How to request a seat, and why it has to be in advance
Send three things on WhatsApp: the child's age, their approximate weight, and whether you are bringing your own seat. From that we choose between a rear-facing infant carrier, a forward-facing seat with a five-point harness, and a booster. If you are unsure, give us the age and we pick the conservative option.
The reason we need it before the day is mechanical, not bureaucratic. Seats are fitted at the base by the driver who is doing your run, checked, and then the car is dispatched. We do not keep a stack of seats at the terminal to clip in at the curb, because a seat installed in a hurry on an airport apron is a seat installed badly.
A same-day request usually still works — send it and we will tell you honestly whether the vehicle can be swapped in time. What does not work is asking the driver at the arrivals door.
What it costs: nothing
Count every traveler when planning the vehicle, including infants. Tell the team each child's seat needs and the number of large bags before travel; suitability should be confirmed rather than inferred from the base passenger capacity.
VIP prices are one-way, per vehicle for 1–6 passengers. Taxes included. Santiago $59; La Vega $89; Jarabacoa $149; Puerto Plata $145; Sosúa $159; Cabarete $169 USD. VIP 7–14: +$40 USD.
Children also do not count differently from adults for the vehicle price. The number that matters is total passengers: one to six is the standard car, seven to fourteen is the van. An infant in arms still occupies a seat position under our own rule, so count the baby when you tell us the party size.
There is no luggage fee either. What there is, is a physical limit — see below.
Strollers, car seats of your own, and luggage reality
A standard car takes six passengers or four passengers plus a generous luggage load. A family of four with four checked bags, a folding stroller and two car seats is at the edge of a sedan and comfortable in an SUV. Tell us the bag count when you book and we send the right body style — this costs nothing and it is the single most common reason a transfer starts badly for a family.
Umbrella strollers fold into the boot without argument. Travel systems and jogging strollers are bulky; mention them explicitly. Pack-and-play cots, car seats you brought yourself and mountain or beach gear all count as bags for planning purposes.
If you brought your own seat and prefer it, the driver will fit it or let you fit it — no discount, no complaint, and we still bring ours as a backup unless you tell us not to.
When the family needs a van
Santo Domingo and the other long-run destinations are quoted separately for vans — send the party size on WhatsApp and the desk gives a figure in writing before you book. That is not a hedge; it is because those runs are long enough that vehicle choice changes the cost meaningfully.
Two smaller cars instead of one van is sometimes cheaper and always more flexible with car seats. Ask the dispatcher to price both; we will tell you which is better for your party rather than defaulting to the bigger number.
Long runs with small children: Puerto Plata, Cabarete, Santo Domingo
A 20-minute run to Santiago is nothing. A 60 to 80 minute run to Puerto Plata after a long flight is a different proposition, and Santo Domingo at over two hours is a genuine drive. Three things make those work with children.
First, a grocery or pharmacy stop. Say the word and the driver pulls in on the way — water, snacks, nappies, formula. We do not charge for a short stop on the route. Second, air conditioning set before you get in: tell the dispatcher you have an infant and the driver cools the cabin while he waits. Third, honest timing — we tell you 105 minutes to Cabarete rather than 85, so nobody is watching the clock in the back seat.
For the return leg, the buffers matter more with children, not less: Puerto Plata and Playa Dorada 3 to 3.5 hours before departure, Cabarete 3.5 to 4, Santo Domingo 5 to 5.5. Those figures include a realistic amount of lobby chaos.
Night landings with kids
Many US arrivals into STI land in the evening, and families feel that more than anyone. The rate does not change after dark, the driver waits with a name sign inside arrivals, and the flight is tracked, so a delay does not turn into an argument at 01:00.
The practical advice: keep one small bag with water, a change of clothes and the child's seat-safe layer in the cabin, not in the checked luggage. Immigration at night is quick, but the walk out is long enough that you do not want to be opening suitcases in the meeting hall.
If your party splits across two flights — one parent earlier, one later — tell us both flight numbers. We will either hold one car or send two, and we will price it plainly.
Family rates by destination — per vehicle, children free
| Zone | Drive time | VIP |
|---|---|---|
| Santiago de los Caballeros | 15–25 min | $59 |
| Licey / Tamboril | 10–20 min | $59 |
| La Vega | 30–45 min | $89 |
| Jarabacoa | 60–80 min | $149 |
| Puerto Plata / Playa Dorada | 60–80 min | $145 |
| Sosúa | 75–95 min | $159 |
| Cabarete | 85–105 min | $169 |
| Santo Domingo (city or SDQ) | 2.25–2.75 h | $269 |
One-way, per vehicle for 1–6 passengers including children, taxes included. Child seats at no charge. 7–14 passengers uses a van: VIP +$40 on local destinations; Santo Domingo and other long runs quoted on WhatsApp.
Price is per vehicle, one-way, taxes included. 7–14 pax uses a van: VIP +$40 on local zones; quoted in the form.
Send the flight, get the price in writing
Hotel name, flight number, date and party size. We reply with the fixed rate, track the flight and meet you inside arrivals with a name sign. Pay the driver on arrival.
Book on WhatsAppQuestions we get on this
- Do you provide child car seats?
- Yes, free of charge. Send the child's age and weight on WhatsApp when you book and the seat is fitted at our base before the car is dispatched. Infant carriers, forward-facing seats and boosters are all available.
- Is there a charge for a car seat?
- No. Seats cost nothing, on any destination, and two seats in one car is normal. The price you pay is the destination rate for the vehicle.
- Do children count towards the passenger limit?
- Yes. The standard vehicle carries one to six passengers of any age, infants included. Seven or more moves to a 7–14 van at plus $40 VIP or plus $40 VIP on local destinations.
- Can I bring my own car seat?
- Of course. The driver will fit it or let you fit it, and there is no discount or surcharge either way. Tell us in advance and we can still bring ours as a spare.
- Will a stroller and four suitcases fit?
- In an SUV, comfortably. Tell us the bag count and stroller type when you book so the dispatcher sends the right body style — it costs nothing and prevents the most common family transfer problem.
- Can the driver stop at a supermarket or pharmacy on the way?
- Yes. A short stop for water, snacks, nappies or formula is free and common, especially on the longer runs to Puerto Plata and Cabarete. Just tell the driver when you get in.
- How much is a family transfer from STI to Santiago?
- $59 VIP one-way, per vehicle. A family of four pays exactly the same as a solo traveller, with car seats included.
- Is the long drive to Puerto Plata or Santo Domingo manageable with a baby?
- Puerto Plata is 60 to 80 minutes and Santo Domingo 2.25 to 2.75 hours. Both are routine with a fitted seat, a cooled cabin and a stop on the way. We quote the honest upper time so nobody is surprised in the back seat.