Punta Cana International is a small airport by international standards, and that works in your favor. Once you’re off the plane, there’s no long trek between terminals or confusing signage to decipher — you’ll pass through immigration, collect your bags, and clear customs in roughly the same sequence regardless of which gate you landed at. The whole building is open-air, thatched-roof, and genuinely pleasant to walk through, which is a nice change after a long flight.
Where people run into trouble isn’t the airport itself, it’s the exit. The moment you step outside with your luggage, you’ll be met by a wall of drivers calling out for your attention, some legitimate, many not. If you haven’t arranged your Iberostar Grand Bávaro airport transfer ahead of time, it’s genuinely hard to tell a licensed operator from someone who just wants your fare in cash and no paper trail. Overcharging, drop-offs at the wrong resort gate, and vague «the price changed» conversations mid-ride are common complaints from travelers who booked on the spot.
Booking in advance removes that decision entirely. You’ll know your driver’s name, the vehicle, and the price before you’ve even boarded your flight, so when you walk outside there’s nothing to negotiate and nobody to size up. You go straight to your name on a sign, skip the crowd at the curb, and start the drive to the Grand Bávaro already knowing exactly what the rest of your afternoon looks like.