According to the Tourism Institute (ICT), Guanacaste is now the first Central American destination served by Porter Airlines. This also marks the first time Costa Rica will have a direct connection with Ottawa.

Beginning in December 2025, Porter will operate non-stop flights between Guanacaste and two major Canadian hubs: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Mississauga and Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW) in Ottawa. Both airports are located in Ontario, Canada’s southernmost province.

Flights between Toronto and Guanacaste will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Service between Ottawa and Guanacaste will be available on Wednesdays and Saturdays. All flights will be operated using Porter’s 130-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.

Travelers can find booking information and updated flight schedules on Porter Airlines’ official website.

“The launch of Porter Airlines is a milestone for Guanacaste Airport, as Canada is a strategic market for Costa Rica,” the airport said in a statement. “The new direct routes between Liberia and Toronto and Ottawa reinforce our commitment to connecting Guanacaste with new airports and strengthening the region as an increasingly attractive destination for Canadian travelers.”

Canada remains Costa Rica’s second-largest source of international visitors and continues to show strong potential for growth, noted the Institute. Between January and May 2025, more than 147,000 Canadian tourists traveled to Costa Rica.

Porter Airlines joins a growing list of international carriers expanding service to Costa Rica. Recently Mexican low-cost airline Volaris announced the addition of two ultra-low-cost routes linking Costa Rica with the United States.

In a broader push to attract more Canadian visitors, Costa Rica also recently participated in the MURAL Festival in Montreal, marking its debut at the event.

As of April 2025, Costa Rica reported more than 1 million international tourists arrived by air.

Tourism continues to be a cornerstone of Costa Rica’s economy. In 2024, the country received over 2.6 million air arrivals, marking a 7% increase over the previous year.

In 2024, the tourism sector generated more than $5.4 billion in foreign exchange revenue, according to the Central Bank of Costa Rica.

The Tourism Institute (ICT), the government agency responsible for promoting tourism, continues to support infrastructure improvements to accommodate growing international interest.

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