Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Punta Cana International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Punta Cana, La Altagracia Province (Dominican Republic)

IATA: PUJ ICAO: MDPC

Longest Active Runway

10,171 ft

3,100 meters

Field Elevation

47 ft

14 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

18.5671°, -68.3646°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #512 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#843 of 7558

Top 11.2% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (Dominican Republic)

#2 of 2 in DO

#2 of 10 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+1.7%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 PUJ in numbers: 10,171 ft longest runway · tied #512 of 650 published · #843 of 7,558 worldwide (top 11.2%) · #2 in Dominican Republic.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Punta Cana International Airport is the Caribbean's busiest leisure destination hub. Both parallel runways measure 10,170 ft in length, engineered with high-strength asphalt to accommodate heavy widebody charter aircraft like the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 arriving from European capitals. Its low coastal elevation (40 ft MSL) ensures full engine thrust efficiency and generous payload-range envelopes.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel runways 08/26 (10,170 ft / 3,100 m) and 09/27 (10,170 ft / 3,100 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Privately developed in 1984 by Grupo Puntacana to unlock the eastern Dominican Republic coastline. Pioneered open-air terminal pavilions with traditional palm-thatched roofs; added Runway 08/26 in 2011 to handle surge European and American charter traffic.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Processes over 65% of Dominican Republic international air traffic, far eclipsing the capital's Las Américas International (SDQ, 75 NM west).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Tropical maritime trade winds blowing steadily from the east allow prevailing landings on Runways 08 and 09 with minimal crosswind deviation year-round.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Dominican Republic National Civil Aviation Authority · State Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) & ICAO Annex 14 Standards

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway 8,000–10,499 ft

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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

PUJ lies at 14 m (47 ft), #520 of 650 published airports by elevation and 18.5 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 6 ft below the Dominican Republic median (53 ft, 2 airports); SDQ is highest at 59 ft, 12 ft higher than PUJ.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Closest of 1 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbour within 100 NM: Las Américas International Airport (SDQ), 74.7 NM, 11,000 ft. SDQ has the radius's longest runway, 829 ft more than PUJ.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 10,171 ft (3,100 m)

PUJ runways: 09/27 10,171 × 148 ft asphalt (asp); 08/26 10,171 × 148 ft asphalt (asp). National standing: #2 of 2 in Dominican Republic; SDQ leads by 829 ft (11,000 ft). +1.7% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
09/27	10,171 ft (3100 m / 3.100 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
08/26	10,171 ft (3100 m / 3.100 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Las Américas International Airport (Santo Domingo)	`SDQ`	74.7 NM (138.3 km)	11,000 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →