In early 2018, it was announced that the airline had transitioned from charter operations to scheduled ultra low-cost flights. The airline stated it had invested $60 million into its relaunch as an ultra-low-cost carrier.[9]
In September 2021, founder Victor Pacheco Mendez, along with the co-founder Mike Powell, announced it would rebrand the airline to Arajet and would operate as a low-cost carrier offering flights throughout the Caribbean and the Americas.[10][11][12]
The Junta de Aviación Civil (JAC) approved the request to amend the Certificate of Economic Authorization (CAE) number 25, issued to Arajet, to include 30 new routes and also authorizes the exploitation of regular and non-scheduled air transport services of passengers and cargo, in international operations, from the Dominican Republic to the United States, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Netherlands, Mexico, Panama, Aruba, France, Guatemala, Peru, Haiti, Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago in November 2021 during its plenary session.[13]
The Instituto Dominicano de Aviacion Civil (IDAC), in collaboration with Dominican carrier Arajet, achieved the certification of two Dominican inspectors at Boeing's facilities to be able to inspect the operations of Boeing-type aircraft in December 2021. Pico Duarte was the company's first aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, named after the Caribbean's highest mountainous elevation and a nature reserves in the Dominican Republic, completed its painting process In February 2022. Registered HI-1026, arrived at Las Américas International Airport on March 3, 2022.[14][15][16]
On March 14, 2022, Arajet was officially launched, along with the President of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinader, who announced that the country was in the process of having a Dominican representative airline with a majority of Dominican capital. In the same event, Boeing announced an order of 20 Boeing 737 MAX 200 (with options for 15 more aircraft in the future) by the airline, becoming the first Caribbean operator of the type.[17][18]
During the ceremony it was announced that Arajet S.A. is funded by one of the world's largest private multi-asset alternative investment firms, Bain Capital, as well as Griffin Global Asset Management ("Griffin"), a commercial aircraft leasing and alternative asset management company.[19][20]
In regards to flights to the United States and to Puerto Rico, in March 2023, the airline requested authorization to the US Department of Transportation to start operating scheduled passenger services to San Juan, Miami, and New York by fall 2023.
Fleet
Current fleet
As of August 2024[update], the Arajet fleet consists of the following aircraft:[40]
