Delta Air Lines will add a seasonal nonstop route between New York and Guanacaste later this year, giving Costa Rica’s north Pacific region yet another direct connection with one of its most important tourism markets. The flights will operate every Saturday from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to Guanacaste Airport in Liberia between December 19, 2026, and April 10, 2027. The service will use an Airbus A321neo with capacity for 194 passengers.
The route is aimed at travelers from the northeastern United States, a key source market for Costa Rica. It also gives Delta another direct link into Liberia, which has become the main gateway for visitors heading to Guanacaste’s beaches, resorts, national parks and the Nicoya Peninsula.
Delta already operates direct Guanacaste routes from Atlanta, Boston, Minneapolis and Detroit. With New York added to the schedule, the airline is strengthening its high-season presence at Liberia during Costa Rica’s busiest tourism months. The schedule filed for the route lists Flight DL2030 departing New York JFK at 10:40 a.m. and arriving in Liberia at 3:25 p.m. The return flight, DL2057, is scheduled to leave Liberia at 4:40 p.m. and arrive in New York at 11:05 p.m.
The route is seasonal for now. If all scheduled Saturday flights operate during the announced window, the service would add 6,596 total seats between New York and Guanacaste across the season. The announcement comes as Guanacaste continues to attract more direct air service from the United States. The region has benefited from airlines adding routes that allow visitors to bypass San José and land closer to the Pacific coast.
It also follows the recent announcement of a temporary Southwest Airlines route between Nashville and Guanacaste, scheduled to operate weekly from February 13 to March 6, 2027. That service will add four Saturday flights during the high season.
For Costa Rica’s tourism industry, the Delta route lands at an important time. The United States remains our country’s top source of international visitors, followed by Canada and Mexico. We reported earlier this year showing tourism challenges, while business groups have warned that Costa Rica faces stronger competition from other regional destinations.
The New York-Guanacaste route gives hotels, tour operators, rental car agencies and coastal communities another direct line into the U.S. market during the peak travel season. For travelers, it means a simpler path from New York to Liberia, with no connection through San José, Atlanta or another hub.
