As a result of a negotiation led by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), TUI Airways will resume regular operations to Liberia/Guanacaste (LIR) for the 2023/2024 winter season. The leisure airline is the only company to offer non-stop flights between the United Kingdom and Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR).
«The return of TUI Airways will strengthen the Guanacaste destination and boost tourism to the country at the beginning of the 2023 high season through an additional and direct connection to the Old Continent«, said Hermes Navarro, head of investment attraction of the ICT.
The United Kingdom is the second main issuer of European travelers to Costa Rica, according to ICT figures 77,810 British tourists were mobilized by air to the Central American nation in 2022.
Itinerary of flights between London and Guanacaste
The service is scheduled from November 1, 2023 to April 17, 2024.
- London/Gatwick – Liberia/Guanacaste Flight TOM 76 LGW 08:55 – LIR 14:30 Wednesday.
- Liberia/Guanacaste – London/Gatwick Flight TOM 77 LIR 16:30 – LGW 08:25+1 Wednesday.
The route will be operated on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with a capacity of 345 seats in two classes (63 Premium Economy/282 Economy) and holiday packages are available from GBP 1,772.
TUI Airways is the third airline to offer services to Europe to Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR). Connectivity with the Old Continent to Guanacaste will have connections to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
«We are pleased to announce the return of TUI to Guanacaste for November 2023, which implies a short service interruption of only eight months. This is a positive sign that reinforces Guanacaste as an international destination«, said César Jaramillo, General Manager of CORIPORT, concessionaire of Guanacaste Airport.
The restart of TUI Airways operations is in addition to the 15 airlines that currently operate in Guanacaste (LIR) and connect that province to 23 international destinations. The British airline is the only airline that will have non-stop flights between Liberia (LIR) and Europe.
«The reestablishment of the route connecting London Gatwick with Guanacaste, both airports operated by VINCI Airports, is very important to boost our presence in Europe. We are working on finding more routes to new destinations«, added Jaramillo.
Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) received TUI Airways flights in November 2021 after 20 months of a suspension as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis. Between March and October of this year, the airline suspended operations at Liberia (LIR) for operational cost reasons.
See also: UK Vacations: TUI Airways Adds 150,000 Seats for its Winter Schedule
