Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [492]
THINGS CHANGE…
The information in this chapter is particularly vulnerable to change. Check directly with the airline or a travel agent to make sure you understand how a fare (and ticket you may buy) works and be aware of the security requirements for international travel. Shop carefully. The details given in this chapter should be regarded as pointers and are not a substitute for your own careful, up-to-date research.
Costa Rica is well connected by air to other Central and South American countries, as well as the USA. The national airline, Lacsa (part of the Central American Airline consortium Grupo TACA), flies to the USA and Latin America, including Cuba. The US Federal Aviation Administration has assessed Costa Rica’s aviation authorities to be in compliance with international safety standards.
Airlines flying to and from Costa Rica include the following companies; Click here for details of those with offices in San José.
Air Canada (airline code AC; in Canada 514-393-3333; www.aircanada.ca) No office in Costa Rica.
Air France (airline code AF;2220-4111; www.airfrance.com)
America West (airline code HP;in USA 480-693-6718; www.americawest.com) No office in Costa Rica.
American Airlines (airline code AA;2248-9010; www.americanairlines.co.cr)
Avianca (airline code AV;2441-2827/2776; www.avianca.com)
Continental (airline code CO; 2296-4911; www.continental.com)
COPA (airline code CM;2222-6640; www.copaair.com)
Cubana de Aviación (airline code CU;2221-7625/6918; www.cubana.cu)
Delta (airline code DL;2256-7909; www.delta.com)
Grupo TACA (airline code TA;2299-8222; www.taca.com)
Iberia (airline code IB;2431-5633; www.iberia.com)
JetBlue Airways (airline code JB;in USA 800-538-2583; www.jetblue.com) No office in Costa Rica.
Lacsa (see Grupo TACA)
Mexicana (airline code MX;2295-6969; www.mexicana.com)
Northwest (airline code NW;in USA 800-225-2525; www.nwa.com) No office in Costa Rica.
United Airlines (airline code UA;2220-4844; www.united.com)
US Airways (airline code US;toll-free reservations in Costa Rica 800-011-0793, 800-011-4114; www.usairways.com) No office in Costa Rica.
DEPARTURE/ARRIVAL TAX
There is a US$26 departure tax on all international outbound flights, payable in cash (US dollars or colones, or a mix of the two). At the Juan Santamaría airport you can pay with credit cards, and Banco de Costa Rica has an ATM (on the Plus system) by the departure-tax station. Note that you will not be allowed through airport security without paying.
At the time of research, the government had recently declared a US$15 tax on international inbound flights, though this is included in the price of your ticket. The fee was designed to replace the 3% hotel tax, which didn’t capture the increasing amount of condominium and other private rentals.
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Tickets
Airline fares are usually more expensive during the Costa Rican high season (from December through April), with December and January the most expensive months to travel.
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Central & Latin America
American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways have connections to Costa Rica from many Central and Latin American countries. Grupo TACA usually offers the most flights on these routes.
In the last few years the domestic Costa Rican airlines have begun offering a few international flights. Nature Air (www.natureair.com) now flies from Liberia to Granada, Nicaragua, four times a week, and to Bocas del Toro, Panama, two times a week. Note that rates vary considerably on season and availability.
Grupo TACA offers daily direct flights to Caracas, Guatemala City and San Salvador. TACA and Mexicana have daily flights to Mexico City, while both TACA and COPA have several flights a day to Panama City. Again, rates vary considerably on season and availability.
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Other Countries
More than one-third of all travelers to Costa Rica come from the USA, so finding a nonstop flight from Houston,