The Canadian airline WestJet became the first of four carriers from that country to resume Costa Rica flights.
Following a seven-month absence due to the Canadian government’s coronavirus recommendations, the first WestJet flight landed Saturday afternoon at Guanacaste Airport (LIR) in Liberia.
“From Toronto, Canada to warm Guanacaste. Welcome back WestJet; we are so glad to have you here!” the airport said in a statement.
By the end of 2021, all of Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing and WestJet plan to return to Costa Rica. They will offer nonstop service from Toronto, Montreal and Calgary with an emphasis on routes to Guanacaste.
WestJet was the first Canadian airline to return to Costa Rica with flights to LIR from Toronto that began October 2. The route operates weekly (Saturdays) and will 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.