When low cost carrier Arajet was founded in 2021, I speculated that their operations might be based out of Punta Cana (PUJ) in the Dominican Republic, given that it is a popular tourist city.
However, they chose Santo Domingo (SDQ) instead, beginning service in 2022. Over the past two years, the carrier has taken delivery of 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, expanding its footprint across Canada, Central and South America, and parts of the Caribbean.
On October 27, 2024, the Dominican Republic carrier opened its second base in Punta Cana, almost doubling network capacity with non-stop flights to 14 cities.
- Kingston (KIN), Jamaica
- Lima (LIM), Peru
- Mexico City (MEX) and Cancun (CUN), Mexico
- Bogota (BOG), Cartagena (CTG) and Medellin (MDE), Colombia
- Quito (UIO) and Guayaquil (GYE), Ecuador
- Toronto (YYZ) and Montreal (YUL), Canada
- Sao Paulo (GRU), Brazil
- Buenos Aires (EZE), Argentina
- Santiago (SCL), Chile
Credit: Great Circle MapperIn a statement, Víctor Pacheco, CEO and Founder of Arajet, said:
“For Arajet, it is a firm commitment to continue democratizing the skies and connecting the continent from Canada to Argentina at the best market prices with world-class service.”
Giovanni Rainieri, Airside Operations Director at Punta Cana Airport said:
“This strategic alliance responds to our mission of continuing to be the airport with the most air traffic in the Dominican Republic, receiving 68% of the tourists who arrive in our country. We thank Arajet for placing its trust in our airport and inviting us to be part of its expansion plans in the country, with the purpose of promoting tourism.”
Besides bringing more traffic to the DR, Arajet was set up with the intention of offering additional connectivity across the Americas, similar to what Copa Airlines does, but using a low-cost model. As of the last few months, the carrier flew over 100,000 passengers per month, representing 7% of the total number of passengers flying in and out of the Dominican Republic.
In March 2023, Arajet also applied for permission to operate to New York, Miami and San Juan in Puerto Rico, but the application was met with opposition, and has slowed the approval process.
Featured image: Arajet
