Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) is experiencing one of the busiest periods in its history, with flight operations already exceeding last year’s levels and an annual projection of more than 11 million passengers by year-end, according to information shared this Friday by Giovanni Rainieri, Airside Operations Director of the terminal.
Speaking to Diario Libre, the executive explained that December has become a historic month for the airport.
“This month we are breaking all previous records and setting new milestones. We are going to close with more than 11 million passengers from January to December, with more flights in a single week and more passengers in just one day,”
Rainieri stated.
He recalled that in 2024 the airport closed with 10.1 million passengers, so this year’s performance reflects sustained growth in both air operations and the Dominican Republic’s tourism activity.
Rainieri pointed out that Saturdays remain the days with the heaviest traffic, often registering peaks above normal volumes. In that sense, he anticipated that Saturday, December 27 is expected to set a new record for daily flight operations, although precise figures are still being finalized. For this Friday alone, the airport has around 150 commercial flights on its schedule.
Over the current week, Punta Cana International Airport is operating 812 flights, and for next week the figure is projected to exceed 850 flights, which would represent a new all-time high for weekly operations. In the same week last year, the terminal handled 786 flights, underscoring the year-on-year increase.
Rainieri also noted that the highest passenger volume will be concentrated between December 24 and 31, a period in which the airport expects to move around 300,000 passengers between arrivals and departures, driven by the Christmas and New Year holiday season. This surge further consolidates Punta Cana as the country’s main gateway for international tourism and one of the most active airports in the Caribbean.
