Dominican Republic · SDQ
Flights to Santo Domingo
The oldest European city in the Americas, and three hours from the resorts
Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas. The Zona Colonial has a cathedral and a fortress dating from the early 1500s, and it is a working neighbourhood rather than a preserved museum.
The most important practical point is what it is not. Santo Domingo is not the airport for Punta Cana and the eastern resorts, which are around three hours away by road. Travellers book into the wrong one regularly and it is an expensive error.
Getting to Santo Domingo
Airports
Las Américas (SDQ) is the main international airport, around 30 km east of the city. A second smaller airport, La Isabela (JBQ), sits north of the city and handles domestic and short regional flights.
Flight time
Roughly 2h 30m non-stop from Miami, about 3h 45m from New York, near 4h from Boston and around 2h 45m from Fort Lauderdale.
Into the city
Thirty to forty-five minutes by road. Official taxis operate at fixed rates by zone from a desk inside the terminal, which is preferable to negotiating in the arrivals hall.
When to go
Demand rather than price is described here on purpose. Any fare we show you comes from a live search on your own dates, so a fixed figure on this page would be out of date before you read it.
Best weather
December to April
The dry season, warm and comparatively low in humidity, and the peak for North American visitors. Book ahead over Christmas and Easter.
Hurricane season
June to November
Hot and humid with the Atlantic hurricane risk peaking around September. Direct hits are not common but disruption is a genuine possibility, and this is when prices are lowest.
Carnival and festivals
February
Dominican carnival runs through February with parades across the country, culminating around the end of the month. It coincides with the good weather, so demand is high.
Good to know
- Currency
- Dominican peso (DOP)
- Airport to city
- 30–45 minutes
- To Punta Cana
- 2.5–3.5 hours by road
- Language
- Spanish
- Time zone
- Atlantic Standard Time, no daylight saving
- Power
- Type A and B plugs, 110V
Entry requirements change and we are not an immigration authority. Always confirm the current rules for your nationality with the relevant government before you book or travel.
Worth sorting before you fly
This is not the Punta Cana airport
Punta Cana has its own airport, coded PUJ, around three hours east. If your hotel is in Bávaro or the eastern resort strip, fly there instead. The fare difference almost never covers the transfer.
Confirm the tourist card position
The tourist card has at various points been bundled into the airfare and at others payable on arrival, alongside an electronic entry form. Requirements have changed more than once, so check with Dominican immigration before you fly.
Stay in or near the Zona Colonial
The colonial quarter is compact and walkable and holds most of what a first-time visitor wants to see. Staying there removes the need to cross a large and heavily trafficked city several times a day.
Other destinations
FAQ
Santo Domingo — common questions
Airports, timing, and when it is worth talking to an agent.
Is Santo Domingo airport near Punta Cana?
No. Punta Cana is around three hours east by road and has its own airport, coded PUJ. Flying into Santo Domingo for an eastern resort turns a short transfer into most of a day.
How far is Las Américas airport from Santo Domingo?
Around thirty kilometres east of the city, typically thirty to forty-five minutes by road. Official fixed-rate taxis are sold from a desk inside the terminal.
When is the best time to visit Santo Domingo?
December to April is the dry season with the most comfortable weather. June to November is the hurricane season, cheaper and wetter, with the risk peaking around September.
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