The operation of the new passenger terminal at Guanacaste Airport, managed by the concessionaire Coriport, celebrates 13 years of progress, growth in operations, historic visitation and economic development that consolidates it as a benchmark in the region.
Among Guanacaste Airport's greatest achievements over its 13 years of operation is the 57% increase in its international connections, currently offering exclusive routes in Costa Rica to destinations such as Baltimore, Boston, Calgary, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Seattle and San Francisco.
By 2025, Guanacaste Airport offers direct routes to 22 destinations in the United States, Canada and Europe through 14 international airlines and two domestic airlines.
Thanks to the increase in air connectivity and annual passenger traffic, real estate development and jobs associated with the tourism industry have also increased.
“The Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport terminal has been key to the development of Guanacaste, facilitating direct connections with international markets and strengthening tourism in the region. Over these 13 years, we have seen how it has become a vital bridge for attracting new airlines and boosting local economic growth,” said Tourism Minister William Rodríguez.
The profile of the passenger who visits Guanacaste is 92% for tourism and stays an average of 13 nights.
Guanacaste offers more than 16 thousand hotel rooms and contains 30% of the total room supply in the country.
Regarding its infrastructure, Guanacaste Airport has experienced significant growth since its opening in January 2012. Currently, the building shows a 14% expansion on the first level of the terminal, 45% on the second level and 20.4% in the parking areas.
Exclusive areas for breastfeeding, pets and children's entertainment areas have been incorporated. And innovative spaces with clean energy such as, for example, the cell phone charging area using pedal dynamos and another that works with solar panels.
The commercial area and boarding areas are undergoing a remodeling and expansion process to provide greater comfort to passengers. This project is expected to be completed in mid-2025.
In addition, the company has the most modern technological, operational and security equipment, including explosives detection, baggage handling and real-time flight and itinerary automation. A technological change effort is currently underway to automate all internal processes.
As part of its 13th anniversary, Guanacaste Airport is also planning to open a new terminal for executive aviation, which will strengthen its position for this type of exclusive market that visits the region.
This infrastructure will optimize the experience of private flight users, for a more fluid management of the growing volume of passengers. These strategic improvements reinforce the airport's capacity to meet the growing demand projected until 2030.
Guanacaste Airport is operated in accordance with the International Quality and Environmental Standards ISO 9001, 14001 and 50001, respectively.
It has a perfect score in the Ecological Blue Flag Program (PBAE), has Carbon Neutrality accreditation from the Country Program and has level 2 of the Airport Carbon Neutrality Accreditation (ACA) awarded by the International Airports Council.
César Jaramillo, General Manager of Guanacaste Airport, said: “It is gratifying to see how we have evolved over these 13 years, as the profile of passengers has changed, and always at the forefront with innovative systems, efficient energy, operating under international quality standards. Our goal is to continue attracting more tourists to Guanacaste. The results support our efforts as visitation has grown almost 3 times since opening in 2012. We are proud to promote tourism and economic development with a qualified workforce, this is how Guanacaste Airport will continue to consolidate itself as one of the most important terminals in the region in terms of quality and growth.”
Source: Guanacaste Airport.