TBT: Pan American Clipper connects Costa Rica to Texas

Flying today is cheaper than ever, and non-stop routes have connected Costa Rica to destinations across the Americas and Europe.

But in the 1940s, even a direct flight to Texas was cause for celebration, as commemorated by this postcard.

We couldn’t find much information about the airmail flight, but it likely originated from San José’s La Sabana airport, which was inaugurated in 1940.

Today, La Sabana is a large metropolitan park (and home to the National Stadium), and the majority of Costa Rica’s international flights use Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela.

The Museum of Costa Rican Art was formerly the main terminal and control tower of La Sabana International Airport, where planes landed in what is today La Sabana Metropolitan Park. Karl Kahler/The Tico Times