Arajet: History, expansion, and leadership of the Dominican Republic's flag carrier airline

Arajet S.A., commercially known as Arajet, is the flag carrier and the largest airline of the Dominican Republic. Based in Santo Domingo, this low-cost airline has transformed the country’s connectivity with the rest of America, positioning itself as a key player in Latin American aviation.

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Origins as Dominican Wings

Airbus A320-200 de Dominican Wings. Origen de Arajet

The story of Arajet began at the end of 2014 with the founding of Dominican Wings, which obtained its air operator certificate from the Dominican civil aviation authority. In its beginnings, it offered charter flights between the Dominican Republic and destinations such as Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Argentina. Its first aircraft, an Airbus A320-200 with registration HI968, was delivered on May 3, 2015.

Transformation towards the low-cost model

In 2018, the company announced a radical transformation: it would stop operating charter flights to become an ultra-low-cost airline, backed by an investment of 60 million dollars. This change marked the starting point for its evolution towards a new brand.

Arajet is Born: A Caribbean Vision with Continental Projection

In September 2021, the entrepreneurs Víctor Pacheco Méndez and Mike Powell announced the rebranding to Arajet, with a new vision: to become the first Dominican low-cost airline with regular flights throughout the Caribbean, North America, Central America, and South America. That same year, the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) approved the modification of the Economic Authorization Certificate to include 30 international routes. At the same time, the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), together with Arajet, certified two Dominican inspectors at Boeing facilities in the United States to supervise its new fleet.

First plane: national pride

The first Arajet aircraft was a Boeing 737 MAX 8, named “Pico Duarte”, in honor of the highest point in the Caribbean. With registration HI-1026, the aircraft was received at the Las Américas International Airport on March 3, 2022. This marked a milestone for Dominican aviation, as it was the first time it had a high operational efficiency aircraft under a national low-cost airline.

Official Launch and International Support

On March 14, 2022, the official launch of Arajet took place at an event headed by President Luis Abinader, who highlighted that Arajet would have a majority of Dominican capital. During that event, Boeing confirmed an order for 20 Boeing 737 MAX 200 aircraft, with an option for 15 more. The operation was backed by Bain Capital and Griffin Global Asset Management, two important firms in the financial and aeronautical sector.

First commercial flight

The first symbolic flight of Arajet took place on August 13, 2022, from Santo Domingo to Bogotá, with a delegation of entrepreneurs, diplomats, and opinion leaders. The official start of commercial operations occurred on September 15, 2022, with a flight to Barranquilla, Colombia.

Accelerated Expansion and Regional Leadership

Since then, Arajet has experienced a significant expansion. As of June 2025, the airline operates flights to 27 destinations in 18 countries, with more than 130 weekly frequencies from its two hubs: Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. It has added strategic connections in North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean.

Featured Routes:

North America: Miami, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Newark, Chicago, Orlando.
Central America: San Salvador, San José, Guatemala City.
South America: Bogotá, Lima, Buenos Aires, Santiago, São Paulo, Cartagena, Medellín.
The Caribbean: San Juan, Kingston, Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten.

Upcoming confirmed destinations:

Córdoba, Mendoza, and Rosario (Argentina)
Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte (Brazil)
Bridgetown (Barbados), Nassau (Bahamas), Panama City (Panama), among others.

Terminated Destinations:

Barranquilla and Cali (Colombia), Monterrey (Mexico).

Modern and expanding fleet

Arajet operates an exclusive fleet of Boeing 737 MAX, characterized by fuel efficiency and advanced technology.

Modelo	En servicio	Pedidos	Pasajeros	Comentarios
Boeing 737 MAX 8	10	5	185	Aviones actuales en operación
Boeing 737 MAX 200	—	20 (+15 opcionales)	Por confirmar	Entregas a partir de 2026

The fleet carries names of Dominican natural reserves and tourist destinations, such as Bahía de las Águilas, Los Haitises, Jaragua, and Ojos Indígenas. The average age is 4.3 years, positioning Arajet among the airlines with the youngest fleets in the region.

Global Connectivity and Interline Agreements

Arajet has also established interline agreements with other airlines, such as Hahn Air, to facilitate the global connectivity of its passengers through international booking systems.

Arajet in figures (June 2025)

Foundation: 2014 (as Dominican Wings)
Start of operations as Arajet: September 15, 2022
Headquarters: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Fleet: 10 active aircraft, 25 on order
Current destinations: 27
Countries served: 18
Weekly frequencies: 131
Passengers transported in 2024: more than 1 million
Hubs: Las Américas Airport (SDQ) and Punta Cana Airport (PUJ)

Technical Sheet of Arajet S.A.

Trade name: Arajet
Legal name: Arajet S.A.
Type: Low-cost airline
Country of origin: Dominican Republic
Headquarters: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Foundation:

2014 (as Dominican Wings)
2021 (rebranding as Arajet)
Start of operations: September 15, 2022
CEO and founder: Víctor Pacheco Méndez
Co-founder: Mike Powell
Business model: Ultra low cost (ULCC)
Majority capital: Dominican
Financial backing:
Bain Capital
Griffin Global Asset Management
Operations centers (hubs):
Las Américas International Airport (SDQ), Santo Domingo
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ)

Fleet

Aircraft Type: Boeing Only
Operational Models:

Boeing 737 MAX 8 (10 in service)
Boeing 737 MAX 200 (20 on firm order + 15 optional)
Average capacity: 185 passengers
Average fleet age: 4.3 years
Emblematic names on its aircraft: Pico Duarte, Bahía de las Águilas, Los Haitises, Jaragua, Isla Saona, among others