Published on Tuesday, November 10, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

British Airways is expanding its nonstop service between the United Kingdom and Costa Rica, increasing the number of weekly flights from three to five, the Tourism Institute (ICT) announced.

The additional flights now operate every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela Province.

According to the airline, flights from London will depart at 11:10 a.m. local time and arrive in Costa Rica at 4:40 p.m. Return flights will leave San José at 6:40 p.m. and arrive in London at 10:50 a.m. the following day.

 

All flights will be operated using Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner aircraft configured to accommodate 204 passengers.

British Airways said additional details about the expanded London-Costa Rica service are available now on its official website.

Costa Rica continues to attract visitors from the United Kingdom. According to ICT statistics, more than 36,000 tourists arrived in Costa Rica by air from the United Kingdom through June, making the country its third-largest European source market for visitors.

During the same period, more than 1.6 million international travelers arrived in Costa Rica by air from all countries.

British Airways expansion comes as other airlines increase their connections to Costa Rica. Lufthansa has expanded its nonstop service to Costa Rica, offering five weekly flights between Frankfurt, Germany and  SJO.

In related developments, Costa Rica won the gold award in the top category, earning recognition as the world's most desirable long-haul destination for 2026 from British travel magazine Wanderlust.

The award comes as Costa Rica steps up efforts to attract more European visitors, particularly from the United Kingdom. Recently, the country participated in the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, one of the world's leading tourism trade shows.

Costa Rica generated more than $3 billion in tourism revenue during the first half of 2026, according to the Center for Tourism Studies.

The ICT is the government agency responsible for promoting Costa Rica as a tourism destination and supporting the country's tourism industry.

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Which airline would you like to see add more flights to Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com