Domestic flights in Dominican Republic
Aug 26, 2023, 1:13 pm
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 392
Domestic flights in Dominican Republic
I am booked to fly to Punta Cana in October. Originally I had been planning to stay around that area but my plans have changed and I would like to spend some time up on the north coast around Puerto Plata or maybe Sosua. I have having a real problem trying to figure out how to get there other than renting a car or taking a 5 or 6 hour taxi ride. A couple of websites seem to suggest there are a couple of domestic airlines but I can't find any actual schedules or any way to book. Nothing is showing up on the major OTAs.
Aug 26, 2023, 1:18 pm
#2
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I am booked to fly to Punta Cana in October. Originally I had been planning to stay around that area but my plans have changed and I would like to spend some time up on the north coast around Puerto Plata or maybe Sosua. I have having a real problem trying to figure out how to get there other than renting a car or taking a 5 or 6 hour taxi ride. A couple of websites seem to suggest there are a couple of domestic airlines but I can't find any actual schedules or any way to book. Nothing is showing up on the major OTAs.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punt...tional_Airport
Aug 26, 2023, 2:12 pm
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 392
The PUJ Wikipedia entry shows no domestic flights whatsoever. (Whether the Wikipedia entry is up to date, I do not know.)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punt...tional_Airport
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punt...tional_Airport
Aug 27, 2023, 4:33 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 149
We regularly fly into PUJ and drive ourselves to Las Terrenas on the Samana peninsula. With a pit stop, it takes 4 hours and 15 minutes. Cabarete/Sousa is further, but follows much the same route. You'll find the roads are good the whole way (stick to the bigger motorways and the toll road), but traffic can be scary at times. If it's your first time driving in the DR, I wouldn't recommend doing so at night. People drive with their high beams on at all times, and motorbikes/pedestrians (of which there are many) can be very difficult to see along the shoulder. You could break up the drive by staying a night in Santo Domingo.
Aug 27, 2023, 6:47 am
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 392
Thanks. I fly into PUJ at around 5pm on a Saturday. If I decide to rent a car (and I think I almost certainly will) the plan would be to stay the Saturday night somewhere near PUJ and do the drive on the Sunday. I have never driven in DR before, but I have driven in other areas of the Caribbean and Latin America as well as Sri Lanka and parts of Africa.
As regards car rental - I am looking at booking through the British Expedia site which will include collision and theft insurance (1,000 USD excess/deductable) and I also have an Amex Plat. Am I going to get coerced into buying some overpriced local insurance policy that I don’t need as a condition of renting, as often happens in Mexico etc?
As regards car rental - I am looking at booking through the British Expedia site which will include collision and theft insurance (1,000 USD excess/deductable) and I also have an Amex Plat. Am I going to get coerced into buying some overpriced local insurance policy that I don’t need as a condition of renting, as often happens in Mexico etc?
Aug 27, 2023, 1:53 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 149
As regards car rental - I am looking at booking through the British Expedia site which will include collision and theft insurance (1,000 USD excess/deductable) and I also have an Amex Plat. Am I going to get coerced into buying some overpriced local insurance policy that I don’t need as a condition of renting, as often happens in Mexico etc?
Great idea to spend the night in PUJ given your late afternoon arrival. The Four Points Sheraton is in a good location. It's fine. Good enough for one night's sleep anyway. Breakfast is also good.
Aug 27, 2023, 2:18 pm
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 392
In short - yes, you will be made to purchase the "super collision damage waiver" or whatever they call it. I've got European Amex and MC and neither covers car rentals in the DR, so read your fine print or better yet, call and get it in writing from Amex if they do. Otherwise, whatever bare-bones rental agreement I find on Expedia or the like, the final price is usually about double that. (That's with the SCDW plus windscreen and tires, and usually an extra driver.)
Great idea to spend the night in PUJ given your late afternoon arrival. The Four Points Sheraton is in a good location. It's fine. Good enough for one night's sleep anyway. Breakfast is also good.
Great idea to spend the night in PUJ given your late afternoon arrival. The Four Points Sheraton is in a good location. It's fine. Good enough for one night's sleep anyway. Breakfast is also good.
Do you have any idea how much I am likely to be rinsed for when I get there for the "super" cover (which I don't need or want)?
Sep 13, 2023, 3:45 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 392
In short - yes, you will be made to purchase the "super collision damage waiver" or whatever they call it. I've got European Amex and MC and neither covers car rentals in the DR, so read your fine print or better yet, call and get it in writing from Amex if they do. Otherwise, whatever bare-bones rental agreement I find on Expedia or the like, the final price is usually about double that. (That's with the SCDW plus windscreen and tires, and usually an extra driver.)
Great idea to spend the night in PUJ given your late afternoon arrival. The Four Points Sheraton is in a good location. It's fine. Good enough for one night's sleep anyway. Breakfast is also good.
Great idea to spend the night in PUJ given your late afternoon arrival. The Four Points Sheraton is in a good location. It's fine. Good enough for one night's sleep anyway. Breakfast is also good.