NEW YORK — Amid the vibrant celebrations of Manhattan’s annual Dominican Day Parade on Sunday, Caribbean low-cost carrier Arajet made a landmark announcement that underscores its rapid growth in the North American market: the airline has carried more than 100,000 passengers on routes connecting New York and the Dominican Republic in the first seven months of 2026. This strong passenger performance cements the New York corridor as a core strategic asset in the airline’s expanding regional network, company representatives confirmed during the parade event.
Beyond sharing the milestone, Arajet used the high-profile community gathering to reaffirm its long-term commitment to the Dominican diaspora based in the New York metropolitan area. Company leaders emphasized that reliable, affordable direct air connectivity does more than just move travelers—it acts as a critical bond strengthening tourism flows, cross-border economic activity, and personal family ties between the Dominican Republic and the large Dominican-American community in the Northeast United States.
Manuel Luna, Arajet’s chief communications and external affairs officer, told attendees the airline is moving quickly to address surging passenger demand on the route. In the coming weeks, he confirmed, the carrier will add a fourth daily flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to the Dominican Republic, expanding service to meet growing travel interest from both U.S. and Dominican passengers.
The origins of this successful route date back just over a year, when Arajet launched its direct Santo Domingo-Newark service in June 2025. That launch made history: Arajet became the first Dominican-based airline to fly under the national flag on direct routes between the Dominican Republic and the New York area in nearly 30 years, breaking a long gap in Dominican-flagged direct service to the key U.S. Northeast market.
Company officials outlined the broader benefits of the upcoming service expansion. Adding the extra daily flight not only gives leisure and business travelers more flexible scheduling options, it also reinforces air links to one of the Dominican Republic’s highest-priority international tourism and trade markets. It also creates more seamless connection opportunities for passengers departing from Santo Domingo’s main airport and popular tourist hub Punta Cana, who can connect through the carrier’s Newark gateway to access other destinations across Arajet’s growing regional route network.