In a landmark milestone for Caribbean aviation, Dominican Republic-based low-cost carrier Arajet has secured the second spot in monthly passenger volume for air travel to and from the Dominican Republic, outperforming long-standing major international competitors, new September 2026 data from the country’s Civil Aviation Board (JAC) confirms.
Excluding connecting passengers, Arajet transported 158,407 travelers last month, beating U.S.-based American Airlines which recorded 115,406 passengers. Only JetBlue, which carried 243,955 passengers to and from the Dominican Republic, finished ahead of the domestic carrier in the monthly rankings. Arajet’s position ahead of other major global airlines including Copa Airlines (122,220 passengers), Delta Air Lines (94,763 passengers) and United Airlines (94,288 passengers) marks a historic shift in regional aviation market share.
Official figures show that compared to September 2015’s passenger count of 97,797, the carrier recorded a 62% jump in traffic. When including passengers traveling on connecting itineraries through Arajet’s Dominican hub, the airline’s total monthly passenger volume rises even higher to 180,841, highlighting the growing popularity of its connecting route model.
Regional breakdown of Arajet’s September traffic reveals the United States remains the carrier’s largest single market, with 43,021 passengers traveling between the U.S. and Dominican Republic on the airline. Colombia took second place with 35,413 passengers, followed by Argentina with 21,164 passengers. Rounding out the top five source and destination markets are Mexico (16,356 passengers) and Puerto Rico (8,628 passengers), with Peru, Brazil and Canada following behind in the top 10.
At the route level, Bogotá, Colombia emerged as Arajet’s busiest individual destination in September, moving 18,413 passengers on the route. Newark, located in the New York metropolitan area, came in second with 16,952 passengers, followed by Buenos Aires, Argentina with 16,025 passengers. Miami, Florida (U.S.) ranked fourth with 15,654 passengers, with Colombia’s second major destination on Arajet’s network, Medellín, close behind at 15,569 passengers.
For Arajet CEO and founder Víctor Pacheco, this new ranking represents a pivotal turning point for the young carrier, which only launched commercial operations in 2022. In an official statement shared with media outlets, Pacheco noted that the milestone proves a Dominican-owned airline can successfully compete with the world’s largest international carriers, while advancing the country’s goal of becoming a leading air connectivity hub for the Americas.
Pacheco attributed the carrier’s consistent growth to its core strategic priorities: expanding regional air links, offering market-competitive ticket fares that lower barriers to travel, and positioning the Dominican Republic as a convenient connecting point for travelers moving between destinations across the Americas.
He added that Arajet’s expanding operations deliver broader economic benefits to the Dominican Republic, from boosting inbound tourism to creating new opportunities for cross-regional trade. “These results demonstrate the enormous potential the Dominican Republic has to consolidate itself as one of the region’s main air hubs,” Pacheco said.