American Eagle has announced that its new flights to Samana will start on 13 December 2007. This new route will bring to six the number of Dominican destinations covered by the American Airlines affiliate. The airline will be using a Super ATR with capacity for 64 passengers. Upon making the announcement, Rafael Sanchez, director general of American Airlines in the DR, focused on the fact that Samana is a destination for newlyweds, nature lovers and travelers with a spirit of adventure. He said that the flight comes in time for tourists wanting to take a whale-watching excursion. The new 5046 flight will depart San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin (SJU) Airport at 1:45pm and arrive at 3:10pm. The return flight from the Samana Catey Airport (AZS) to San Juan is flight 5047, leaving at 3:40pm and arriving to San Juan at 5pm. Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez pointed out that this will be a very attractive route for Puerto Rican tourists.