Title: Groups, vans and extra luggage at STI airport Locale: en Canonical HTML URL: https://stivip.com/en/guides/groups-vans-extra-luggage-sti Updated: August 2026 Author: STI dispatch desk, Santiago de los Caballeros Operator: STI VIP — A&M Caribbean Group SRL # Groups, vans and extra luggage at STI airport Answer first · updated 2026 · written by the dispatch desk ## Direct answer One to six passengers ride in a VIP SUV or minivan; seven to fourteen move to a passenger van at VIP +$40 on local destinations from Cibao International Airport (STI). A four-person family with the usual four large suitcases fits a VIP car with room for a stroller. Golf clubs, surfboards and wheelchairs travel free but change which vehicle we send, so tell us at booking rather than at the curb. Prices are one-way, per vehicle, taxes included, 1–6 passengers. 7–14 passengers move to a van: VIP +40 on local zones. Private only — no shared seats, no night surcharge, no prepayment to hold. Rate list updated August 2026. ## How the vehicle is sized Our fleet splits at seven passengers, not at luggage volume, because that is where seatbelts run out in a minivan. One to six people ride VIP in an SUV or minivan regardless of bag count within reason; seven to fourteen move to a full passenger van, at VIP +$40 on any local destination on the price list. For seven to fourteen travelers, the existing VIP van supplement applies per leg before the round-trip discount. Tell us the full group and luggage count so the vehicle arrangement can be confirmed. 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. We do not split a group of eight into two VIP cars unless you ask for it. Splitting the party usually costs more than the van and means two pickup times to coordinate at the airport door. ## What actually fits A VIP SUV or minivan handles four large 23kg checked suitcases plus four carry-ons and a stroller without anyone holding a bag on their lap. Push past that — a fifth large case, a car seat and a stroller together — and the trunk runs out before the seats do. The van (seven to fourteen passengers) carries roughly double that: eight to ten large suitcases plus carry-ons is routine. It is also the right call for six passengers with an unusually heavy bag count, even though six people alone would normally be VIP — tell us the case count and we will suggest the van if the math needs it. Oversized items do not count against the suitcase total but they do take a seat's worth of floor or roof space: a golf bag, a surfboard bag, a folded wheelchair or a full-size stroller each effectively use the room of one extra passenger. Two golf bags in a four-person VIP car is fine; two golf bags plus a surfboard in the same car usually is not. ## Sporting gear, mobility equipment and strollers Golf bags travel free and are common on runs to Santiago's golf hotels and to Playa Dorada, where several resorts sit on golf courses. A hard travel case is easier to load than a soft bag with loose clubs, but either works — just tell us the number of bags. Surfboards and kitesurf gear need the same advance notice for guests heading to Cabaret's Kite Beach or Encuentro — a board bag over 7 feet does not fold and needs either a van's rear bench folded down or the roof. Wheelchairs, whether manual and foldable or a larger power chair, ride free; a power chair that does not disassemble may need the van even for a couple traveling alone. Strollers are routine and free. A single umbrella stroller adds nothing to the calculation; a double stroller or a car-seat-and-stroller combo is worth mentioning if you are already at four passengers and four suitcases. ## Two-hotel drops and split parties Groups traveling together but staying at two different destinations are common — a wedding party at a Santiago hotel with the rest of the family in Puerto Plata, or grandparents at a different property in the same town. One van can do both drops on one pickup within the same destination; we add about 15 to 20 minutes to the run for the second stop and confirm a single price that covers the whole trip. Tell us both hotel names and the order you would prefer at booking. If the two hotels are in genuinely different destinations — say, Santiago and Puerto Plata — this stops being a single fare and becomes two bookings, because the drive time and price genuinely double. We will flag that on WhatsApp before you confirm anything. ## Car seats and children Car seats are free and do not count against the six- or fourteen-passenger caps, but they do take up a full seating position once installed, so a family of six with two car seats effectively needs the room of eight. Tell us the children's ages and we bring the right seat sizes fitted before you land. ## What to send us at booking One WhatsApp message covers it: flight number, total passenger count, number of large suitcases, any golf bags/boards/wheelchairs/strollers, whether it is one hotel or two, and the ages of any children needing a car seat. That is enough for us to confirm VIP or van and the exact price before you fly. The only thing we cannot fix after the fact is a vehicle sized wrong at the curb — if six adults and eight suitcases turn up expecting a car we quoted for four, the driver cannot conjure a second vehicle on the spot. ## Local-destination rates with the group surcharge | 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 | Full price list: https://stivip.com/en/prices One-way, per vehicle, taxes included. 1–6 passengers: VIP base rate. 7–14 passengers: add $40 VIP on local destinations. ## FAQ ### How many suitcases fit in a VIP car? About four large 23kg suitcases plus four carry-ons and a stroller, for up to six passengers. Add a golf bag or a fifth large case and mention it at booking — we may suggest the van. ### What does the van cost compared to a VIP car? 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. ### Do golf bags or surfboards cost extra? No, they ride free, but each takes roughly the space of one extra passenger. Tell us the count so we send a vehicle with room for them. ### Can one van pick up from two hotels? Yes. We add about 15 to 20 minutes to the run and confirm one price covering both stops, provided the hotels are in the same destination. ### Do wheelchairs and strollers cost extra? No, both are free. A power wheelchair that does not fold may push a small group toward the van — mention the model or weight at booking. ### What should I send you before booking a group transfer? Flight number, passenger count, suitcase count, any golf bags/boards/wheelchairs/strollers, one or two hotels, and children's ages for car seats. ## Related pages - [Full price list](https://stivip.com/en/prices) - [How pickup works](https://stivip.com/en/how-it-works) - [FAQ](https://stivip.com/en/faq) - [Uber at STI airport](https://stivip.com/en/guides/uber-at-sti-airport) - [Taxi vs private transfer](https://stivip.com/en/guides/taxi-vs-private-transfer) - [Shared shuttle vs private](https://stivip.com/en/guides/shared-shuttle-vs-private) - [Transfer times by destination](https://stivip.com/en/guides/transfer-times-from-sti) ## Contact WhatsApp +1 849 377 5889 · info@cana.tours · STI VIP (A&M Caribbean Group SRL), Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.