✈️ Punta Cana Business Aviation Traffic Surges 47%, Monopolized Ground Handling Raises Operational Safety Concerns
Avi-Go data shows that from January 1 to May 10, 2026, business aviation movements at Punta Cana International Airport (MDPC) reached 1,872 operations, a 47.2% increase from 1,272 operations during the same period in 2025, representing approximately 600 additional movements. During the same period, MDPC's share of traffic among the three major airports in the Dominican Republic jumped from 62.8% to 73.0%, while Santo Domingo Airport (MDSD) declined 22.4% to 305 movements and Puerto Plata Airport (MDPP) recorded only a modest 7.5% increase to 386 movements. This trend toward demand concentration has occurred in parallel with a restructuring of service operations — according to AIN, MDPC announced on May 4, 2026 that it was reclaiming control of general aviation ground handling, with third-party FBOs including Universal Aviation no longer permitted to operate independently on the airfield, and all ground services to be coordinated exclusively through the airport's internal team.
Impact: With the competitive ground handling mechanism eliminated, the airport's internal team will exclusively manage a daily demand of more than 12 business aviation movements, and there is material uncertainty regarding staffing capacity and response efficiency during peak periods such as holidays and event weeks. For operators who have relied on the standardized procedures and familiar teams established through third-party providers such as Universal Aviation, existing coordination channels are no longer valid and direct relationships will need to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Recommendation: Operators planning to operate into MDPC during the 2026 summer peak season should proactively contact the airport's general aviation operations department before the end of May 2026 to confirm new service procedures, handling turnaround commitments, and backup contact information. It is also recommended to build additional buffer time into flight plans for MDPC ground handling, and to assess the feasibility of MDSD or MDPP as alternate or diversion options.