JetBlue expands Dominican schedule

December 17, 2009|Paul S. Makishima, Globe Staff

JetBlue plans to begin flights to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, from Logan International Airport in Boston and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

The carrier will start weekly nonstop Saturday service from Boston on May 8 and daily nonstop flights from JFK on May 6, pending approval of regulators in the Dominican Republic.

Punta Cana would be the airline’s fourth Dominican Republic destination. The others are Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, and Santiago.

JetBlue representatives said the airline expects to offer introductory fares.

The announcement comes about two weeks after the discount airline said it was aiming to boost the number of flights from Boston to the Caribbean by 25 percent, part of a larger plan to increase service out of Logan by 30 percent.

JetBlue, which views Boston as a key market, leads all carriers in destinations from Logan and is tied with American Airlines for most passengers transported out of the airport, at about 3 million a year.