The Guanacaste Airport in Guanacaste will build a new terminal specifically for private jets. The two major factors leading to this decision were the development of five- and seven-star hotels and the impressive growth of private jets and business aviation.
Guanacaste Airport officials indicated private flights increased from 460 to 1,300 in 2022.
The investment will range from $1.5 million to $2 million by using one of the existing hangars within the terminal area facilities.
“While a normal tourist spends $150 a day, these people spend $3,000 or more. The planning, added to the technical and financial capacity, will allow us to develop this new project, which will be located about 150 meters from the terminal that receives all passengers,” said César Jaramillo, general manager of Guanacaste Airport.
The Ritz-Carlton, Six Senses, One & Only, and the Waldorf Astoria are expected to be built soon. In addition, there are already other extremely luxurious resorts in Guanacaste, which is why said decision was made.
In addition, this airport registered a record 1.4 million passengers, which is highly favorable for the industry.
“We had an expanded terminal before the pandemic, the hotel capacity was maintained, and now there is growth in the entire service, so the future looks good,” added Jaramillo.
This favorable tourist behavior allows the air terminal authorities to set their sights on other models and make the airport’s offer more attractive to other aviation and luxury-related tourism.
Private jets will receive VIP treatment compared to conventional commercial flights. For instance, the services that will be provided include refueling, aircraft cleaning, personalized attention for passengers and crew members, and transportation to the hotel.
Those in charge of the project explained that this new project would aid the recovery of the tourism sector, provide new jobs, foster the investment of private companies linked to the industry and boost the economic reactivation in the province.
