American Airlines expands Punta Cana routes following customer-driven contest

In addition to highlighting Punta Cana's popularity, American announced more route offerings. Starting November 8, the airline will fly from Oklahoma City to Cancun, establishing the airport's first international route. Further, new flights will begin on December 6 from Indianapolis, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Raleigh-Durham to Punta Cana.

The new Saturday-only routes rely on the airline’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft. In December, American Airlines will have 99 weekly flights to Punta Cana from ten US airports, according to aviation data from Cirium’s Diio Mi.

Cirium also noted past service history, pointing out that Avelo Airlines had served Raleigh-Durham to Punta Cana, and Southwest Airlines initiated Nashville to Punta Cana flights earlier this year after a decade-long gap.

Delta Air Lines last operated between Pittsburgh and Punta Cana in 2015, while Indianapolis had no direct connections to Punta Cana, relying on one-stop alternatives offered by Delta Air Lines via Detroit previously.

This expansion reflects the growing need for Caribbean getaways, especially to Punta Cana, and adds to American Airlines' footprint in providing connectivity to leisure destinations.