Before you fly
Travel tips & entry requirements
Everything a first-timer needs for a smooth trip to any of our 17 resorts — passports, entry forms, flights and arrival know-how. Written for U.S. passport holders; other nationalities should confirm requirements with their embassy.
Verified against official government sources, September 2026. Requirements change — always double-check the official links below before you travel.
Smart flyer basics
- Book 1–3 months out for the Caribbean, 2–5 months for Dubai; festive weeks (Christmas, New Year, Easter) sell out earliest — book those as soon as your resort week is confirmed.
- Your week runs on fixed dates once confirmed, so buy flights after you have our written confirmation — never before.
- Midweek departures (Tuesday/Wednesday) are usually the cheapest; set a price alert on Google Flights for your route the day your week is confirmed.
- Arrive at the airport 3 hours before any international departure; both DR and Dubai check documents at the counter (the DR checks your E-Ticket QR before boarding).
- Passport quick-check: six months of validity beyond travel and two blank pages covers every destination we offer. Renewals at travel.state.gov currently take weeks, not days — check early.
- Travel insurance is strongly recommended for every booking — resort cancellation windows apply and flights are your own contract with the airline.
Puerto Plata · Cofresi · Cabarete
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Passport & entry
- A valid U.S. passport gets you in — no visa needed for stays up to 30 days, and the tourist card is already included in your airfare. Officially the DR asks for six months of passport validity, though U.S. passports valid just for the length of the trip are being accepted through December 31, 2026. To keep it simple: travel with at least six months left on your passport.
- The E-Ticket is mandatory — both arriving and departing. It is a free digital entry/exit form (immigration + customs in one) that generates a QR code; one form covers your whole family. Fill it out as soon as you have flight details, only at the official site: eticket.migracion.gob.do. It is completely free — any site charging for it is not the real one.
Flights & the airport
- Fly into Puerto Plata (POP) — it sits right between Cofresi and Cabarete, about 25–30 minutes from either. Nonstops run from Miami (American), New York JFK (JetBlue) and Newark (United, weekly); many other cities connect through those hubs.
- Backup: Santiago (STI), about 1¼ hours away by road. Avoid Santo Domingo (SDQ) — it is on the opposite coast, roughly a 4-hour drive.
- The US$20 departure tax is already built into your airline ticket — nothing to pay at the airport.
Arrival & on the ground
- Your round-trip airport transfer is included at the Puerto Plata resorts and Cabarete. We arrange your arrival pickup when your week is confirmed; the resort arranges your ride back during your stay — so ignore the taxi touts at arrivals.
- U.S. dollars exchange easily at banks and authorized exchange offices; the local currency is the Dominican peso.
- Tipping: restaurant bills automatically include a 10% service charge (plus 18% tax); an extra ~10% for good service is customary. On your all-inclusive week, tips for bartenders and housekeeping in small bills are appreciated but never required.
Resort check-in rules (from the club’s regulations)
- Send your flight details at least 5 days before arrival via the club’s transportation form (we include the link with your confirmation) so your pickup is scheduled.
- Check-in is 3 PM, check-out 11:30 AM. Early check-in or late check-out can be requested at reception for an extra cost.
- Bring your passport — check-in is denied without it, and the lead guest (18+) must be present for the entire reservation.
- Arriving after 5 PM? See guest services by 11 AM the next morning to activate your VIP reservation — late arrivals check in at the walk-in rate for the first night until then.
- The all-inclusive fee is charged at check-in for everyone on the confirmation and is required for guests traveling without the member — flight arrivals after midnight pay 50% for that first night.
- December 24 & 31 carry a mandatory gala-dinner supplement, and no pets are allowed.
Al Habtoor City · JBR · Dubailand · Sheikh Zayed Road
🇦🇪 Dubai, UAE
Passport & entry
- U.S. citizens get a free 30-day visa on arrival — no paperwork in advance. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the day you land.
- Arrival is fast: Dubai’s Smart Gates use facial recognition, and travelers with biometric U.S. passports can usually clear immigration in seconds.
Flights & the airport
- Emirates flies to Dubai from 12 U.S. cities — nonstop from New York JFK, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, LA, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC — and United flies Newark–Dubai nonstop daily. From the East Coast it is roughly a 12½–13½ hour flight.
- Emirates and United both land at Terminal 3. Taxis wait at every terminal (airport pickup starts at AED 25), ride apps have marked pickup points, and the Metro’s Red Line runs from Terminals 1 and 3 into the city.
Laws every visitor should know
- Medications: ordinary prescriptions in personal quantities are fine — carry them in original packaging with the prescription. Controlled or narcotic medicines (some painkillers, ADHD and anxiety medications) need advance approval from the UAE Ministry of Health — apply online at MOHAP before you fly. Cannabis and CBD are strictly illegal, down to trace amounts.
- Alcohol is served at licensed venues — hotels, restaurants and bars, including at your resort — but public intoxication and drinking-and-driving carry severe penalties.
- Dress modestly in public places like malls (shoulders/knees covered is a safe rule); swimwear belongs only at beaches and pools. Holding hands is fine; further public affection is not. Don’t photograph people without permission, or government and military buildings.
- Bringing e-cigarettes or vapes? The rules are genuinely murky — check current UAE guidance before packing them.
On the ground
- The dirham (AED) is pegged to the dollar at 3.67, so prices are easy math — divide by 3.7.
- Best weather: November through March. June–August is extreme heat (110°F+ days) — pools, malls and indoor Dubai still work great, which is exactly why our low-season Dubai rates run May–September.
- During Ramadan (falling in Feb–Mar 2027), most tourist venues operate normally in Dubai but some hours shift — worth checking if your dates overlap.
- Dubai stays through us are room-only with no resort fees; an optional all-inclusive dining plan can be added and is quoted with your booking (billed in dirhams at the hotel; alcohol is not included but carries a 25% discount alongside the club menus).
- Club guests receive round-trip DXB airport transfers plus arrival benefits: set three-course club dining menus, a bracelet valid at the club’s partner hotels’ restaurants, Andrea’s Beach Club access and the members’ Sunset Lounge.
Documents ready? Let’s pick your week.
Get your member-rate quote with every fee shown up front — then book flights once your week is confirmed in your name.
Get My Member-Rate QuoteThis guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Entry requirements are set by each country and can change without notice; the official sources linked above are always the final word. Wholesale Getaway is not responsible for denied boarding or entry resulting from missing documents.