Summer travel surge boosts arrivals at Las Américas Airport

Santo Domingo.- The summer vacation season has led to a sharp increase in passenger arrivals at Las Américas International Airport (AILA), with the United States, Puerto Rico, and several European countries serving as the main sources of travelers. The rise in air traffic includes more than 120 daily flights, prompting authorities to reinforce Immigration and Customs staffing.

Most arriving Dominicans are coming from major U.S. cities such as New York, Miami, Boston, Orlando, Atlanta, and Newark, as well as from Puerto Rico. Additionally, large numbers of tourists from European countries like France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Portugal are visiting the Dominican Republic for vacation.

While tour operators efficiently handle the arrival and hotel transfers of foreign tourists, many travelers have voiced frustration over long delays in receiving their luggage. Passengers—particularly those arriving from New York, Miami, and Boston—report waiting up to an hour at Customs due to slow baggage handling by companies contracted by Aerodom.