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DHL Express opens new freighter route to Dominican Republic

Third-party airline to operate flights to Caribbean nation

DHL Express' new 737-800 freighter unloads a shipment at Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo. (Photo: DHL Express)

Overnight delivery giant DHL Express has expanded its network with a new cargo route for importers and exporters shipping between the Dominican Republic and the U.S.

DHL Express announced Tuesday that contractor iAero Airways, doing business as Swift Air, is operating a Boeing 737-800 freighter five times per week between DHL’s regional hub in Miami to Santo Dominigo. The first flight took off on Nov. 28.

In Miami, parcels and larger shipments can be routed to other U.S. cities or regions of the world. 

The network upgrade is part of DHL Express’ three-year expansion plan for the Americas, which includes more than $360 million in infrastructure investments. 


Miami-based iAero, which acquired Swift Air in 2019, operates on several routes in North America for DHl with 737 freighters. Last year, iAero said it was operating six cargo jets for DHL after adding a 737-800 converted freighter with a 21-ton payload to the outsourced fleet. The other five aircraft are supplied by DHL Airlines, with iAero providing crews, maintenance and insurance. 

DHL (DXE: DPW) continues to expand its air cargo capacity to support rising shipment demand. E-commerce volumes have slowed this year but remain the primary driver of traffic volumes for the global courier.

DHL Express has introduced several new routes within the past year, increasing capacity between the United States and Brazil, Chile, Japan and Vietnam.

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.


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Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Supply Chain and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He won Environmental Journalist of the Year from the Seahorse Freight Association in 2014 and was the group's 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist by the Seahorse Freight Association. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com