International Airports in Costa Rica
There are four international airports in Costa Rica, but only Juan Santamaria and Daniel Oduber Quiros serve destinations outside of Latin America with regularity and without chartering flights.
The international airports and their codes are as follows:
- Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR)
- Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
- Limón International Airport (LIO)
- Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ)
The last two international airports are for charter flights with a few flights (especially cargo) going to Latin American countries (mostly Panama). Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport is located in Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, and Juan Santamaria International Airport is located in the city of Alajuela in the Central Valley. Both of the main international airports that serve tourists coming in from North America, Europe and parts unknown have several accommodations nearby such as Hilton Garden Inn in Liberia, Costa Rica.
Juan Santamaria & Daniel Oduber Quiros
These two airports of Juan Santamaria and Daniel Oduber Quirós are the largest airports in Costa Rica. Juan Santamaria International Airport maintains ten gates, and two separate buildings for domestic and international travel. Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport expanded from five gates to eight in 2006.
Tobias Bolanos & Limon
Tobías Bolaños International Airport is the main airport in regards to aviation instruction, and was named for the first aviator of Costa Rica. Límon International Airport was closed for some 20 years before reopening in 2006. It now runs a daily flight from San Jose in the high season, and other charter and cargo flights make their way to and from Límon through the international airport.
The Major International Airports & Tours
The two major international airports see the majority of air traffic in the country. Juan Santamaria International Airport serves incoming and outgoing flights in the millions, and Daniel Oduber Quiros sees hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. They are also available for domestic flights, and help to expedite travel in Costa Rica. When taking a tour with Costa Rica Monkey Tours, you will be flying into one of these two airports. Depending on your tour, one of theses airports may be better than the other. For example, when taking the Jewels Tour or the Coast to Coast Tour, you are better flying into Juan Santamaria, because the tour starts in the Central Valley. However, if you choose the Essential Tour or the Costa Rica Nicaragua Tour, you should fly into Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia.
Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport
This airport is located in the hub of the Guanacaste Province and the capital city of Liberia, and it serves as the first entry point to major attractions in the northwest province.
Named After an Ex-President
The airport was named for the ex-president Daniel Oduber Quirós who worked to preserve the forests of Guanacaste and to help the people of the province. Quirós was president from 1974 to 1978. The airport is more often referred to as Liberia International Airport, because of its location and the president’s name not being applied until later. The orginal name of the airport was “Llano Grande.”
The domestic airlines of Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport are as follows:
- Nature Air
- Sansa Air
The international airlines operating out of Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport are as follows:
- Air Canada
- Air Canada Rouge
- Air Transat
- American Airlines
- Avianca El Salvador
- Copa Airlines
- Delta Air
- Frontier Airlines
- JetBlue Airways
- Sun Country Airlines
- Sunwing Airlines
- Thomson Airways
- United Airlines
- US Airways
- WestJet
Airport Expansion
The Liberia International Airport was expanded from five parking lanes for incoming or departing airplanes to eight in 2006. The airport continues to increase in size as more and more visitors have begun coming into the airport. The airport currently serves foreign and resident visitors in the hundreds of thousands annually, and was expanded in 2007, 2010 and 2012 as to the landing area and the terminal area.
Juan Santamaria International Airport
Juan Santamaria is the main international airport in Costa Rica, and is located in the central valley region in the city of Alajuela despite it often being described as being in San Jose.
A Young Soldier
Juan Santamaria Airport was named for a young soldier who gave his life in the Second Battle of Rivas against the military exploits of one William Walker. Walker came to Nicaragua on a conquest to set up areas from Nicaragua to as far north and south as possible as a slave state for the United States. The heroism of Santamaria, who was originally from Costa Rica, is what caused the decisive victory in Rivas, Nicaragua, and contributed to the demise of Walker’s plans.
The Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela, Costa Rica, is served by domestic and international airlines. The domestic airlines are as follows:
- Sansa Air
- Nature Air
The international airlines that come into Juan Santamaria Airport are as follows:
- Aeroméxico
- Air Canada Rouge
- Air Panama
- Air Transat
- American Airlines
- Avianca Costa Rica
- Condor
- Copa Airlines
- Copa Airlines Colombia
- Cubana de Aviación
- Delta Air
- Iberia
- Interjet
- JetBlue Airways
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
- United Airlines
- US Airways
- Veca Airlines
More & More Tourists
The increasing numbers of tourists coming into Costa Rica to take part in many different kinds of activities are reflected by the numbers of people passing through the Juan Santamaria International Airport. The number of visitors to the airport in 2010 was 4.3 million, and has continued to rise.
Juan Santamaria International Airport has expanded to ten gates and two buildings for domestic and international air travel. It is the largest airport in Costa Rica. Most travel agents will turn to Juan Santamaria International Airport when seeking flights for their customers.
Limón International Airport
The Eastern Province of Límon, Costa Rica, sees a fair amount of domestic traffic at the international airport, and also some traffic from countries in Latin America.
Closed For 20 Years
Límon Airport had been closed for 20 years until it reopened on July 1st, 2006. In order to increase tourism to the area, the ministry of the presidency announced in 2011 that it would begin regularly scheduled flights via Sansa Air. This resulted in a flight scheduled four times throughout the week. Currently, airlines that fly to and from Límon include LACSA airlines, C.A.L. Cargo Airlines, Paradise Air, Aerobell, Nature Air and Sansa Air.
Cargo Flights, Charters and Private Flights
The flights that are operated in and out of Límon International Airport are mostly cargo, charter and private flights with the one regularly scheduled flight from Sansa Air. The regularly scheduled flight from Sansa departs at 6:20 am from San Jose, and arrives in Límon at 6:55 am. This flight operates Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the high season from December to April.
Bocas del Toro
Límon Airport’s main international destination is Bocas del Toro in Panama, but chartered flights can be taken at any time to many different domestic and international destinations.
Tobías Bolaños International Airport
Tobías Bolaños International Airport probably operates more domestic flights than international ones, but it still sees a fair amount of traffic from locations in Latin America.
Pilot Tobiás Bolaños Palma
Tobiás Bolaños Airport was named for the pilot Tobiás Bolaños Palma originally from Heredia, Costa Rica, born in 1892. Bolaños was considered the first aviator of Costa Rica, and spent almost all of his life in pursuit of his dream to be a pilot. He trained in France, and fought in the First World War. He is also considered the first instructor of aviation in Costa Rica, and is considered a national hero. Bolaños passed away in 1953.
Aviation Instruction
Tobías Bolaños is appropriately named due to its role in aviation instruction. Most up and coming pilots from Costa Rica learn to fly at Tobías Bolaños Airport. The man that the airport was named for would be proud to see his legacy being carried forward into future generations.
Cargo, Private & Charter Flights
Tobías Bolaños Airport is served by cargo flights, private flights and charter services. Some of the airlines that you will find at Tobías Bolaños are Aerobell, Carmon Air, Taxiaero, Nature Air and Sansa Air. Nature Air and Sansa Air are domestic airlines that fly to the 17 domestic airlines and the 4 international airlines of Costa Rica. Some of the airlines (including Sansa) fly individuals or companies to international destinations.
*Click here to plan your custom vacation packages in Costa Rica
