Arajet Makes Powerful Ecuador Comeback With Guayaquil–Punta Cana Flights Linking Miami, Orlando, Cancún and San Juan

In a major comeback in Ecuador, Arajet is reinstating services between Guayaquil and Punta Cana, enhancing the direct connections to the Dominican Republic and offering connecting flights to destinations such as Miami, Orlando, Cancún and San Juan via Punta Cana.

The Dominican Republic carrier resumed operations on the route on Tuesday, when its first departing flight from Guayaquil (GYE) operated at 100% capacity. The full inaugural departure provides an early indication of passenger demand following the airline’s return to Ecuador.

Four Weekly Services Connect Guayaquil and Punta Cana

Under the renewed schedule, Arajet will operate services in each direction twice a week.

Flights from Punta Cana (PUJ) to Guayaquil will operate on Mondays and Fridays, while departures from Guayaquil to Punta Cana will run on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The schedule gives travellers a direct link between Ecuador’s largest city and one of the Dominican Republic’s principal international tourism gateways.

The service also expands travel options beyond passengers whose final destination is Punta Cana. Arajet is positioning the Dominican Republic as a connecting point within its wider network across the Americas.

Punta Cana Opens Connections Across the Americas

Passengers beginning their journeys in Guayaquil will be able to travel through Punta Cana and connect with several important destinations in the Caribbean and North America.

Among the onward destinations highlighted by the airline are Cancún, Miami, Orlando and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This connectivity broadens the significance of the Guayaquil route. Rather than functioning only as a point-to-point leisure service between Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, it can also serve travellers heading to other destinations within Arajet’s network.

The connections could be particularly relevant for leisure travellers seeking Caribbean holidays as well as passengers travelling between Ecuador and major destinations in the United States.

Ecuador Emerges as an Important Tourism Market

The return to Guayaquil comes as Ecuador continues to generate significant visitor traffic for the Dominican Republic.

Ecuador ranks among the top 15 source markets for tourists travelling to the Dominican Republic, demonstrating its growing importance within the destination’s wider Latin American visitor base.

Approximately 67,600 Ecuadorian tourists visited the Dominican Republic in 2025. This represented an increase of around 4% compared with 2024.

The growth provides an important backdrop to Arajet’s decision to restore the route. Rising visitor numbers indicate continued interest among Ecuadorian travellers in Dominican destinations, while direct air access can make leisure journeys more convenient by reducing the need for intermediate connections.

Punta Cana remains particularly important to this travel flow because of its position as one of the Dominican Republic’s major resort and aviation gateways.

Direct Flights Strengthen Ecuador–Dominican Republic Travel

Restoring nonstop flights gives travellers another option for moving between the two countries while supporting broader tourism links.

Direct connectivity can play an important role in destination accessibility, particularly in leisure markets where journey time and ease of travel can influence holiday decisions.

For Ecuadorian travellers, the service provides direct access to Punta Cana while also opening connecting opportunities through Arajet’s network. For the Dominican Republic, the route strengthens access to an expanding South American source market.

The service therefore combines tourism demand with a wider network strategy focused on connecting destinations across Latin America, the Caribbean and North America.

Guayaquil Returns to Arajet’s International Network

Arajet’s return to Guayaquil forms part of the airline’s broader effort to strengthen the Dominican Republic’s role as an aviation connection point for the Americas.

The airline currently operates a network covering 30 destinations across the Americas, giving it an increasingly broad footprint across the region.

Since beginning operations, Arajet has transported more than four million passengers, reflecting the expansion of its network and passenger base.

Reintroducing Guayaquil adds Ecuador back into this connectivity strategy and creates another South American entry point into the airline’s network.

Full First Flight Signals Early Demand

One of the most notable elements of the relaunch was the performance of the first service departing Guayaquil.

The flight operated at 100% capacity, providing a strong start for the restored connection.

While a single full departure does not establish the long-term performance of a route, it demonstrates immediate passenger interest in the resumed service.

Sustained demand will ultimately determine how the connection develops, but the initial load highlights the potential of the Ecuadorian market for both direct Dominican Republic travel and onward journeys.

Punta Cana Gains a Wider Connecting Role

Punta Cana is widely associated with international leisure tourism, but Arajet’s network strategy gives the airport an additional role as a connecting gateway.

The ability to travel from Guayaquil through Punta Cana to destinations including Cancún, Miami, Orlando and San Juan means passengers can use the Dominican Republic as an intermediate point on journeys across the Americas.

This creates a different proposition from a route built solely around resort traffic.

It also supports the Dominican Republic’s broader position within regional aviation by linking South American cities with Caribbean and North American destinations through a single network.

Tourism Growth Supports Restored Connectivity

The combination of rising Ecuadorian arrivals to the Dominican Republic and Arajet’s expanding regional network provides the commercial context for the route’s return.

The approximately 67,600 Ecuadorian visitors recorded in 2025, alongside the 4% annual increase, show that the market was already growing before the restoration of the Guayaquil service.

Greater nonstop connectivity could further support that movement by simplifying journeys for travellers who previously needed alternative routings.

At the same time, onward connectivity gives the service access to demand beyond passengers travelling specifically to the Dominican Republic.

New Travel Options for Ecuadorian Passengers

For travellers in Guayaquil and surrounding areas, the restored flights provide a clearer pathway into the Caribbean.

Passengers can now fly directly to Punta Cana twice weekly, while using the same gateway to reach additional destinations in Arajet’s network.

The Tuesday and Saturday departures from Guayaquil may also provide useful options for leisure itineraries, while Monday and Friday services from Punta Cana restore regular inbound connectivity from theDominican Republic.

With the route back in operation, Arajet is rebuilding its presence in Ecuador while expanding the range of international travel options available from Guayaquil.

The combination of twice-weekly flights in each direction, a full first departure, growing Ecuadorian tourism demand and connections to major destinations across the Americas places the restored Guayaquil–Punta Cana service within a wider regional aviation and tourism strategy.

Arajet is making a powerful Ecuador comeback with restored Guayaquil–Punta Cana flights, opening easier connections to Miami, Orlando, Cancún and San Juan.

The resumption of flights from Arajet from Guayaquil improves connectivity for passengers traveling to and from the Dominican Republic and Ecuador while offering them greater reach in the Americas. Through direct flights to Punta Cana, followed by connections to cities such as Miami, Orlando, Cancun, and San Juan, and the positive response from passengers, the route becomes more important.