Santo Domingo —The United States and the Dominican Republic signed the Open Skies aviation agreement on Friday at a protocol ceremony at the National Palace, led by President Luis Abinader and U.S. Undersecretary José W. Fernández.
As highlighted by Fernandez, the agreement fosters growth and competition and provides clear benefits for the consumer.
“We welcome the Dominican Republic to join this community of partners committed to maintaining an open and modern air services market,” said the U.S. official.
Jose W. Fernandez added that this agreement would strengthen the two countries’ tourism, travel, and commercial ties. “It will also serve the interests of our peoples by increasing the availability of flights and reducing costs,” he said.
“This is a very important occasion for our two countries because aviation brings people together. We have a long and prosperous history together. Our nations are inextricably linked: 2.4 million people of Dominican descent live in the United States and 300,000 U.S. citizens reside in the Dominican Republic. Because of these ties, this agreement will have far-reaching benefits for U.S. and Dominican citizens,” added the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment.
With the Open Skies pact, Dominican airlines will no longer be restricted in where they can fly in the United States. Dominican travelers will enjoy new flight options, lower fares, and better service among more airlines in the market.
In addition, travelers from the Dominican Republic can fly nonstop to more U.S. destinations beyond the typical New York and Florida routes, including less frequented U.S. cities that are also home to large Dominican communities.
Likewise, U.S. travelers could benefit from more nonstop options to the Dominican Republic. Instead of worrying about long connections at other airports, they could spend more time with their families, enjoy the beauty of this country, and boost tourism revenues here.