"Today, 40 years after our beginnings, and with more than 120 million passengers later, Punta Cana Airport stands as a model of sustainable development." - Frank Elías Rainieri.
PUNTA CANA. – Punta Cana Airport (PUJ) celebrated 40 years of historical milestones and the formal inauguration of the Terminal B expansion, in an event attended by the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader; government officials, airport community partners and media.
Opened in 1983, it is the world's first privately owned airport for international commercial use, handling 68% of the country's tourist air traffic, connecting with 75 cities in 34 countries through 58 airlines, moving more than 9 million passengers and transporting more than 25 million kilos of cargo annually.
“Characteristic of the innovative spirit of its founders, Punta Cana Airport has maintained its commitment to innovation, which has allowed it to be one of the best airports in Latin America, with constant growth,” said Frank Elías Rainieri, president and CEO of Grupo Puntacana.
He also added that “Today, 40 years after our beginnings, and with more than 120 million passengers later, Punta Cana Airport stands as a model of sustainable development that allows us to take on new investments, keeping us at the forefront and ahead of the growth curve of the tourism sector.”.
Pioneers in business diversification, as part of the first and only MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) workshop in the region starting in 2025, announced the creation of an Aeronautical University, contributing to strengthening an aeronautical ecosystem never before seen in the Caribbean.
He concluded his speech by thanking the more than 17,000 direct and indirect collaborators of the Puntacana Group, as well as government allies and the airport community, for being part of an important journey towards the socio-economic growth of the area.
The meeting was attended by Joel Santos, Minister of the Presidency; David Collado, Minister of Tourism; and Monsignor Jesús Castro, Bishop of the Diocese of Our Lady of Altagracia in Higüey. Representing Grupo Puntacana were Frank Rainieri, founder and chairman of the board; Haydée Rainieri, board member; Paola Rainieri, Chief Marketing Officer; and Francesca Rainieri, Chief Financial Officer.
Terminal B
The expansion of Terminal B at Punta Cana Airport represents an investment of over US$90 million and will allow for the handling of 5,000 passengers per hour and 4 million passengers per year. This project will cover approximately 35,000 square meters and will include seven boarding gates and seven jet bridges.
The expansion was developed by Dominican engineers and architects, such as architect Antonio II Imbert, and Eduardo Domínguez of the construction company Imbert Domínguez y Asociados, with the ambiance of the food court and the VIP lounge by the renowned designer Adriana Hoyos.
It is projected that, with this addition of Terminal B, the airport will exceed 11 million passengers annually, allowing it to meet the anticipated increase in demand in the area for 14,000 new hotel rooms in the coming years.
Terminal B is one of the most modern airport terminals in the region, with flagship amenities and services such as a VIP Lounge with a pool and an impressive view of the runway, Fast Track service and a modern food truck area with a wide variety of gastronomic options.
Airport Technology
Some of its new technological implementations include biometric smart paths for agent-free check-in, self-service kiosks and mobile technology with fast and secure biometric registration and enrollment, self-service baggage drop-off with biometric verification, single or double electronic self-service boarding gates, and automated access and border control.
In addition, there are new self check-in kiosks with baggage tag printing, an Explosive Detection System (EDS) at the security checkpoint and baggage carousel, new security screens, auto-gates, self-service boarding, ABC kiosks in the arrival immigration area, and self-service bag drop will be implemented soon.
It also has self-service flight check-in kiosks, e-gate immigration, 10 state-of-the-art body scanners, 8 tomographic machines and 4 automated machines, making it one of the most modern in equipment throughout Latin America.
About Punta Cana Airport (PUJ)
Punta Cana Airport has two runways, 33 boarding gates, 38 aircraft parking positions, and seven VIP lounges. It also has its own Recycling and Incineration Center, where 60% of the waste it generates is recycled.
Punta Cana International Airport achieved a record 8 million passenger traffic, becoming the first airport in the country to reach this figure, demonstrating the growth of the Dominican tourism industry.
Cover photo: President Luis Abinader with PUJ executives during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Credit: Punta Cana Group.
