Haitian regional carrier Sunrise Airways has marked another key milestone in its ongoing Caribbean network expansion, officially launching two nonstop routes connecting Haiti’s Cap-Haïtien to popular destinations in the neighboring Dominican Republic on June 26, 2026.
The new services link Cap-Haïtien to both Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic’s world-famous beach tourism hub, and Santiago de los Caballeros, the country’s second-largest economic and cultural center. Industry observers frame the move as part of Sunrise Airways’ long-held strategy to close connectivity gaps across the Caribbean, a region where cross-border air travel has long been limited by limited route options.
Sébastien Bayard, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Sunrise Airways, emphasized the transformative impact of the new connections in a statement following the launch. “Adding these direct flights from Cap-Haïtien to Punta Cana and Santiago represents another meaningful step forward in building out our regional network,” Bayard explained. “These routes don’t just add new travel options for our passengers — they strengthen critical transportation links between Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the entire broader Caribbean community. At the same time, they open up far more convenient access to both regional hubs and long-haul international destinations for travelers on both sides of the border.”
Beyond increased convenience, the Cap-Haïtien-Punta Cana route carries specific strategic value for international travelers, serving as a key transit gateway for passengers connecting to long-haul flights departing from Punta Cana International Airport, one of the busiest air hubs in the Caribbean that hosts dozens of global carriers.
Detailed scheduling for the new routes caters to both leisure and business travel needs. Flights to Santiago de los Caballeros, which serves the Cibao International Airport (STI), operate on a twice-weekly schedule every Monday and Friday. Departures from Cap-Haïtien are scheduled for the early afternoon, with a remarkably short flight time ranging between 30 and 45 minutes to cross the Haiti-Dominican border. For the Punta Cana route, which operates to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), services also run twice weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays. Departures from Cap-Haïtien are scheduled for 12:00 PM local time, with arrival in Punta Cana scheduled for 1:00 PM local time, and return flights departing Punta Cana at 2:00 PM local time.
As of the launch date, ticket reservations for both new routes are already open to the public. Travelers can book tickets, check current availability, and review fare details through multiple channels: the airline’s official website www.sunriseairways.net, the official Sunrise Airways mobile application, the airline’s in-person sales offices, or through any authorized third-party travel agency.
Founded in 2012, Sunrise Airways has built its business around the “One Caribbean” vision, which centers on creating a seamless, interconnected air transport network linking major population centers and tourism hubs across the Caribbean basin. To date, the carrier has transported nearly two million passengers, connecting destinations spanning Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Eastern Caribbean, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and multiple cities in the United States. This latest expansion aligns with the airline’s years-long goal of improving regional integration through accessible air travel.