FBOs at Punta Cana International Airport MDPC PUJ

Airport security

Punta Cana operates under a U.S. State Department Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution advisory, driven primarily by crime rather than terrorism, with violent crime including robbery and sexual assault a documented concern throughout the Dominican Republic even in resort corridors frequented by tourists.

While the Punta Cana and Bavaro area benefits from a dedicated tourist police presence (POLITUR) that provides a heightened law enforcement posture relative to other parts of the country, travelers should remain alert to the risk of opportunistic crime and exercise discretion regarding displays of wealth or valuables.

Civil unrest in the form of localized demonstrations can occur and may disrupt travel, though no sustained unrest specific to the Punta Cana region is currently documented by official sources.

Punta Cana International Airport (MDPC) is a major international commercial hub serving high-volume leisure and charter traffic, and is subject to security oversight by the Dominican specialized airport security authority, CESAC.

A TSA technical inspection conducted in 2025 found the airport in full compliance with international civil aviation security standards across access control, passenger and cargo screening, aircraft protection, and perimeter security, with no findings or observations issued.

Flights bound for the United States are subject to additional DHS-mandated screening requirements, and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance framework has been established at the airport, aligning applicable screening procedures with U.S. standards for qualifying itineraries.

Customs, immigration and regulatory

• Hours: Available on-call at the executive/VIP terminal for GA arrivals
• not permanently stationed at GA facility — called in per-flight
• commercial terminal customs operational in line with H24 airport operations Immigration and customs officers are summoned to the GA terminal per arrival
• GA clearance on arrival typically completed within five minutes
• Dominican Republic eTicket mandatory for all arrivals and departures
• agricultural spraying/disinfection of cargo areas required on all international arrivals by airport-appointed vendor

Ground corridor

Ground transport risk in Punta Cana is primarily characterised by road safety hazard — the Dominican Republic carries the highest road fatality rate in the Western Hemisphere, driven by aggressive driving behaviour, poorly lit roads, unmarked speed bumps, and unpredictable motorcycle traffic, making self-drive a materially elevated-risk activity.

The airport corridor and main resort zones (Bávaro, Cap Cana, Punta Cana Village) are comparatively well-maintained and patrolled by dedicated tourist police (POLITUR/CESTUR), while outlying residential areas including Verón, Friusa, Anamuya, and Allegina carry higher opportunistic crime risk and reduced police presence and should be avoided.

Pre-arranged transfers via vetted, professionally driven vehicles are strongly advised for all airport movements, as walk-up unregulated transport at the terminal carries overcharging risk and variable safety standards; hotel-coordinated or advance-booked professional drivers operating within the resort corridor represent the lowest-risk option.

No OFAC sanctions, armed conflict zones, or active movement restrictions apply to Punta Cana; travel operates under a US State Department Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) advisory driven by country-wide crime and road safety, with the Punta Cana tourist corridor assessed as the lowest-risk area in the country.

City threat summary

Punta Cana operates under a U.S. State Department Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution advisory, driven primarily by crime rather than terrorism, with violent crime including robbery and sexual assault a documented concern throughout the Dominican Republic even in resort corridors frequented by tourists.

While the Punta Cana and Bavaro area benefits from a dedicated tourist police presence (POLITUR) that provides a heightened law enforcement posture relative to other parts of the country, travelers should remain alert to the risk of opportunistic crime and exercise discretion regarding displays of wealth or valuables.

Civil unrest in the form of localized demonstrations can occur and may disrupt travel, though no sustained unrest specific to the Punta Cana region is currently documented by official sources.

Country overview

The Dominican Republic operates at a stable but persistently elevated crime environment, with the U.S.

Higher-risk locations nearby

• La Romana MDLR ELEVATED
• Puerto Plata MDPP ELEVATED
• Punta Cana MDPC ELEVATED
• Santiago de los Caballeros MDST ELEVATED
• Santo Domingo MDSD ELEVATED