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American Airlines launches new flights to Costa Rica

It’s a big week for American Airlines and Costa Rica.

The Texas-based airline is launching new flights to Costa Rica from Chicago and Austin, as announced earlier this year. Starting Tuesday, November 2, American offers the following new routes to Costa Rica: 

  • Chicago (ORD) to the San José area (SJO): 3x weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Returns the following days (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays). 
  • Chicago (ORD) to Guanacaste (LIR): 1x weekly on Saturdays. Returns the same day.
  • Austin, Texas (AUS) to Guanacaste (LIR): 3x weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

“American Airlines has a strong commitment to Costa Rica, as evidenced by the 84 weekly flights that we will be operating in the fall from five destinations — the largest operation we have had during our 31 years in Costa Rica,” said Rafael Sánchez, Regional Manager of Central America for American.

“We are proud to start a new route from San José and Liberia, offering our clients greater travel options, now to Chicago, one of our most important hubs in the United States.”

American will compete with United Airlines, which also flies to Costa Rica from O’Hare Airport in Chicago. It’s the only carrier with nonstop service between Costa Rica and Austin, though United and Southwest also connect Costa Rica and Texas.

With the new routes, American Airlines will offer nonstop service to Costa Rica from: Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; New York City (JFK); and Miami.

All major U.S. airlines fly to Costa Rica. The Central American country is welcoming tourists from across the world, with no health insurance policy required for children or vaccinated adults.

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