by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 11:25 AM ET, Mon September 14, 2026
The Dominican Republic continues to be a hot destination for Canadians and airlines are responding with more flights to the sunny nation. The Caribbean Journal reports that, while Canadian travellers have long been a major presence in Punta Cana, the country’s Canadian network is increasingly extending to Puerto Plata, Samaná and Santo Domingo.
Data from Aeropuertos Dominicanos (Aerodom) backs this up. Canadian traffic is up 13 percent in Puerto Plata and 62 percent in Samaná compared to 2025.
Puerto Plata is set to welcome more Canadians this winter, with Air Transat adding a weekly route from London, ON and WestJet introducing a weekly service from Winnipeg. Both routes will launch in December.
During the 2026-2027 winter season, Aerodom expects Canadian seat capacity to Puerto Plata to rise by around 20 percent. According to the report from the Caribbean Journal, Air Transat currently leads the Canadian market in Puerto Plata with approximately 153,000 passengers, followed by WestJet with more than 113,000 passengers. Air Canada, meanwhile, has seen its Puerto Plata traffic increase 22 percent compared to 2025.
Meanwhile, traffic to Santo Domingo is expected to rise with Air Canada’s nonstop service from Montreal, also set to launch in December.
The surge in Canadian traffic can be seen most dramatically in Samana, where Canadian passenger traffic is up 62 percent. Aerodom expects Canadian seat capacity into Samaná to jump approximately 39 percent compared to the previous winter.
Caribbean Journal states that Air Transat has carried approximately 44,000 passengers in the market, followed by WestJet with around 31,000 and Air Canada with roughly 19,000. Air Canada’s Samaná traffic is up 17 percent compared to last year.
Aerodom, the private company that manages the Dominican Republic’s six airports, says that the increased traffic “not only solidifies the Dominican Republic's position as a preferred Caribbean destination for the Canadian market” but also “emphasizes the importance of collaboration between airport operators and airlines to stimulate the sector.” These routes are seen as an indicator of the country's role as a leader in Caribbean tourism, with the promise of “a positive and lasting impact on the Dominican tourism industry.”
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