PUJ Airport Travel Tips - Punta Cana International Airport (2023)

FAQs

How long does it take to get through PUJ airport? ›

One of the most common questions we get from travelers visiting Punta Cana is how long lines at Punta Cana airport during the high season are. The truth is lines can be 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on season and day of the week.

After all, you need to arrive at the airport a couple of hours prior to your departure, then you usually do not leave or land on time, and then you need to clear customs before you can even leave the airport that you are arriving in.

Upon arrival, every tourist must buy a tourist card ($10 USD) before entering customs. Many tour operators have included this in your package or airfare and will have received the Tourist Card on the flight.

Punta Cana Airport has a peak of departing traffic between the hours of 10 AM and 3PM. A peak of arriving traffic between 12:00pm and 4:00 pm. If your flights are leaving or departing before 11:00AM or 5:00PM, you will be fine arriving or leaving through the regular passenger process.

When you're traveling within the United States, we make the suggestion to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure. For most airports, you must be checked in at least 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time (airports requiring additional time are listed below, Go to footer note).

While the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) recommends travelers arrive two hours before a domestic flight and three hours prior to an international trip, “those are just general times,” says Richard Duncan, the Assistant General Manager of Public Safety and Security at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson ...

Most weeks of the year, Fridays are the busiest days to fly, and Tuesdays are the least busy.

Yes, the form must be filled out for each trip. Does the airline have to read the QR code? The airline will ask for QR code to make sure that the passengers have completed the form before traveling.

How much cash should I bring to all inclusive Punta Cana? ›

The total budget of your vacation in the Dominican Republic should be around RD$6,000 per person per day. However, you don't have to take this amount in cash. You can regularly pay with a credit card and withdraw money at ATMs. Therefore, it is recommended to take around 200 to 300 dollars per person for your vacation.

Products such as chicharrón, longaniza, jamón, salami, jamoneta, and sancocho should not be taken on international trips. Individuals who travel to the United States with pork products purchased in the Dominican Republic can be subject to a $300 fine.

Make sure to avoid synthetic clothes and opt for airy tank tops, shorts, sundresses and other light clothes. Otherwise, you will sweat a lot under the sun and even in a shade – the temperature and the humidity levels are too high here all year round.

Currency in Punta Cana

That being said, US Dollars are widely accepted and actually preferred over the peso. Taxis, excursion vendors, and restaurants will all accept USD and usually have the same rate as the bank.

The United States dollar is preferred when tipping in Punta Cana. If you have Dominican pesos feel free to tip using it however it is uncommon to tip more than 250 Pesos (5 Dollars). US dollars are preferred to other currencies as it is easier for the locals to exchange.

Taxi Drivers: Should I tip? As with restaurants, in the Dominican Republic some taxi companies will add a 10% service fee to your final fare, but not all do. Make sure you know if it is included or not before you pay. If it's not leaving a gratuity of around 10% is good tipping etiquette.

And Punta Cana in particular has been known to face severe tropical storms, with October being the rainiest month.

Depending on the requirements of airport authorities, you will need to present a mobile boarding pass, a paper boarding pass printed out by you or a paper boarding pass picked up from the check-in desk.

Do I need to check in at the airport if I checked-in online? ›

In most cases, you will only need to go to check-in when you have checked-in online if you need to drop off an item of hold baggage. Please ensure that you are aware of the hand baggage requirements for your specific airline before you travel.

When using the digital check-in, once at the airport, all you have to do is drop your luggage which you have already checked-in citing the weight and dimensions of your bags. This saves you more than 40 minutes in queues and waiting – also you don't have to print your boarding pass and have it with you.

As a rule of thumb, you need to be at the airport at least 3 hours before the official time of departure when flying international. That's what the US Transportation Security Administration advises to air passengers.

If you can't avoid connecting, don't book the shortest layover, because you'll be building in stress and the possibility of missing your flight. A 1-hour layover is not enough anymore. Thirty minutes, not a chance. In most cases, 3 hours is safe.

Yes. TSA PreCheck® is available when you depart from a U.S. airport to a foreign country, and for domestic, connecting flights after you return to the United States. If you travel internationally four or more times a year, consider enrolling in Global Entry instead of TSA PreCheck®.

Most airlines recommend arriving at least 2 hours before international flights. For domestic flights, 45 minutes is sufficient.

Punta Cana Airport is a big deal around here: it's the busiest in the Dominican Republic and the second busiest in the Caribbean.

Dominican Customs officials indicate that the average clearance takes three days from submission of complete documentation. Clearances can be made in hours if importers make use of the “On-Line Customs Clearance”, which allows for pre-arrival clearance.

It is recommended that you arrive 2 hours prior to your flight if you're traveling to the United States. International flights are recommended to arrive 3 hours prior to departure.