. Kennedy
• Los Angeles International
• Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International
• Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International
• Baltimore/Washington International
• Dallas/Fort Worth International
• New Orleans Louis Armstrong International
• Chicago’s O’Hare International
• Tampa International Airport
• Puerto Rico’s San Juan Louis Munoz Marin International