Low-cost airline is launching new flights in Miami. Here are the details and routes
Low-cost airline Arajet expects to start flights between Miami International Airport and Santo Domingo or Punta Cana by next summer. It’s part of a larger opening between the Dominican Republic and the U.S., and a potential boon for travelers and the tourism industry.
The long-awaited debut comes after the Dominican carrier received Department of Transportation approval in December as part of an agreement between the U.S. and the Caribbean country that makes it easier for airlines to fly in and out of each country.
“This agreement with the Dominican Republic is a step forward in liberalizing the international civil aviation sector in the Western Hemisphere,” the State Department said in a statement.
New York and San Juan, Puerto Rico will also see flights to and from Santo Domingo or Punta Cana by the end of June.
The carrier, which serves more than 100,000 fliers each month, aims to start U.S. operations with a daily flight between MIA and either Santo Domingo or Punta Cana and the same for New York between April and June 30, Manuel Luna, chief communications officer, said in an interview with the Miami Herald.
Arajet is waiting for Federal Aviation Administration approval before finalizing details and selling tickets. The airline has not yet decided between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, Luna said. But “our goal is to start with a daily flight to MIA and one to New York.”
Arajet would then add flights to cover both Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. Its third destination in the Dominican Republic is Santiago de los Caballeros.
Further expansion depends in part on whether Boeing comes through. Arajet is expecting five more planes from Boeing in 2025, Luna said.
For the flights between the Dominican Republic and the U.S., Arajet will fly new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, with a capacity of 185 passengers. Cabins will be mostly economy, although some seats will have extra legroom and cost more.
Tourism in the Dominican Republic
Arajet’s expansion come as tourism in the Dominican Republic is breaking records.
In 2023, the DR received over 10 million tourists by land and sea, a high, according to the local newspaper Dominican Today. That number is expected to reach 12 million by the end of 2024.
In the first nine months of 2024, the country saw about 8.4 million visitors, a record for that period and 55% higher than January through September in 2019, Dominican Today reported.
That growth could get turbocharged with American Airlines’ daily flights between MIA and La Romana, which started Dec. 5 with a 128-passenger Airbus A319.
Miami-Dominican ties
The Dominican Republic’s ties with South Florida are strengthening as the Caribbean country keeps growing. And South Florida has been a big beneficiary of the growth.
In 2022 and 2023, the Dominican Republic was MIA’s third largest source of international passengers, behind only Colombia and Mexico. This year the number is increasing.
Midway through 2024, the Dominican Republic was on pace to provide 1.7 million travelers at MIA, according to Greg Chin, communications director for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department. That would be 36% more than the 1.25 million travelers in 2023, according to official figures kept by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Meanwhile, Miami VIPs have been flying to Casa de Campo Resort & Villas, a favorite getaway. Pitbull and Marc Anthony are regulars. Lili Estefan, host of Univision’s El Gordo y la Flaca, attended the resort’s 50th year anniversary in October. She told the Miami Herald she’s been frequenting Casa de Campo for 25 years and loves the Dominican Republic.
Expanded Colombia-Miami link
The Caribbean nation isn’t the only one adding flights to South Florida.
Colombian carrier Avianca is starting four new routes in 2025 between South Florida and Latin America, with flights in Miami and Fort Lauderdale:
▪ FLL-Medellin
▪ FLL-Managua-San Salvador
▪ San José-MIA
▪ Guatemala City-MIA
Avianca is also adding service between Tampa and Bogotá, the Colombian carrier said in a statement. Starting dates and frequency weren’t released.
This story was originally published December 27, 2024 at 5:00 AM.