No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeAirlinesAir France to start direct flights between Paris and San José

Air France to start direct flights between Paris and San José

Air France announced new direct flights between Paris and San José on Thursday. Travelers can go from buenos días to bonjour twice a week on Boeing 777-300s starting Nov. 2.

The flights are scheduled to travel between Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris and Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela.

President Luis Guillermo Solís said in a statement that the new route would be a boon to communities that host tourists and to the estimated 600,000 Costa Ricans who work in the tourism industry, directly and indirectly.

Tourism Minister Mauricio Ventura said that the airline’s decision to start service in Costa Rica was a sign that the country is becoming more attractive to European visitors.

Costa Rica is Air France-KLM’s second destination on the isthmus after Panama City.

If the experience of British Airways and Thompson Airways is any indicator, there could be a lot more French tourists visiting Costa Rica next season. After the British carriers started offering direct flights to Juan Santamaría and Daniel Oduber International airports in San José and Liberia, respectively, there was a 20 percent increase in visitors from the United Kingdom to Costa Rica, according to 2015 tourism stats.

French tourism to Costa Rica was on the rise even before this week’s Air France announcement. In 2015, there were 54,773 arrivals to Costa Rica from France, a 10.2 percent increase over 2014.

French tourists typically spend more than $100 and stay for an average of 17 days per visit, according to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute.

The vast majority of Costa Rica’s visitors arrive via air. Thanks to new routes from British Airways, Southwest Airlines and others, air traffic to Costa Rica grew 8 percent in 2015 over 2014.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Eyelash Viper Snake Is One of the Most Beautiful

There are at least 141 different species of snakes in Costa Rica. With that large number of species packed into such a tiny nation,...

Costa Rica Hunts for Nicaraguan Hit Squad After Exile’s Assassination

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) is investigating whether a hit squad tied to Nicaragua’s Ortega-Murillo regime is targeting exiled critics on its soil....

Prisma Dental in Costa Rica Keeps Customers Happy and Smiling

I am 81 years old and have had teeth removed, bridges, and cavities fixed several times to sustain my ability to eat and function....

El Salvador Slams Paris Fashion Show Inspired by Cecot Mega-Prison Inmates

The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, joked on Saturday that he could send inmates from his mega-prison to France, after they were represented...

Costa Rica to Launch Electric Air Taxis for Sustainable Travel in Guanacaste

Costa Rica is poised to revolutionize its transportation landscape with the introduction of electric air taxis, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional ground travel...

Former Costa Rican Minister Arrested for Drug Trafficking, Faces U.S. Extradition

Costa Rica’s judicial police arrested Celso Gamboa, a former security minister and Supreme Court judge, on Monday, following a U.S. request for his extradition...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica