Arajet Expands Fleet with New 737-8 Leases

Dominican Republic-based Arajet is set to accelerate its growth across the Americas by signing a long-term lease agreement with BOC Aviation for five new Boeing 737-8 aircraft. This strategic move will significantly increase the airline’s capacity and support its ambitious expansion plans, both domestically and internationally.

The five new 737-8s, ordered directly from Boeing and leased straight to Arajet by BOC Aviation, will be powered by CFM Leap 1B engines. They are scheduled for delivery in 2026 and 2027. Once delivered, these state-of-the-art 240-seat aircraft will bolster Arajet’s fleet in Argentina and beyond, bringing the total number of 737-8s operated by the airline to 15. Currently, Arajet operates 10 Boeing 737-8s and has an additional 10 on firm order, along with four Boeing 737-8200s, according to data from the CAPA Fleet Database.

In a recent appearance on Aviation Week’s Window Seat podcast, Arajet founder and CEO Victor Pacheco explained that the airline is on track to receive three more aircraft in 2025. “We’re pretty confident that we’ll receive the 11th and 12th aircraft, but the 13th could slip because it has a December delivery date,” Pacheco noted. “We’ll probably end the year with 12 aircraft, but in 2026 we’re expecting to add a further six.” Despite ongoing supply chain challenges that might affect delivery timelines, Arajet remains committed to expanding its fleet to meet growing passenger demand.

Since launching operations in September 2022, Arajet has rapidly emerged as a competitive ultra-low-cost carrier in the region. The airline has built a hub-and-spoke model centered around Santo Domingo’s Las Américas International Airport, complemented by a secondary base in Punta Cana. This strategic hub network has allowed Arajet to create new travel flows across the region, connecting passengers to 21 destinations in 15 countries, including markets in Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru.

The fleet expansion comes at a pivotal moment as Arajet prepares to enter the lucrative U.S. market. Following the December 2024 open skies agreement between the United States and the Dominican Republic, the airline has already announced new routes to Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Plans are underway to launch six or seven additional U.S. destinations within the year, underscoring the airline’s commitment to capitalizing on the region’s growing demand for low-cost air travel.

Pacheco emphasized the critical role of open skies in Arajet’s long-term expansion strategy, stating, “Without open skies, you have an airline that is fighting only with one hand. We always expected that the U.S. would be part of our strategy much sooner, but now that it’s here, we are ready to grow.” The airline now projects that North America will become one of its most significant markets, with expectations that half of its revenue will derive from the region by 2028.

With its expanded fleet and new route launches, Arajet is poised to enhance connectivity between the Dominican Republic, the Americas, and beyond. The partnership with BOC Aviation marks a critical milestone for the carrier as it continues to strengthen its competitive position and deliver more choices to cost-conscious travelers across the region.

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