The route’s first flight at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston was attended by a rich representation of local government officials, including Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Rev. Kenneth Richards, Archbishop of Kingston; Senator Aubyn Hill, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Mark Golding, Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of the People's National Party; and Angie Martínez, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Jamaica.
“This flight from Arajet opens a complete new and exciting chapter in the relations between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic,” said Senator Johnson Smith.
Derived from its wide range of international flights to Europe and the United States, Norman Manley International Airport is considered a key air connectivity centre in the Caribbean. The new route represents a significant opportunity for Arajet to stimulate the air and tourist traffic between Santo Domingo and Kingston, strengthen ties between the two regions and build a bridge that allows communication and transportation of national and international travellers.
"Achieving air connectivity between the Dominican Republic and Jamaica has long been one of our most important goals,” said Ambassador Martinez. “We are proud of how Arajet is leading the charge in democratizing aviation in the Caribbean, Latin, Central and North America, and putting the Dominican flag at the top.”
Arajet will offer two weekly frequencies to Jamaica on Mondays and Fridays with tickets starting at US $257 and flights departing from Santo Domingo at 17:20 and arriving at 17:55 in Jamaica and departing at 18:40 from Jamaica and arriving at 21:05 in Santo Domingo.
“My dream is that a tourist who visits the Dominican Republic from Europe or United States, can spend a few days in my country, learning to dance merengue and enjoying our wonderful white sand beaches,” said Víctor Pacheco Méndez, Arajet´s CEO and founder. “And later, from Santo Domingo, they can also take advantage of our new direct route to Kingston and get infected with their reggae and visit the waterfalls at Ocho Ríos, Montego Bay and all the other scenic destinations this beautiful country has to offer.”
Arajet’s first direct flight to Kingston is supported by an initial fleet of five new latest-generation Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft that provide a comfortable and safe flight experience in a cabin of 185 reclining seats with maximum comfort and enough personal space. The planes are the quietest on the market producing 40% less noise pollution per trip, while their LEAP-1B CFM engines save up to 14% more fuel compared to single-aisle planes, allowing the airline to save on operating costs that support low fares so everyone can fly with simple, direct bookings.
Since launching in September 2022, Arajet has inaugurated 15 destinations of its initial network. The airline connects Santo Domingo with point-to-point, non-stop flights to Mexico City, Monterrey and Cancun in Mexico; San José in Costa Rica; San Salvador in El Salvador; Guatemala City in Guatemala; Lima in Peru, Quito and Guayaquil in Ecuador; Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Marteen in the Caribbean; and Cali, Barranquilla and Cartagena in Colombia.
In December, Arajet will continue inaugurating direct flights to Medellín and Bogotá in Colombia.
