Santo Domingo Airport Guide: Gateway to the Dominican Capital
Santo Domingo Airport, officially Las Americas International, links the Dominican capital with New York, Miami and Madrid. Explore its runway and routes.
By The Aviation Hub
6 min read
Updated October 20, 2026 
Santo Domingo Airport, officially Las Americas International Airport, is the main gateway to the capital of the Dominican Republic. It sits on the Caribbean coast at Punta Caucedo, east of the city, and handled about 5.5 million passengers in 2024. Punta Cana carries more tourists, but this is the airport of the Dominican diaspora, business travel and cargo. Its links with New York, Miami and Madrid are among the busiest in the Caribbean.
Santo Domingo Airport at a Glance
The airport uses the IATA code SDQ and the ICAO code MDSD. It lies about 12 miles (20 km) east of central Santo Domingo, at an elevation of 18 m (59 ft). There is a single runway, 17/35, and passengers use two terminals, A and B.
Santo Domingo Airport recorded 5,534,893 passengers in 2024, according to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic. JetBlue is the largest airline, while Arajet and SKYhigh Dominicana are based here. The operator is Aerodom, a private company running six Dominican airports under a concession, which has been part of VINCI Airports since 2016. Flight information and terminal maps are on the airport’s official website.
How the Capital’s Airport Came to Be
Las Americas opened in 1959 as the new airport for Ciudad Trujillo, the name the capital carried under the dictator Rafael Trujillo. Before then, airline timetables listed the city’s airport as General Andrews. After Trujillo’s assassination in 1961 the city returned to its historic name, Santo Domingo.
For decades the airport served as the hub of the national airline Dominicana de Aviacion, and later of carriers such as APA International Air and PAWA Dominicana, none of which survived. In 2002 the official name was extended to honour Jose Francisco Pena Gomez, a leading Dominican politician. Locals still call it simply Las Americas or “El Aeropuerto”.
Privatisation brought Aerodom in as operator under a build, operate and transfer concession, and the runway was renovated in 2008. In January 2010 the airport became a key relief base after the earthquake in neighbouring Haiti, receiving aid flights that included the giant Antonov An-225.
Runways at Santo Domingo Airport
Runway 17/35 is 3,353 m (11,000 ft) long and 61 m wide, with an asphalt surface. It is among the longest runways in the Caribbean and can take the Boeing 747. Today it handles Airbus A330s and A350s from Europe alongside the steady stream of Boeing 737s and A320s from the United States.
A parallel taxiway was converted into a temporary runway while the main strip was renovated, then returned to taxiway use once the work was finished. The runway runs roughly north to south, with its southern end close to the sea. Easterly trade winds blow across it much of the year, so pilots often land with a crosswind component. Afternoon thunderstorms in the wet season, and the hurricane season from June to November, cause the main weather disruptions.
Terminals and Airlines
Santo Domingo Airport has two passenger terminals. Terminal A uses a satellite concourse with gates A2 to A6, while Terminal B has gates B1 to B4 plus remote stands. Terminal B hosts a Copa Club lounge shared with United. Both buildings are dated and become crowded at peak times, which is why a new terminal is under construction.
JetBlue is the biggest airline, flying Airbus A320s and A321s to New York, Boston and Florida. Delta, United and American serve their hubs, and Frontier links San Juan. Arajet, the low cost carrier launched in 2022, flies Boeing 737 MAX 8s from here across the Americas. SKYhigh is the other home airline. Copa and Avianca connect Panama City and Bogota, while Iberia, Air Europa and World2Fly fly to Madrid, Air Caraibes links Paris Orly and Condor flies to Frankfurt.
Routes and Destinations
New York JFK is the busiest route by a wide margin, with about 973,000 passengers in 2025 on Delta and JetBlue. Miami was second with roughly 622,000. American and SKYhigh fly it today, and Spirit did until the airline ceased operations in May 2026. Madrid ranked third at around 545,000, a reflection of strong ties with Spain. Newark and Panama City completed the top five.
The route map reflects the diaspora. Large Dominican communities in New York, New Jersey, Boston, Florida and Spain drive demand all year, with peaks at Christmas, Easter and in the summer holidays. Transatlantic flights to Madrid, Paris and Frankfurt are among the longest routes. Arajet has added new links to South America, Central America, Mexico and the United States. Cargo is a major business too, with around 355 million lb (160,000 tonnes) handled in 2019.
Getting to and from Santo Domingo Airport
There is no rail or metro link. Santo Domingo Airport is reached by the Las Americas expressway, which follows the coast west into the city. The main route crosses the Ozama River on a modern suspension bridge and connects with the elevated roads and tunnels that cross the capital. An alternative coastal route uses a floating bridge to reach the Malecon seafront.
Official airport taxis wait outside arrivals and charge fixed fares by zone. The ride to the Colonial Zone usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, with fares in the region of US$40 (about £30). Ride hailing apps operate but pick up rules change, so check before landing. Car hire desks are in both terminals, and the resorts of Boca Chica and Juan Dolio lie a short drive east.
Spotting and Photography
Spotting at Santo Domingo Airport is best done from public ground near the coast, where aircraft cross the shoreline at the southern end of the runway. Inside, the departure lounges give views across the apron. The traffic mix is rewarding, with Arajet 737 MAX 8s, JetBlue A321s, Iberia and Air Europa wide bodies and a steady flow of cargo freighters.
Light is strong year round, and early morning or late afternoon avoids the harshest glare. The heaviest arrival waves from the United States land in the early afternoon. Security is visible around the perimeter, and local police may question anyone with long lenses near the fence. Carry identification, stay on public land and stop if asked.
What Comes Next
A new passenger terminal is the centrepiece of the airport’s future. Construction began in June 2025 at a cost of about US$250 million, with completion expected at the end of 2028. It should ease the congestion in Terminals A and B and give room for Arajet’s continued growth.
Arajet’s expansion, the steady diaspora market and strong cargo volumes all point to further growth. Competition from Punta Cana for tourist traffic will continue, but the capital’s airport has a different and more resilient customer base. Santo Domingo Airport is heading for a stronger regional role once the new terminal opens. See how it compares with other Caribbean airports on our Airports of the World map.
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