The expansion of the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), the Dominican Republic’s busiest airport, began Monday (February 21). It will involve a total investment of US$ 280 million and will generate 7,000 jobs.
Airport authorities and the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, participated in the launching of the project. It includes the construction of a logistics center and the expansion of the airport terminals.
President Abinader, in his speech, said that this is one of the most important infrastructure works in the country. Said that it will allow the airport to be positioned as a first-class international logistics hub.
These statements were made by the head of state when he headed, together with the Punta Cana group, the first movement for the construction of the Punta Cana Free Trade Zone (PCFTZ). This is a logistics center, air, maritime, land, and free zone park, as well as the expansion of Terminal B of the Punta Cana Airport.
See also: Dominican Republic and the United States move forward on Open Skies agreement
The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Ito Bisonó indicated that the project will bring great benefits to the country. Hence the logistics center will take advantage of the connectivity that currently exists with some 300 cities in the world from the Punta Cana International Airport with a Free Trade Zone, an aircraft repair and maintenance center, and a fuel center.
CEO of the Punta Cana Group in Twitter:
Con mucho orgullo les presento la expansión de la Terminal B del Aerop de Punta Cana, prevista para estar lista en Nov. de este año. Con esta expansión nos preparamos para recibir 15 mil habitaciones hoteleras nuevas que deben de ser construidas en la zona en los próximos años. pic.twitter.com/As3Xyvyeyo
— Frank Elias Rainieri (@FrankERainieri) February 21, 2022
See also: AERODOM reports record cargo through its airports in the Dominican Republic
For his part, the president and CEO of the Punta Cana Group, Frank Elías Rainieri, expressed that they have been faithful to their commitment to work for the economic and social progress of the country.
“Through the Punta Cana Free Trade Zone and the expansion of Terminal B of the Punta Cana International Airport, we present two initiatives that project the vision of the future with which we are betting on the development of the country. We continue to imagine more,” said Rainieri.
“Terminal B will be ready to receive the U.S. Immigration and Customs pre-clearance service, which we are sure will be approved because of the competitive advantages it offers the Dominican Republic as a tourist and investment destination,” he added.
Work at the Punta Cana Airport
- Punta Cana Free Trade Zone (PCFTZ)
The PCFTZ will be an Air Logistics Center that will handle import, export, transshipment and parcel cargo on a 265,518 sq. mt. of land and 75,000 sq. mt. of construction, thus consolidating the process of cargo operations in passenger airplanes.
- Free Trade Zone Park
It will also have a Free Zone Park that will boost the manufacturing and service industry by facilitating the creation of different businesses on a 185,312 sq. mt. of land and an approximate 93,820 sq. mt. of construction. The administrative offices of the Punta Cana Free Trade Zone will include the operations of the Directorate General of Customs (DGA), DP World Caucedo, and the Free Trade Zone.
- Terminal B Expansion: Punta Cana Airport
The expansion of Terminal B of the Punta Cana International Airport will be carried out with an investment of US$80 million. It will bring a capacity to handle 3 million passengers. This project will cover an area of approximately 25 thousand m² and will have seven boarding gates. Construction is expected to be completed by November 2022.
Update on flights to Punta Cana
In 2021, the Airport moved 4,252,518 passengers. This represented a recovery of 40.15% compared to 2019, when it moved 7,106,248 travelers, according to information obtained through the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) of the Dominican Republic.
But in the last quarter of last year, passenger movement exceeded by 12% the levels of the same period of 2019. These figures placed it as the main airport of the Dominican Republic by concentrating 47% of the flow of travelers.
The following airlines are currently operating:
- Latin America: Aerolineas Argentinas, Avianca, Copa Airlines, GOL, LATAM (Chile and Peru), SKY Air Peru, RUTACA, VIVA and Wingo.
- United States: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, jetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and United Airlines.
- Canada: Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing Airlines, Swoop, and Westjet.
- Spain: Air Europa, Iberojet, LEVEL, Wamos Air, and World 2 Fly.
- Rest of Europe: Aeroflot, Air Belgium, Air Caraibes, Air France, Azur Air, British Airways, Condor, Corsair, Edelweiss Air, Eurowings Discover, Icelandair, Gullivair, LOT Polish Airlines, Nord Wind, Pegas Fly, Royal Flight, Smartwings, TAP Air Portugal, TUI Airways and TUIfly Netherlands.
The Dominican government is working to attract tourists from the Middle East and Asia. For this purpose, they already started conversations with Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Turkish Airlines for an early landing.
Also noteworthy is the movement of tourists to the United States, due to the expansion of Terminal B. this growth will speed up the immigration process once the open skies agreement is signed.
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