Buenos Aires / Punta Cana – The Argentine government has authorized Dominican low-cost carrier Arajet S.A. to operate three new direct international routes connecting the interior of Argentina with Punta Cana, Dominican Republic—bypassing Buenos Aires. The approval, formalized under Disposition No. 21/2025 and published in the Boletín Oficial, allows passenger and cargo flights on the new routes:
-
Punta Cana – Córdoba
-
Punta Cana – Mendoza
-
Punta Cana – Rosario
The expansion follows a bilateral agreement signed in December 2024 between Argentina’s and the Dominican Republic’s civil aviation authorities, aimed at enhancing regional connectivity, decentralizing air traffic, and opening new tourism and cargo opportunities without requiring connections through the capital.
Until now, Arajet’s Argentine operations centered on the Punta Cana–Buenos Aires route, served with 10 weekly frequencies from Ezeiza International Airport. The carrier also announced the return of its Buenos Aires–Santo Domingo service starting December 12 with two weekly flights, along with an increase in Punta Cana frequencies from Buenos Aires to 13 per week.
“Arajet’s sustained growth in Argentina is part of a joint strategy with the Ministry of Tourism, which has strongly supported opening new markets,” said Víctor Pacheco Méndez, Arajet CEO and founder.
Dominican Tourism Minister David Collado welcomed the move, noting that “Argentina is already the third-largest source of tourists to the Dominican Republic, with 2025 showing a 100% growth rate compared to last year.” The Dominican Republic is expected to receive around 400,000 Argentine visitors by year’s end, up from 272,000 in 2024.
The route expansion is part of a broader push to liberalize and expand Argentina’s air transport sector. The government has signed 26 Memorandums of Understanding with countries across four continents, enabling unlimited frequencies and more flexible route agreements. According to the Ministry of Transport, this policy has already resulted in 39 new international connections becoming operational, fostering competition, boosting tourism, and creating greater choice for travelers and businesses.
The addition of Arajet’s new services will provide direct access from Argentina’s interior to one of the Caribbean’s most in-demand destinations, bypassing the capital and diversifying the nation’s flight network. Demand for Punta Cana has been climbing steadily—official figures from Aerolíneas Argentinas show a 77% increase in passengers to the destination during the last winter break compared to the same period in 2024.
Multiple carriers, including Aerolíneas Argentinas, have responded to this surge with promotional fares, such as a 20% discount on Punta Cana tickets for the upcoming season, as competition intensifies to capture a growing share of the Argentine market for Caribbean travel.
