Cheap flights to
Dominican Republic

When it comes to booking flights, one of the best ways to save money is to plan ahead. But how far ahead exactly should you book? There’s a period when flights are generally cheapest that we call the Goldilocks Window because it’s not too far ahead, but it’s not too late either. It’s 1–3 months before a domestic flight and 2–8 months before an international flight.

However, if you’re planning to travel during a peak season, like winter or spring break in the Dominican Republic, it’s best to look even earlier. Start searching in June for a December holiday vacation or September for a March trip. While it can be tempting to wait until the last minute to see if deals pop up, we’ve found that very rarely happens. In fact, fares tend to jump at the 21-, 14-, and 7-day points before a trip, so book before those dates if you can.

This money-saving trick is named for the Greek islands, but it works for Caribbean islands as well. If you want to fly from Seattle to Punta Cana in March but flights are way out of your price range, look for flights to Miami instead. If you see a great deal, you can then look for a cheap flight to the Dominican Republic from Miami. Often, big airports with lots of direct flights to the Dominican Republic (like Miami, Orlando, New York, or Atlanta) have better deals. If you can get close to your final destination for a good deal, you can then look for another flight––maybe even on a budget airline––for the last leg. It takes more work and planning, but it could save you money for an extra night at your resort.

Similarly, if you’re only checking your home airport for deals, you could be missing out. If you live in New Haven, Connecticut, for example, flights to the Dominican Republic can be upwards of $550 during peak seasons. Instead, look for flights out of New York. The savings could be well worth the train ride from New Haven to New York. Play around with departure airports in your region, and consider taking a train, bus, or even driving a few hours to the closest airport with a good deal.

The Dominican Republic’s peak season runs from December–April. Those months are far busier than the rest of the year, and therefore airlines can charge more for flights. One way to save money is to travel during off season, when you can find amazing flight and hotel deals. That’s June to July (rainy season) or August to October (hurricane season) in the Dominican Republic.

We like traveling during shoulder seasons, the periods just between high and low seasons. A late April–May or November trip to the Dominican Republic will have cheaper flights and hotels than peak season but better weather than off season. It’s the best of both worlds. Also, don’t forget Thanksgiving week. Because so many people travel within the US during that week, international flights are often cheaper.

Even if you are going to travel during peak season, there are ways to save. Try to travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, which are typically cheaper than flying on Fridays and Sundays.

The easiest way to find cheap flights: sitting back and doing nothing at all. You can set up fare alerts for your travel itinerary, and you’ll get email alerts when prices drop so you never have to worry about missing a good deal. It’s best to do this well in advance of your trip, so you can see the deals during the Goldilocks Window. And if your travel dates or airports are flexible, set multiple alerts. You could also sign up for Going and let us do the searching for you.

The Dominican Republic has three major national airports and receives nonstop flights from more than 60 cities around the world, including about 20 in the US. From the East Coast, Midwest, and Texas, you can likely reach the Dominican Republic on a nonstop flight. From elsewhere, you’ll make a stop, likely in Chicago, New York, or Miami.