Airports in The Dominican Republic
Learn more about the different airports, how to get us on the north coast and some top tips.
photos provided by kiteboardingcabarete.com
Tropical secluded beaches often come with the tradeoff of a tricky journey. That’s not a problem here since we have four main airports in the Dominican Republic. Each of the four, Puerto Plata, Santiago, Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, all offer direct flights from Europe, Canada, and The States. Traveling from either airport to our slice of the north coast is easy and we’ve outlined the details for each below.
Puerto Plata Airport (POP)
Gregorio Luperón International Airport aka Puerto Plata airport, is the easiest and closest to our properties in Cabarete and Sosua. The airport is relatively small and easy to navigate so you can be through and out in no time. Getting from the airport is also quick and easy with a taxi taking just 20 minutes and costing a standard rate of $35 USD. We can either arrange one for you or you can grab one from outside the airport.
Alternatively, if you’re feeling a little adventurous and travelling light, you can take a carrito (public car) or gua gua (public bus). It should take 40 minutes, mas o menos, depending on how many stops are in between. The cost between RD$75 – RD$100 (around $2 US). Just walk out of the airport to the main road and hail one down. The walk to the road is 500 meters, so if you have a lot of luggage it’s not the best option.
If you are going to use public transportation, it’s best to have a landmark or rough idea where you are going before heading off.
Santiago Airport (STI)
Just 15 minutes outside the city of Santiago is El Cibao International Airport. This airport is also relatively small and generally speaking takes less than 20 minutes to get from the check-in desk to your terminal. A taxi takes 1.5 hours and costs around $100 USD, sometimes a little more if it’s a late night flight. If your driver takes the mountain route, keep your camera on hand because the views are spectacular!
The slightly slower but less expensive option is the bus! It costs roughly $60 USD and takes 3 hours. Since both the Metro and Caribe Tours bus stations are located 15 minutes from the airport, you will need to take a taxi and that will cost around $18 USD. Once at the station, you can buy your ticket to Sosua for RD$100. You can double check the up to date prices on the company’s website (links included at the end of this post). Once in Sosua, depending on where you are staying, you can either walk or use public transport.
Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ)
Located just 20 minutes from the capital city center of Santo Domingo is Las AmĂ©ricas International Airport. We recommend arriving well in time for your flight because the lines can be lengthy and take a while to get through the security checks. A taxi will take around 4 hours, depending on traffic, and cost $200 USD. For those on a budget, the bus costs just $45 USD. However, you’ll want to pack a good book since it’s a 7-hour journey. The Metro and Caribe Tours stations are a 25-35 minute taxi ride away and should cost $25 USD. Here you buy your ticket to Sosua for RD$350 and voila! Now you can enjoy that book at last!
Punta Cana Airport (PUJ)
You will notice the flights into the Punta Cana International Airport are cheaper than Puerto Plata. But don’t be fooled! After paying transport costs and losing a day of your vacation to travelling, this option often ends up more expensive. However, if this is your only option, you can spread the journey over a few days and enjoy different parts of the island along the way! If you can’t wait to get to us on the north coast, a taxi will cost $400 USD and take 5.5 hours.
Alternatively, the bus costs between $25 – $50 USD, takes 9 hours in total and is relatively straightforward. From the airport grab a taxi to the Bavaro Express Terminal where you can purchase your ticket for RD$400 to Santo Domingo. From Santo Domingo, you can follow the instructions above to Sosua!
Top Tips
- Before passport control, you will need to purchase a tourist card upon entry for $10 USD. Some airlines include the tourist card in the ticket price. If not, you can often buy them online in your home country to avoid any queueing.
- The exchange rate at the airport isn’t great and you will get a better rate in town. If you don’t have any Dominican Pesos, it’s good to change up a small amount to pay for the journey because often drivers don’t carry much change.
- The buses are heavily air conditioned so bring a sweater for the ride! BRRRRR.
 Here are the links to the Metro Bus Schedule and the Caribe Tours Bus Schedule so you can check the up to date prices and times.
Did we miss anything? Let us know your best tips for Airports in The Dominican Republic in the comments below.
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