This past Wednesday was a historic day for Guanacaste Airport as it celebrated the arrival of the 10 millionth passenger since the terminal opened in 2012. The lucky tourist was Jake Hubbell, 26, from Colorado. He had reserved this date long in advance, as he scheduled it for his best friend’s wedding. His arrival occurred on American Airlines flight 1377 from Miami, at 11:13 a.m.
Upon arrival of the flight, passengers were greeted with a celebration that included live marimba music and royalties. The winner was randomly selected through an electronic raffle among the people who boarded the aircraft. The 10 millionth passenger received various gifts, including a plane ticket to Guanacaste for two with American Airlines. “I am very surprised, it was totally unexpected. I knew that Costa Rica was very welcoming but I did not imagine that so much”, said Hubbell.
Guanacaste Airport, a member of VINCI Airports, continues to consolidate its recovery in visitors. Migration data reflect historical milestones since the high season has managed to continue throughout these last months, until surpassing the pre-pandemic indices in July. In less than a year, the airport received more than one million passengers, since in January the 9 millionth passenger was received.
The concession has been in operation since 2012. Four years later, the milestone of 1 million annual passengers was exceeded, ending the year with 1,182,123 passengers. Since then, the passenger record shows the evolution until reaching 10 million passengers in transit (entering and leaving) of international and local flights:
Number of passengers Month / Year
1 million April 2013
2 million October 2014
3 million December 2015
4 million October 2016
5 million August 2017
6 million August 2018
7 million April 2019
8 million March 2020
9 million January 2022
10 million August 2022
(Source: Coriport)
Guanacaste Airport receives 15 international airlines and one domestic airline that operates to 23 international destinations. This province offers the beauty of beaches, volcanoes, plains and a rich culture, including the gastronomic offer. All of this makes it a multi-destination and a total destination for vacationers.
A joy for all
“The news of the 10 millionth passenger is a source of joy for all of us. We celebrate the trust that airlines and passengers have placed in Guanacaste, which has allowed us to recover and exceed traffic rates in just 7 months. We know that this historical milestone entails a great responsibility in promoting positive mobility and maintaining service quality standards,” said César Jaramillo, general manager of Guanacaste Airport.
An airport that people appreciate
“The success of the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Guanacaste Airport, is accompanied by the high interest of tourists in the multiple attractions of Guanacaste, as well as the country’s international positioning and joint public-private efforts to attract airlines. To Costa Rica. It is an airport that people appreciate, just as they appreciate Guanacaste, where tourists want to visit to enjoy the beauties, gastronomy, customs and culture of the province and nearby regions, generating activation of the economy, linkages and tourism employment,” mentioned Carolina Trejos, ICT Marketing Director.
“We are proud to welcome the 10 millionth passenger from Miami to Liberia on American,” said Rafael Sánchez, Regional Operations Manager for American in Central America. “American has an 18-year commitment in Guanacaste and a 35-year history in Costa Rica, and we will continue betting on this market.”
