Published on Monday, September 30, 2024

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

As of August, Costa Rica's principal international airport, Juan Santamaría (SJO) in Alajuela Province, served approximately 4.3 million arriving and outgoing passengers, both tourists and residents.

According to AERIS, the Brazilian-based firm that manages the airport, this statistic reflects an 11.5% increase in traffic over the same period last year.

"The airport operates with 25 international airlines that connect with 37 destinations worldwide," stated Ricardo Hernández, AERIS Director of Business.

Many international airlines are increasing the frequency of their flights to Costa Rica. The Texas-headquartered airline, Southwest, recently launched more flights between the U.S. and SJO airport.

Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in Costa Rica. As of July, over 1.7 million tourists arrived via air, representing a 13.5% increase over the same period in 2023.

The country reported a new tourism record reached in 2023, with more than 2,4 million travelers.

As part of the country's strategy to boost tourism, the Tourism Institute recently promoted Costa Rica as an idyllic destination in São Paulo, Brazil.

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