Four Canadian airlines will begin their return to Costa Rica in October following a seven-month absence due to the North American government’s coronavirus measures, the Tourism Board announced.
Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing and WestJet all plan to fly to Costa Rica by December 2021. They will offer nonstop service from Toronto, Montreal and Calgary with an emphasis on routes to Guanacaste International Airport (LIR).
“Canada is the market that generates the second-most tourists to Costa Rica, only surpassed by the United States. The return of Canadian airlines occurs at an ideal time to boost visitation in the last quarter of the year and especially through the gateway to the province of Guanacaste where Canadian tourists mostly enter our country,” said Gustavo Segura, Tourism Minister.
WestJet will be the first Canadian airline to return to Costa Rica with flights to LIR from Toronto beginning October 2. The route will operate weekly (Saturdays) and increase to thrice weekly in November, when a twice-weekly route from Calgary will also be re-launched.
Air Canada will return to Guanacaste from Toronto on October 9 and from Montreal in November. Flights to SJO on Air Canada will resume October 13 from Toronto.
Sunwing’s return will be on November 1 with weekly flights from Toronto and Montreal to Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport.
Finally, Air Transat is planning December flights from Montreal and Toronto.
“We have given special attention to the economic and tourist recovery in Guanacaste and this news fills us with satisfaction and joy,” said First Lady Claudia Dobles.
In 2019, 218,932 Canadian tourists entered Costa Rica via the country’s international airports, per Tourism Board data.
