Quick answer. PUJ has Scotiabank, Banco Popular, and Banco León ATMs in arrivals, all dispensing Dominican pesos (and some USD) at the real Visa or Mastercard interbank rate. Use the Scotiabank unit: it has the lowest operator fee in the country (~RD$150 versus ~RD$300 at the others), the highest per-transaction cap (~RD$20,000), and it is the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner in the DR, so BoA debit users skip BoA's non-network surcharge. Withdraw only enough for your transfer and first day, then do a bigger pull at a Banco Popular or Scotiabank branch in Bávaro or the Downtown Punta Cana mall. Always pick pesos and decline DCC. Skip the currency-exchange counters (6-12 percent markup). To the resorts: most arrivals use a pre-booked shuttle or private transfer ($8-15 shared, $30-45 private to Bávaro), the official Sichoturbapu taxis (fixed zone fares, often $30-45, cash USD or pesos), or Uber (cheaper, via the app, with pickup sometimes just outside the union zone).
Where to get Dominican Peso at PUJ
PUJ has a compact arrivals money setup: Scotiabank, Banco Popular, and Banco León ATMs (all dispensing pesos, some USD), plus currency-exchange counters. The bank that matters is Scotiabank, the only one with both a low fee and a high cap. The cost math below assumes you withdraw the equivalent of $100 starting from a USD account.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotiabank ATM (PUJ arrivals, lowest fee + Alliance partner) | PUJ arrivals hall landside | ~RD$150 fee + interbank rate | ~$100 + $2.50 fee |
| Banco Popular / Banco León ATM (PUJ arrivals) | PUJ arrivals hall landside | ~RD$300 fee + interbank rate | ~$100 + $5 fee |
| Scotiabank / Banco Popular branch ATM (Bávaro or Downtown Punta Cana) | After short taxi to Bávaro / El Cortecito | ~RD$150-300 fee + interbank rate | ~$100 + $2.50-5 fee |
| Currency-exchange counter (PUJ arrivals) | PUJ arrivals hall | 6-12% over mid-market on the peso sell rate | ~$88-94 |
| Standalone non-bank ATM (resort lobby, casino, NOT a bank) | Bávaro resort lobbies and tourist plazas | RD$300-500 surcharge + aggressive DCC | ~$86-92 |
| Resort front desk / casino cage exchange (NOT at airport) | All-inclusive resorts | 10-15% off mid-market | ~$85-90 |
Where to find the Scotiabank, Banco Popular, and Banco León ATMs at Punta Cana (PUJ)
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) is the busiest airport in the Dominican Republic by passenger volume and the gateway to the Bávaro and Uvero Alto all-inclusive resort corridor. It is famous for its open-air, palm-thatched terminals, a genuinely pleasant arrival, but the money setup rewards a little planning. The ATMs you will find landside in arrivals are Scotiabank, Banco Popular, and Banco León, all dispensing Dominican pesos (and some USD) at the real interbank rate. The one to use is Scotiabank: it carries the lowest operator fee of any Dominican bank (~RD$150 versus the ~RD$300 norm), the highest per-transaction cap (~RD$20,000), and it is the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner in the Dominican Republic, a status Scotiabank kept here even after exiting Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama. The PUJ-specific catch is the same one that bites in the resort zone: the standalone non-bank units and the currency-exchange counters carry much worse terms, so pull only what you need for the transfer and day one here, then refill at a bank branch in Bávaro / El Cortecito or the Downtown Punta Cana mall. Note that the Dominican visa-style tourist card is now bundled into most airfares, so the old cash-at-arrival card fee is rarely a concern.
Terminals A and B (International Arrivals)
JetBlue, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Frontier, Spirit, Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, Avianca, Copa, plus a heavy charter and European program (Condor, Edelweiss, TUI, Air Europa, Iberojet). PUJ is the busiest Dominican airport, almost entirely leisure traffic into the Bávaro / Uvero Alto resort corridor, with its signature open-air palm-thatched terminals
After immigration and baggage claim, the Scotiabank, Banco Popular, and Banco León ATMs are in the arrivals area landside near the terminal exit. Use the Scotiabank unit (lowest fee, highest cap, the Bank of America Alliance partner). The currency-exchange counters are also in arrivals: walk past them, the rate is 6-12 percent worse than the ATM. Withdraw a small amount here, then refill at a Bávaro or Downtown Punta Cana bank branch. Decline DCC and choose pesos.
Do you actually need cash at Punta Cana PUJ Airport?
Partly. A pre-booked shuttle or Uber gets you to the resort without cash, but the union taxis and motoconchos want cash, and you will want pesos and small USD bills for tips and beach vendors. Here is what works on a card on the way out, and where you will still need cash:
Pre-booked shuttle or private transfer ($8-15 shared, $30-45 private to Bávaro): Prepaid online or by card; meets you in arrivals. The simplest option, and many resorts include or sell one with the package. More to Uvero Alto or Cap Cana.
Sichoturbapu official taxi (union) (~$30-45 to Bávaro by zone (often higher)): The licensed Bávaro/Punta Cana taxi union, fixed high zone fares quoted in USD or pesos, usually cash. Reliable but pricey for short hops.
Uber (app-booked) (~$15-25 to Bávaro): Cheaper than the union taxis and charged to your card via the app, but the taxi union restricts airport rideshare pickups, so your driver may meet you just outside the official zone.
Motoconcho / guagua (NOT from the airport) (A few hundred pesos): Motorcycle taxis and shared minibuses are for local hops in town, not airport transfers. Cash pesos only. Not practical with luggage from PUJ.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Punta Cana PUJ Airport to Punta Cana?
No. Pre-booked shuttle or private transfer accepts contactless. Most taxis accept cards. Uber and other apps are card-only.
Can I order Dominican Peso before flying?
Yes. CEI Currency Exchange ships physical Dominican Peso to your US address in 2-5 days at rates well below airport counters. Order 50-100 Dominican Peso for taxis and tips on day one.
Which ATM at PUJ has the lowest fees for foreign cards?
Scotiabank. Of the three banks in PUJ arrivals (Scotiabank, Banco Popular, Banco León), Scotiabank is clearly the best: its operator fee is about RD$150 per withdrawal versus roughly RD$300 at Banco Popular and Banco León, and its per-transaction cap is around RD$20,000 versus RD$10,000 at Popular, so you pay one small fee for a real cash run instead of stacking fees on small pulls. Scotiabank is also the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner in the Dominican Republic, so a BoA debit card skips BoA's 3 percent non-network surcharge there. Always choose pesos and decline DCC. Withdraw enough for your transfer and first day at PUJ, then refill at a Scotiabank or Banco Popular branch in Bávaro or the Downtown Punta Cana mall.
Is there a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner at PUJ or in the Dominican Republic?
Yes, and this is the rare Caribbean country where the answer is positive. Scotiabank is the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner in the Dominican Republic, and there is a Scotiabank ATM in PUJ arrivals. A BoA debit card used at a Scotiabank DR ATM avoids BoA's non-network usage fee (BoA's 3 percent international transaction fee still applies, and Scotiabank's own ~RD$150 fee may show, but it is still the cheapest combination). This is different from Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama, where Scotiabank sold its retail operations to Davivienda in 2025; in the Dominican Republic Scotiabank stayed and runs a Caribbean hub. For non-BoA customers, a Charles Schwab card (refunds operator fees) or a Wise card (zero FX markup) at the Scotiabank unit is the cleanest play.
Should I use the currency-exchange counter at Punta Cana airport?
No. The currency-exchange counters in PUJ arrivals post a peso sell rate that runs roughly 6-12 percent off the interbank rate, plus a fixed fee, which is far worse than the Scotiabank ATM a few steps away. Now that the Dominican peso trades freely, the airport counters are not a rate you need to accept. If you need pesos before reaching a Bávaro bank branch, use the Scotiabank or Banco Popular ATM in arrivals, not the exchange counter, and remember that resort front desks and the casino cages give even worse rates.
How do I get from PUJ to my resort in Bávaro or Uvero Alto?
Most travelers use a pre-booked transfer. Shared shuttles run about $8-15 per person and private transfers about $30-45 to the Bávaro / Arena Gorda resorts (more to Uvero Alto or Cap Cana), prepaid online or by card, and they meet you in the arrivals area. The official Sichoturbapu taxi union runs fixed zone fares that are high (often $30-45 even for a short hop), quoted in US dollars or pesos and usually cash. Uber operates in the Punta Cana area and is cheaper, charged to your card via the app, but the taxi union restricts rideshare pickups at the airport, so your driver may meet you just outside the official zone. Many resorts include or sell a transfer with the package, which is the simplest option. The transfer is the one thing worth arranging before you fly.
Do I need cash to leave PUJ?
Not if your transfer is pre-booked or you use Uber (card via app), but a little cash keeps every option open. The Sichoturbapu union taxis and the motoconchos want cash, and you will want pesos for resort-staff tips, beach vendors, and the colmado run. Pull RD$2,000-4,000 (or use the Scotiabank cap for a larger first run) at the Scotiabank ATM in arrivals, plus keep a stack of small US dollar bills ($1, $5) separately for resort housekeeping, bartenders, and bellhops, who are tipped in dollars across the all-inclusive corridor.
Can I order Dominican pesos before flying to Punta Cana?
Yes, and it is a reasonable backup, especially if you plan independent excursions outside the resort (Saona Island, Samana, the 27 Charcos waterfalls) where cash avoids the tourist-rate markup. CEI Currency Exchange ships physical Dominican pesos to your US address in 2-5 days at a rate well below the airport exchange counter. Order RD$3,000-6,000 for transfers, tips, and the first day, then top up at a Scotiabank or Banco Popular branch in Bávaro. Bring a stack of small USD bills too ($1, $5): resort staff across Punta Cana are tipped in dollars.
What about SDQ (Santo Domingo) instead of PUJ?
Las Américas International (SDQ) serves Santo Domingo and is the better gateway if your trip is the capital, the Zona Colonial, or the south coast rather than the Bávaro resorts. SDQ has Banco Popular and Banco León ATMs in arrivals and the same money rules: choose pesos, decline DCC, and prefer Scotiabank or a bank branch in Piantini or the Blue Mall / Ágora Mall / Sambil malls for the cheapest, safest withdrawals once in the city. The low-cap fee trap and the Scotiabank-is-cheapest logic are identical; the difference is just which side of the island you land on.