You could also get to Puerto Plata via private transfer, which is perfect for those planning to make stops en route, for example, to do some shopping.
Taxis are also available although taking a taxi is not really advisable for tourists in the Dominican Republic, unless they know where they are going.
Renting a car and driving yourself around the Dominican Republic is also not recommended for first-time visitors.
Most international visitors heading to Puerto Plata will arrive in the Dominican Republic via the Puerto Plata airport.
Therefore, knowing how to get to Puerto Plata from the airport in the easiest, cheapest and safest means possible is key to ensuring that your holiday gets off to a good start.
Read on for the ultimate guide to traveling to Puerto Plata.
Does Puerto Plata have an airport?
Yes. For international travel, Puerto Plata is served by the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP).
Commonly known as Puerto Plata Airport, this airport is the 4th busiest Dominican airport by passenger traffic and aircraft movement after the airports in Punta Cana, Santo Domingo and Santiago.
Located to the east of Puerto Plata city, the distance from the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP) to Puerto Plata is 19.9km. It takes approximately 25 minutes to drive from the airport to Puerto Plata using the Av. Circunvalacion Sur road.
Gregorio Luperón International Airport is the closest airport to the most popular Dominican destinations.
This airport is the preferred entry point for most visitors heading to the island’s northern destinations such as Puerto Plata, Cofresi, Sosua, Luperon, Cabarete and Playa Dorada.
Gregorio Luperón International Airport services flights to and from several destinations.
These include:
- United States: American Airlines (JFK New York & Miami), Jet Blue (JFK New York), United (Newark), Delta (seasonally via Atlanta), and Ryan International (Minneapolis).
- Canada: Air Canada (Montreal & Toronto) and Air Transat (Calgary, Toronto, Montreal & Vancouver).
- The Caribbean: SkyKing (Turks & Caicos and Providenciales)
- Europe: Air Plus Comet (Madrid), Martinair (Amsterdam), Holland Exel (Brussels & Amsterdam), Condor (Frankfurt), LTU (Frankfurt, Düsseldorf & Munich), and Lauda Air (Vienna).
- Connecting flights through Caracas and Mexico City.
- Charter flights from Canada (Ottawa, Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver); and Europe (Paris, Milan, Zurich, Brussels, Helsinki, Shannon, Reykjavik, London, Birmingham, Manchester and Stockholm).
- Tip: Because the list of scheduled airlines is constantly changing, it is recommended that tourists who want to fly into Puerto Plata via this airport first check their local airlines for availability.
Can You Fly to Puerto Plata?
Yes, it is possible to fly to Puerto Plata.
Tourists heading to Puerto Plata can fly into the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP). The Puerto Plata Airport accepts both international and domestic flights.
What Airport Do You Fly Into for Puerto Plata?
The best airport to fly into for Puerto Plata is the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP), which is located to the east of Puerto Plata city.
Which airport is closest to Puerto Plata?
Cibao International Airport (STI) is the closest airport to Puerto Plata.
Situated in Santiago, about 1.5 hour’s drive south of Puerto Plata city, this airport mainly services flights from the United States.
Scheduled airlines that fly into this airport include American Airlines (Miami), Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale), JetBlue, Delta and American Airlines (New York) and American Eagle (Puerto Rico).
Which Airport is Closer – Santiago or Samana?
Cibao International Airport (STI) in Santiago (94.9km) is closer to Puerto Plata than the El Catey International Airport (AZS) in Samana (171.9km).
To get to Puerto Plata, you will need to drive about 1.5 hours from the Santiago airport and 3 hours from the Samana airport.
What airlines fly to Puerto Plata?
Airlines that fly to Puerto Plata include:
- United Airlines
- American Airlines
- Air Canada
- British Airways
- TUI
- Air Transat
- WestJet
- EuroWings
What US airlines fly to Puerto Plata Dominican Republic?
The 3 U.S. airlines that fly the most to Puerto Plata are:
- United Airlines: Through a partnership with Continental, United offers connecting flights daily to Puerto Plata via the Newark-Liberty airports. The airline has 2 outbound morning flights which arrive at Newark in time to catch the morning flight to Puerto Plata. For the return flight, there is one option with one plane change and 3 options with 3 or more changes of planes.
- American Airlines: Although American Airlines has 9 flights with connections into Puerto Plata, only 1 doesn’t need an overnight stay in Chicago or Miami. With a reasonable layover in Miami and total flight time of under 7 hours, the airlines earliest option is also its best. American Airlines has only one flight daily from Miami to and from Puerto Plata.
- Continental Airlines: Continental has connecting flights through the Newark-Liberty airport, as well as several good connections daily. Total flight time can be under 6 hours. When booking, keep in mind that Continental has limited service between Newark and Puerto Plata, therefore your connection must line up with its morning flights into the Dominican Republic.
Does Delta fly to Puerto Plata Dominican Republic?
No, Delta Airlines does not fly to Puerto Plata.
However, the airline does offer flights from Richmond into 2 other airports in the Dominican Republic.
These are Cibao International Airport (STI) in Santiago and Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo.
What airports fly to Puerto Plata?
Several airports located within the Dominican Republic fly to Puerto Plata (POP).
These are:
- Cibao International Airport (STI): The closest airport to Puerto Plata, this airport is located in Santiago, about an hour’s drive south of Puerto Plata and mostly receives flights from the U.S. Airlines scheduled to fly into this airport include Delta, JetBlue and American Airlines (New York), American (Miami), Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale) and American Eagle (Puerto Rico).
- Samana El Catey International Airport (AZS): Located in Samana, El Catey is the next closest airport to Puerto Plata. The airport is located about a 2.5 hour’s drive from Puerto Plata and mostly receives flights by JetBlue (JFK), as well as several Canadian and European carriers.
- Las Americas International Airport (SDQ): Located in Santo Domingo, this airport is accessible by a 3-4 hours’ drive from Puerto Plata and receives flights from all around the world.
- Tip: When heading to destinations on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic such as Puerto Plata, it is not recommended to fly into Punta Cana, which is situated on the islands’ far eastern coast. This is because you would then have to endure a long bus journey lasting 8 hours or more.
How Long Does It Take to Get to Puerto Plata from the Airport?
It takes about 25 minutes to get to Puerto Plata from the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP).
The distance to Puerto Plata from the airport is 19.9km, via the Av. Circunvalacion Sur road.
How far is Punta Cana from Puerto Plata?
The distance to Puerto Plata from Punta Cana is 415.6km.
It takes about 5.5 hours to drive from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata via the Autopista Juan Pablo Duarte road.
How do I get from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata?
The best way to get to Puerto Plata from Punta Cana is by flying.
Although rather expensive, direct flights along this route take about 45 minutes in total from takeoff to landing.
Travelers can also get to Puerto Plata from Punta Cana via:
- Private Transfer: Private transfer is ideal for travelers who wish to make stops along the way, for example at shops.
- Bus: Buses run daily along this route and offer the cheapest and easiest mode of transportation. However, the bus ride will take up most of your day.
- Taxi: This is the most expensive option. Moreover, in the Dominican Republic, taxis are not recommended for tourists unless you know exactly where you’re going.
- Car Rental: Driving yourself will take over 7 hours. Moreover, driving in the Dominican Republic is not recommended for first time visitors.
How long is the drive from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata?
The drive from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata takes about 5.5 hours.
How Much is a Taxi from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata?
A taxi from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata costs between US $45-54, depending on where you are staying in Puerto Plata.
Taxi rides along this route take over 8 hours.
How Long is the Bus Ride from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata?
The bus ride from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata takes over 10 hours.
How far is Santo Domingo from Puerto Plata?
The distance to Puerto Plata from Santo Domingo is 230.7km.
It takes just over 3 hours to drive from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata via the Carr. Duarte road.
How do I get from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata?
The best way to get from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata is by taking the bus. Bus services offer the simplest and cheapest means of transportation along this route.
Travelers can also get to Puerto Plata from Santo Domingo via:
- Flying: Flying is the quickest albeit most expensive way to travel. Moreover, by the time you clear customs and get your luggage, a lot of time will have passed.
- Private Transfer: Private transfer is suitable for tourists who want to make stops along the way, for instance at the shops.
- Taxi: Taking a taxi in the Dominican Republic is not recommended for visitors unless you’re sure about where you’re headed. Take an Uber instead.
- Car Rental: Although you can rent a car, driving in the Dominican Republic is not recommended for those visiting for the first time.
How long is the drive from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata?
The drive from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata takes about 3 hours.
How much is a taxi from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata?
A taxi from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata costs between US $20-45. Of course, the exact fare will depend on where exactly you are dropped off in Puerto Plata.
How long is the Bus Ride from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata?
The bus ride from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata takes about 3 hours.
But keep in mind that there is no direct bus from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata. Rather, there are buses departing from Santo Domingo and arriving at Puerto Plata via Santiago.
How far is Santiago from Puerto Plata?
The distance to Puerto Plata from Santiago is 72.4km. It takes just over an hour to drive from Santiago to Puerto Plata via the Carr. Navarrete Puerto Plata road.
How do I get from Santiago to Puerto Plata?
The best way to get to Puerto Plata from Santiago is by taking a bus. Buses provide the cheapest and easiest mode of travel along this route.
Travelers can also get to Puerto Plata from Santiago via:
- Flying: Flying will naturally be the quickest way to travel along this route. However, it is also the most expensive option.
- Private Transfer: This is the best option for travelers planning to make stops along the way, such as to do some shopping.
- Taxi: Tourists visiting the Dominican Republic are not recommended to take taxis unless they know what they are doing. Fortunately, Uber services are available.
- Car Rental: While it is possible to rent a car, it is not recommended for first-time visitors to drive in the Dominican Republic.
How long is the drive from Santiago to Puerto Plata?
The drive from Santiago to Puerto Plata takes about an hour.
How much is a taxi from Santiago to Puerto Plata?
A taxi from Santiago to Puerto Plata costs between US $28-35. Of course, the final fare will depend on where exactly you are dropped off in Puerto Plata.
How Long is the Bus Ride from Santiago to Puerto Plata?
The bus ride from Santiago to Puerto Plata takes about 45 minutes.
