Come October, you won’t need a negative COVID test to enter the Dominican Republic
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
The island nation of the Dominican Republic reopened for tourism on July 1. Right now, you’ll need a negative PCR COVID-19 test result in order to enter the country. But by the end of September, the Dominican Republic will allow travelers to forgo the pre-travel test requirement in favor of random, on-site rapid testing procedures.
Lucien Echavarria, Director at the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, told the Caribbean Journal in late June that the country would be prepared to welcome international visitors at the beginning of the second half of 2020.
Sign up for TPG’s daily newsletter to stay informed on travel news
“Throughout [the COVID-19 pandemic] we have remained in close contact with our tourism partners from operators to hoteliers to agencies,” Echavarria said. “We are ready and we know we are in a position to be among the fastest to recover because we are close and safe.”
Unlike many other destinations, the Dominican Republic opened all of its regions at once, with all airports reopening to tourists on July 1. “We didn’t want to do this region by region,” Echavarria said. “We didn’t want to do Punta Cana, then Puerto Plata and so on. No, we wanted to open the whole country so we can get back faster.”
Related: Caribbean islands reopening, country by country
Echavarria said that the country was aiming to have half of the country’s hotels open in July, with the remaining properties expected to reopen in November.
Here’s everything you need to know before planning a trip to the Dominican Republic.
In This Post
Though the testing guidelines will change in October, the country’s tourism website has yet to be updated to reflect this information.
Related: Bermuda is reopening on July 1
Upon arrival
After a pause in spring and early summer, the nation’s airports resumed commercial operations on July 1, including Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), the Dominican Republic’s busiest airport. Much of the inbound traffic to Punta Cana comes from New York and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
According to the Caribbean Journal, Echavarria said that all passengers should expect multiple safety precautions at all Dominican Republic airports, including temperature checks upon arrival. Hotels are also preparing their own health and safety precautions for incoming guests.
How to get there and Where to stay
Airlines
Google Flights shows a number of airlines operating flights to the Dominican Republic. The cheapest flights we found were under $200 round trip in early October on Spirit from Atlanta, or from $204 on JetBlue between Newark and Santo Domingo (SDQ).
On Spirit between Atlanta (ATL) and Santo Domingo (SDQ) in early October:
On JetBlue between Newark (EWR) and Santo Domingo (SDQ) in mid-October:
To Punta Cana (PUJ) from Atlanta (ATL) from $263 round trip on JetBlue:
If you prefer to stick with legacy U.S. carriers, the lowest fares begin at $270 round trip with one stop, or in the low $400s for nonstop basic economy flights.
Hotels
Once you get to the Dominican Republic, you’ve got a few options for stays. The adults-only all-inclusive Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana and its family-friendly sister property, the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, are both available from around $250 per night.
At the Zilara Cap Cana, for instance, rooms average $237/night in mid-September.
If you end up staying for two full weeks, you can even take advantage of the chain’s work-from-Hyatt packages, which offer complimentary high-speed internet, waived resort fees, a dedicated workspace, housekeeping, and discounted or complimentary laundry services. As a bonus, your work-stay package will also count toward status if you pay with cash instead of points.
Another top-rated TPG favorite, the all-inclusive Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana, begins at $283/night before taxes and fees. As always, you can pay for reservations at properties like the Paradisus using a credit card that allows you to “erase” charges on your statement.
Featured photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 60,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,200
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases.
- 2X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Earn 2x total points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases per month from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Includes eligible pick-up and delivery services.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.