Snowden's flight from Moscow to Havana passes over US airspace.

On June 20th, the flight did not pass through US territory: <a href="http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AFL150/history/20130620/1005Z/UUEE/MUHA" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;flightaware.com&#x2F;live&#x2F;flight&#x2F;AFL150&#x2F;history&#x2F;20130620&#x2F;1...</a><p>Perhaps strings can be pulled so it takes the same route again.

Here is the map of SU150 (Sheremetyevo - Jose Marti) flight path on 22nd June:<p><a href="http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AFL150/history/20130622/1005Z/UUEE/MUHA" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;flightaware.com&#x2F;live&#x2F;flight&#x2F;AFL150&#x2F;history&#x2F;20130622&#x2F;1...</a>

Can someone explain why Snowden is going this way instead of going over the Pacific to Venezuela?

This strikes me as a non-issue. This case is far too high profile for the US to risk the diplomatic and PR fallout from forcing or otherwise coercing a commercial airliner to land unexpectedly.