Punta Cana – Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) is gearing up for what is expected to be the busiest year in its history in 2025, with unprecedented passenger traffic and flight movements, according to airport officials.
Giovanni Rainieri, Airside Operations Director at PUJ, explained that December will once again become the critical month of the year, concentrating the largest flow of travelers, flights, and air operations in a single day. Internal data shared with N Digital indicate that by December 31, 2025, more than one million passengers with confirmed tickets will have passed through the terminal, further consolidating Punta Cana as the main international air hub of the Dominican Republic.
New passenger record on a single day
Rainieri detailed that a new all-time record for daily traffic will be set on December 29, when the airport expects to handle around 51,000 passengers aboard 155 flights. This projection would exceed the previous record of 50,000 passengers processed in a single day.
Between December 24 and 31, PUJ estimates that close to 300,000 passengers will move through its facilities, including approximately 245,000 confirmed arrivals into Dominican territory. Weekly flight operations are also forecast to reach unprecedented levels, with about 850 inbound and outbound flights, surpassing the previous peak of 786.
December surges above 40,000 passengers per day
Airport authorities anticipate that, in the final weeks of December, daily traffic will consistently remain above 40,000 passengers, compared to the roughly 30,000 passengers per day recorded during the first half of the month. Rainieri pointed out that this sharp increase has required the reinforcement of operational teams and a significant expansion of security and support services.
To cope with the surge in travelers and flights, several state agencies have bolstered their deployment at the terminal. Among them are the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), the General Directorate of Migration, the Specialized Airport and Civil Aviation Security Corps (CESAC), and the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), all of which have intensified their presence and coordination to ensure fluid operations and passenger safety amid this historic traffic boom.
