German airline Lufthansa will stop operating its flights to Costa Rica in December 2027, but travelers will not lose the connection to Europe. Instead, sister airline Discover Airlines will take over the Frankfurt–San José route and increase service from five to six flights per week. The change, announced on October 29, will take effect on December 14, 2027, with Discover Airlines operating flights to Juan SantamarÃa International Airport using Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) confirmed that Lufthansa will continue operating the route through December 13, 2027, before handing it over to Discover, which belongs to the same airline group. For anyone flying here, the important point is that the route is not disappearing. Lufthansa Group will continue to fly to Costa Rica from Germany, although the airline operating the flights will change.
However, there is one important difference in the new schedule. Of the six weekly flights, four will operate nonstop between Frankfurt and San José. The other two will follow a route that takes passengers from Frankfurt to San José, continues to Belize City and then returns to Germany. That means passengers leaving Costa Rica for Frankfurt will need to pay attention when booking. Although the total number of weekly flights will increase, two of the return services will include a stop in Belize.
The change follows negotiations between the ICT and Lufthansa Group that began more than a year ago. Tourism officials said the goal was to move the route to an airline more focused on vacation travelers, which better matches Costa Rica’s tourism market. Discover Airlines specializes in leisure travel and operates from Frankfurt and Munich, serving destinations popular with tourists. It is part of Lufthansa Group, allowing passengers to continue using Frankfurt as a connection point for other destinations in Europe and beyond.
Another significant change will be the aircraft itself. Discover plans to introduce the Airbus A350-900 on the Costa Rica route, replacing the aircraft currently used by Lufthansa. The A350 is a modern long-distance aircraft designed to carry passengers across continents with improved fuel efficiency. Discover expects to receive its first A350 in June 2027 and a second aircraft in December, when the Costa Rica service is scheduled to begin.
The airline is gradually expanding its long-distance fleet, with additional A350 aircraft expected in 2028. The announcement comes as Lufthansa is already increasing its presence in Costa Rica. For the current European winter season, which began October 25, the airline expanded its Frankfurt service from three to five weekly flights and introduced Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with its newer Allegris cabin design.
Germany remains Costa Rica’s largest source of European tourists. According to ICT figures, 54,794 German visitors arrived in Costa Rica between January and September 2026, an increase of 8.1% compared with the same period in 2025. The Frankfurt connection is particularly important because it serves both German vacationers and travelers connecting through one of Europe’s busiest international airports.
For Costa Rica’s tourism industry, the planned increase in weekly service provides another opportunity to attract European visitors, especially during the busy winter travel season. Passengers planning trips for late 2027 should keep an eye on the new schedules as Discover Airlines updates its booking system. The airline has confirmed the planned route changes, but final operating details and aircraft assignments may still be adjusted before the service begins.
