(DOMINICAN REPUBLIC) Amazon Air launched its first-ever service of scheduled cargo flights to the Dominican Republic on September 3, 2025, opening a direct, high-capacity Miami–Santo Domingo link that immediately changes how goods move between the island and the United States 🇺🇸. The operation runs seven weekly Boeing 767 freighter flights between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Las Américas International Airport (SDQ), providing approximately 770–800 metric tons of total weekly lift. Amazon Air confirmed the start of service alongside its local agent, ALK Global Logistics, which manages ground handling, customs coordination, and bookings in Santo Domingo.
The first flight touched down at SDQ on September 3 and began supporting both inbound imports and outbound Dominican exports. The new cargo flights place Amazon Air into direct competition with FedEx, UPS, and DHL in the Caribbean market. Company officials say the route serves Amazon’s retail operations and also carries freight for third-party shippers, including local exporters seeking faster, steadier access to U.S. and global buyers.
This marks Amazon Air’s first Caribbean route and follows a rapid regional push in 2025, including launches in Bogotá, Colombia, and San Juan, Puerto Rico earlier in the summer. Dominican officials, led by President Luis Abinader, met with Amazon executives — including Tom Bradley, Global Director and GM of Air Cargo, and Catherine Hinckley, Head of Kuiper in Canada and Latin America — to discuss future investments in logistics, digital connectivity, and possible satellite services tied to Amazon’s Kuiper program later this year. According to VisaVerge.com, these moves point to a broader plan to build reliable air capacity in Latin America and to widen Amazon’s revenue beyond its own retail footprint.
Market entry details and capacity
Amazon Air’s Dominican Republic schedule is fully operational as of September 10, with seven weekly flights using Boeing 767 freighters. Each 767 can carry about 110 metric tons per flight, yielding roughly 770–800 metric tons of weekly lift on the Miami–Santo Domingo corridor.
Key fleet and capacity facts:
– Amazon Air global fleet: 98 aircraft
– 10 Airbus A330 freighters
– 29 Boeing 737 freighters
– 59 Boeing 767 freighters
– Route uses the Boeing 767 exclusively for this corridor.
Role of ALK Global Logistics:
– Acts as Amazon’s in-country agent in Santo Domingo.
– Handles bookings, ground handling, export paperwork, and customs coordination.
– ALK’s CEO and President, Alfonso Aleman, said the partnership aims to bring families, businesses, and trade closer with better connectivity and faster service.
Tom Bradley emphasized that steady, predictable air capacity is the foundation for local companies that need to move goods quickly to meet buyer demand abroad.
Practical effects for businesses and consumers
The new Miami–Santo Domingo corridor offers multiple operational and economic benefits:
Business impacts
– Shorter transit times and reduced dependence on legacy carriers.
– Better options for time-sensitive and high-value goods — medical supplies, electronics, fashion with seasonal cycles, and semi-perishables.
– E-commerce sellers on Amazon can route inventory faster to U.S. fulfillment centers, improving stock availability and sales velocity.
– Consistent schedules help exporters plan production and packaging cycles to match flight days, reducing storage costs and rolled freight.
Consumer and community effects
– Improved door-to-door delivery options for Dominican consumers — including benefits for subscribers to Amazon’s delivery services.
– Faster cash cycles for small businesses, enabling quicker payments to workers and reinvestment.
– Job creation in ground handling, brokerage, warehousing, and trucking related to SDQ and MIA operations.
Logistics and market competition
– Industry analysts say Amazon can monetize spare space on its aircraft and challenge established carriers.
– Local logistics providers may gain opportunities in last-mile services, warehousing, and consolidation.
– Increased competition could result in better service standards and downward pressure on shipping prices over time.
How to book and ship on Amazon Air (Dominican Republic)
Although Amazon Air primarily supports Amazon’s retail network, the route is available to third-party shippers. The general process through ALK Global Logistics:
- Contact ALK Global Logistics to request space, confirm rates, and coordinate customs paperwork.
- Prepare cargo in accordance with Amazon Air’s rules for weight, size, packaging, and documentation.
- Book a spot on one of the seven weekly flights between MIA and SDQ.
- Use Amazon Air Cargo’s tracking tools to monitor airport-to-airport progress.
- Arrange pickup at destination or set up last-mile delivery through Amazon or local couriers.
Additional shipping and compliance notes:
– ALK assists with standard air cargo documents, commercial invoices, and packing lists, and coordinates with customs brokers.
– For shipments to the United States 🇺🇸, ensure compliance with U.S. import requirements. Official guidance is available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export.
– Predictable schedules make pre-clearance checks, inspections, and export filings easier to plan for compliance teams.
– For controlled goods, a reliable timetable reduces the risk of last-minute errors that cause holds.
Benefits for exporters and tactical advantages
With nearly 800 metric tons of weekly lift, Dominican exporters gain practical improvements:
– Ability to consolidate orders and meet tight delivery windows.
– Avoidance of rolled freight during peak seasons.
– Better support for just-in-time manufacturing and rapid returns (reverse logistics).
– Possibility to shift some shipments from ocean to air for high-margin or time-sensitive products.
Operational advantages include:
– Daily rhythm enables sellers to plan promotions and match production to uplift windows.
– Small, frequent air shipments let businesses test new products in the U.S. with lower risk than large ocean consignments.
– Reliable cargo flights can be the difference between meeting promised delivery dates and losing customer trust.
Strategic and future implications
Amazon’s Caribbean and Latin America expansion in 2025 (including Bogotá and San Juan) suggests a broader strategy to:
– Build reliable air capacity across the region.
– Connect local producers to U.S. and global buyers.
– Expand revenue streams beyond Amazon’s own retail operations.
Government and technology engagement
– President Luis Abinader’s meetings with Amazon executives indicate Dominican interest in leveraging the air bridge for broader trade and tech goals.
– Discussions included logistics investments and possible Kuiper satellite connectivity, which could improve tracking, rural coverage, and resilience during storms or outages.
– Amazon will sponsor the Summit of the Americas Business Forum in Punta Cana in December 2025, highlighting its growing economic stake.
Possible network growth
– Industry watchers expect more Latin America lanes if demand holds.
– Future changes could include increased frequencies, larger aircraft during peaks, or connections beyond Miami.
– Expansion depends on cargo volumes, airport performance, and scalability of the ALK partnership.
Legacy carrier response and competitive dynamics
– FedEx, UPS, and DHL maintain strong regional networks and experience.
– Amazon’s mix of retail and third-party cargo gives it flexibility to fill planes and sustain schedules.
– Continued network additions would increase shippers’ options to reach North American and global markets.
Key takeaways
- Amazon Air launched seven weekly Boeing 767 freighter flights between Miami (MIA) and Santo Domingo (SDQ) on September 3, 2025, providing about 770–800 metric tons of weekly capacity.
- Local agent ALK Global Logistics manages ground handling, customs coordination, and bookings in Santo Domingo.
- The route supports Amazon’s retail operations and third-party shippers, improving speed and predictability for Dominican exporters and importers.
- Short-term effects: faster transit times, better stock availability for e-commerce sellers, support for reverse logistics, and local job creation.
- Long-term potential: expanded Latin America network, lower rates from increased competition, improved logistics infrastructure, and possible satellite-enabled connectivity via Kuiper.
The immediate effect is clear: a new, steady air bridge between Miami and Santo Domingo that gives exporters and importers in the Dominican Republic a faster, more reliable way to reach U.S. and global markets.
This Article in a Nutshell
Amazon Air launched seven weekly Boeing 767 freighter flights between Miami (MIA) and Santo Domingo (SDQ) on September 3, 2025, offering roughly 770–800 metric tons of weekly cargo capacity. ALK Global Logistics serves as Amazon’s in-country agent, managing bookings, ground handling, and customs coordination. The route supports Amazon’s retail operations and third-party shippers, increasing competition with FedEx, UPS, and DHL in the Caribbean. Immediate benefits include shorter transit times, better options for time-sensitive and high-value goods, improved inventory flow for e-commerce sellers, and local job creation in logistics roles. Dominican officials met with Amazon executives to discuss logistics investments and possible Kuiper satellite connectivity. Long-term implications include potential network expansion across Latin America, downward pressure on shipping costs, and strengthened logistics infrastructure if demand holds.
