Flying to the Dominican Republic: entry paperwork, airports and resort transfers

Direct flights run from dozens of US cities, and the tourist entry fee is now folded into most plane tickets — here is what to confirm before you fly and how to avoid a transfer markup at the airport.

The Dominican Republic is one of the most directly connected Caribbean destinations from the US, with nonstop flights to Punta Cana (PUJ) from dozens of cities, typically 3–4.5 hours depending on your departure city.

Entry requirements

US citizens need a valid passport; no advance visa is required for short tourist stays. The former paper tourist card fee is now generally included automatically in the price of commercial flight tickets to the country, so most travelers no longer pay it separately at the airport — but requirements and fee structures are updated periodically, so confirm current rules on the US State Department's country page before booking, especially if you are arriving by a less common route.

Choosing an airport

Punta Cana (PUJ) is the main gateway for the eastern resort coast and has the most nonstop US routes; Santiago (STI) and Santo Domingo (SDQ) serve the north and the capital respectively and are better choices if your trip is not resort-centered. Prices are generally lowest outside major US school holidays and the Christmas-to-New-Year peak.

Getting from the airport to your resort

Many all-inclusive packages include a round-trip airport shuttle — confirm this when booking, since it is one of the easiest line items to add for a modest fee compared to arranging it separately. If transfers are not included, book one in advance online rather than negotiating with drivers who approach you outside the terminal; the difference in price is often two to three times for the same ride.