Tourism Minister David Collado inaugurated the first Arejet airline flight on Monday, connecting Santo Domingo with the US cities of New York and Newark, thus becoming the first Dominican airline to make that connection in the last 30 years.
Flight DM 2310 with 185 passengers arrived at 10:30 a.m., also headed by the director of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation, Igor Rodríguez, and the founder and CEO of Arajet, Víctor Pacheco, who raised the flags of the Dominican Republic and New Jersey from the cockpit as a symbol of the conquest of this new destination in the airline's network, which becomes the third in the United States, along with Miami (MIA) and San Juan (SJU), and the twenty-eighth in the entire American continent.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Arajet celebrated the launch of the nonstop, daily service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo (SDQ) with an event in New Jersey that was also attended by Congressman Adriano Espaillat, the Dominican Consul in New York, Jesús Vázquez, the Dominican Consul in New Jersey, José Santana, among other government and congressional authorities.
This new route offers travelers a direct and affordable connection between the New York metropolitan area and the Caribbean.
David Collado highlighted the importance for the country of having a national airline that offers the connectivity that Arajet is providing.
“Our goal is to increase the country’s connectivity , which is why we are focused on achieving the open skies agreement, so that Dominican airlines can offer routes that will bring more tourists to the country, but also allow Dominicans abroad to come to the country at fair prices,” he stated.
Arajet CEO and founder Víctor Pacheco stated, “Offering this route has always been our primary objective since the beginning of our operations, as New Jersey and New York are home to the largest Dominican diaspora and are also the states that contribute the most tourists to the Dominican Republic. Thanks to Arajet, all those passengers will now have a daily option to travel to our country with low prices and first-class service.”
Arajet, headquartered in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, operates a modern fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Since its launch in 2022, the airline has rapidly expanded to 26 destinations in 17 countries and recently surpassed the two million passenger mark. With an 81% share of the Dominican market, Arajet continues its mission to redefine air travel in the Americas through flexible fares, reliable service, and a customer-centric approach.
Open Skies Agreement , which facilitates greater connectivity between the Dominican Republic and the United States.
Flights begin June 16 and are now available, with round-trip fares starting at $262 USD . One-way tickets are offered from $127 USD from Newark to Santo Domingo and from $135 USD return. The route serves as a vital link between the United States and the Dominican Republic, especially for the Dominican community with deep cultural and family ties in the New York metropolitan area.
Arajet will fly daily between Santo Domingo and Newark starting today, and this expansion into the US market represents a significant step in strengthening the country's presence in international aviation.
Once in Santo Domingo, travelers can explore the country's vibrant cities, beaches and heritage sites, or easily connect to 24 destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean through Arajet's expanding network.
The new service to Newark not only strengthens cross-border connections, but also positions EWR as a strategic hub for regional travel, offering easy access through direct transit connections and proximity to Manhattan.
