Route Analysis: Santo Domingo-Pointe-à-Pitre

Dominican Republic-based Sky High is increasing intra-Caribbean connectivity with the launch of a new route between its Santo Domingo (SDQ) base and Pointe-à-Pitre’s Guadeloupe Pôle Caraîbes Airport (PTP).

The service, operated using 50-seat Embraer E145 aircraft, began on July 4. Flights are three times per week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing SDQ at 10 a.m. and arriving in PTP at 11.20 a.m. The return leg takes off at 12.10 p.m. and returns to Santo Domingo at 1.30 p.m.

According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, Sky High becomes the third operator to serve the route nonstop alongside Air Antilles and Air Caraibes, which currently offer 5X-weekly and 2X-weekly flights respectively.

The launch adds 300 two-way weekly seats to the market and gives Sky High a 31% share of capacity between the destinations. Air Antilles currently provides 672 two-way seats and Air Caraibes offers 296.

Sabre Market Intelligence data shows 33,954 passengers traveled between SDQ and PTP during 2019, while O&D traffic was 14,546. On the SDQ to PTP leg, about 53% of passengers flew to destinations beyond Pointe-à-Pitre, while 41% of traffic was local.

The new Sky High service will open up more connecting opportunities through SDQ. The carrier currently serves 11 destinations in the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Aruba, Tortola, St. Eustatius, Bonnaire, Curacao, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Sint Maarten and Kingston. The carrier also flies to Medellin and Barranquilla in Colombia.

“This is a very important launch since it contributes to bring the Caribbean islands closer to the French West Indies,” Sky High representative in Guadeloupe and former consul of the Dominican Republic Andrea Medina said. “There are many Guadeloupeans who wish to travel to the Dominican Republic but also many nationals of this country who go to Guadeloupe for tourism or business.”

SDQ-PTP

Photo credit: Guadeloupe Pôle Caraîbes Airport