Published on Tuesday, May 20, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

American Airlines, a major U.S. carrier headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, has launched a new nonstop route between the United States and Costa Rica.

Starting in November, the airline will offer daily nonstop service between Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela province and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), the primary international airport serving Illinois, United States. The route will be operated using a Boeing 737 aircraft, which seats 172 passengers.

According to the airline, flights will depart SJO at 7:00 a.m. local time and arrive at ORD at 12:38 p.m. Eastern Time. The return flight will depart ORD at 2:40 p.m. Eastern Time and arrive in Costa Rica at 8:02 p.m. local time.

Additional booking details and schedule updates will be available on American Airlines’ official website.

American joins a growing number of U.S. carriers expanding service to Costa Rica. United Airlines recently launched its own new daily nonstop route between the United States and the Central American nation.

The expansion of air service comes as Juan Santamaría International Airport undergoes a $62 million upgrade aimed at improving infrastructure and enhancing the travel experience at the country’s busiest airport.

According to the Tourism Institute (ICT), tourism remains one of Costa Rica’s most important economic sectors. In 2024, the country welcomed more than 2.6 million visitors by air, a 7% increase compared to the previous year.   The United States remains the leading source of visitors to Costa Rica, with approximately 1.5 million Americans traveling to the country, a 10% increase compared to 2023.

Tourism also generated more than $5.4 billion in foreign exchange revenue in 2024, according to data from 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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