Dominican low-cost carrier Arajet has launched its first flights to the United States, marking the beginning of a new route between Las Américas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo and Miami International Airport (MIA) on April 14, 2025.
Initially, the Miami service will operate four times a week, with plans to increase to daily flights by June 2025. The route is served exclusively by Arajet’s Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, the only model in the airline’s fleet.
In addition to the new Miami route, Arajet is also preparing to introduce a daily nonstop service between Miami and Punta Cana (PUJ), a popular tourist destination in the Dominican Republic, starting in June 2025.
Expansion Plans Following Open Skies Agreement
Arajet, which rebranded from Dominican Wings in 2022, operates a low-cost carrier model across the Americas, with destinations spanning from Argentina and Chile to Canada. Despite its extensive network, the airline had not entered the US market until now, waiting until 2025 when the Dominican Republic and the United States signed an Open Skies agreement in December 2024. This agreement paved the way for unlimited new routes and frequencies between the two nations.
Seizing the opportunity presented by the Open Skies agreement, Arajet has outlined ambitious plans to expand its US operations. In addition to the Miami route, the airline will introduce a new service between Santo Domingo and San Juan, Puerto Rico, on June 4, 2025. Just days later, on June 16, 2025, Arajet will launch a four-times-weekly service to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The airline’s expansion is expected to continue with additional routes as it receives more Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for its growing fleet.
Facing Competition on New Routes
Arajet’s entry into the US market will bring competition on several routes, particularly the Miami (MIA) to Santo Domingo (SDQ) route, where it will compete directly with American Airlines, the dominant carrier on the route, as well as with SKYHigh Dominicana, another Dominican airline.
With its low-cost model and expanding network, Arajet aims to capture a significant share of the US-Dominican Republic travel market in the coming months.
