New Routes Propel Guanacaste Airport to Historic Passenger Record
The Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, managed by Vinci Airports, ended 2024 with a record-breaking 1.91 million passengers, marking a 16% increase compared to 2023. With the addition of new direct routes and steady growth from key markets like the United States and Canada, the airport continues to solidify its position as a major regional hub despite facing infrastructure challenges
The Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, serving the province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, concluded the year 2024 with a historic record of 1,910,354 passengers, representing a 16% year-over-year growth compared to 2023, according to César Jaramillo, the airport’s general manager.
The busiest days were March 30 and December 21, with 11,603 and 11,133 passengers, respectively. Both dates coincided with the high tourist season.
The airport, managed by Vinci Airports, positioned itself as one of the region’s terminals with significant double-digit growth. Other airports under the same operator that reported similar increases include Puerto Plata (16%), Mazatlán (15%), Santiago (13%), Boa Vista (12%), and Manaus (10%).
“We are very pleased that Guanacaste Airport is consolidating as one of the most important airports in the region. This 16% year-over-year growth demonstrates that more and more tourists are choosing Guanacaste as their preferred multi-destination,” highlighted Jaramillo.
Main markets and airlines in Guanacaste
The United States and Canada remain Guanacaste’s primary international markets, with Toronto, Los Angeles, and Miami among the most demanded destinations.
In terms of airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines led operations at Guanacaste Airport. During 2024, new direct routes were inaugurated from Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, and Philadelphia. Additionally, the Montreal route transitioned from seasonal to permanent operations.
Compared to pre-pandemic connectivity, the province currently lacks direct routes to Latin America and the Caribbean. Tourists from these regions must travel via San José (SJO), located three hours away by land.
Until March 2020, Copa Airlines operated flights from Panama City. Aeroméxico connected with Mexico City until mid-2019, and Avianca ceased its route from San Salvador in 2018.
Another issue to address is the airport’s infrastructure, which has deteriorated due to increased activity. This has led to intermittent closures, resulting in flight cancellations and delays. Some airlines that previously operated wide-body aircraft have canceled their schedules to Guanacaste.
Destinations and airlines in Guanacaste
- Air Canada: Toronto/Pearson. Seasonal: Montreal/Trudeau.
- Air Transat: Montreal/Trudeau. Seasonal: Toronto/Pearson.
- Alaska Airlines: Los Angeles. Seasonal: Seattle and San Francisco.
- American Airlines: Charlotte/Douglas, Chicago/O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Miami. Seasonal: New York/JFK and Philadelphia.
- Delta Air Lines: Atlanta. Seasonal: Boston and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
- Edelweiss Air: Zurich.
- jetBlue: New York/JFK. Seasonal: Boston.
- TUI Airways (Seasonal): London/Gatwick.
- Southwest: Baltimore, Denver, and Houston/Hobby.
- Sun Country (Seasonal): Minneapolis/St. Paul.
- Sunwing (Seasonal): Montreal/Trudeau and Toronto/Pearson.
- United Airlines: Chicago/O'Hare, Denver, Houston/Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, and San Francisco.
- WestJet: Calgary and Toronto/Pearson.
Additionally, SANSA and Costa Rica Green Airways offer flights to various destinations within Costa Rica.
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