Air traffic handled more than 50 million passengers between 2024 and August 2026, while the IDAC plans to put a new international airport into operation in Pedernales in 2027
SANTO DOMINGO.–SANTO DOMINGO. – The Dominican Republic recorded 585,363 air operations between 2024 and August 2026, a period in which more than 50 million passengers, according to statistics presented by the general director of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), Igor Rodríguez Durán.
Air traffic behavior occurs within a context of growing connectivity in the country and investments in equipment, technology, and training to strengthen operational capacity and safety standards in civil aviation.
More than 585,000 air operations between 2024 and August 2026
The statistics presented by IDAC show that air operations maintained a high volume during the three periods analyzed:
| Period | Air operations |
| 2024 | 212,023 |
| 2025 | 217,620 |
| January-August 2026 | 155,720 |
| Total | 585,363 |
In 2024, 212,023 air operations were recorded , while in 2025 the figure increased to 217,620 .
Between January and August 2026, another 155,720 transactions, bringing the total for the period to 585,363 transactions.
Rodríguez Durán highlighted that this growth in air activity is accompanied by investments in equipment and staff training, as part of the efforts aimed at maintaining the operational capacity and safety levels of Dominican civil aviation.
The official also noted that aviation is a driver of economic dynamism and connectivity for the country.
Pedernales will have a new international airport in 2027
One of the projects linked to the expansion of air connectivity is the new international airport being built in the municipality of Oviedo, Pedernales province.
Rodríguez Durán reported that the terminal is expected to become operational in 2027. According to the IDAC director, the agency is working on acquiring and installing the necessary equipment for its operation.
The new airport is projected as a component to support the development of the Enriquillo region, by facilitating air connectivity with Pedernales and other areas of the Dominican southwest.
According to the official, the terminal will also contribute to expanding economic, tourism and social opportunities in this area of the Dominican southwest.
Rodríguez Durán also indicated that the airport would become the country's ninth international air terminal, a figure that corresponds to the projection presented by the director of the IDAC.
What impact will the Pedernales airport have on the Enriquillo region?
The opening of a new airport terminal can expand the connectivity options of a territory and facilitate access for visitors to destinations that currently depend on other means of transport.
In the case of Pedernales, the project is linked to the tourism development prospects of the Enriquillo region and the need to strengthen its air connection.
IDAC itself has indicated that the infrastructure will improve connectivity with Pedernales and other areas of the southwest, while also creating conditions to expand economic and tourism opportunities in the area.
For the tourism and infrastructure sector, the evolution of air connectivity is a relevant element for the development of new destinations and for the mobility of visitors to different regions of the country.
Aviation, connectivity and tourism development
Rodríguez Durán emphasized that the growth of air operations requires continued investment in technology, equipment, and staff training, in order to support the sector's expansion under operational safety standards.
The future international terminal in Pedernales is a key component of the expansion of Dominican airport infrastructure and the strengthening of air connectivity to the Enriquillo region. Therefore, the combination of increased air traffic, new infrastructure, and regional connectivity will be a significant factor in the development of tourist and economic destinations seeking to expand their ties with the national and international markets.
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