Copa Airlines Offers New Air Route in Costa Rica: Liberia to Panama

Starting on June 24, 2012, perpetual tourists residing in Guanacaste and the northern zone of Costa Rica will have Panama as a sensible option for a visa run. Copa Airlines will begin flying from the new Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia (LIR) directly to Panama.

The new route will operate on Thursdays and Sundays, starting in Panama at 9:52 pm and arriving in LIR at 10:23 am. That flight will then take off from LIR at 11:25 am and arrive in Panama at 1:58 pm. The same schedule will be offered on both days, thereby giving tourists, shoppers and visa runners ample time to enjoy Panama.

The route will be flown on Embraer 190 aircraft, with a capacity for 84 passengers in coach class and 10 in business (first) class. This flight is one of four new flights that Copa Airlines will offer between Costa Rica and Latin American destinations, and it is part of the initiative to join the Star Alliance in 2012.

Tour operators from Latin America and the Caribbean were recently invited by Copa Airlines, the National Board of Tourism (ICT in Spanish) and the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism (CATURGUA) to test Copa Airlines’ new route.

Business representatives from the travel and hospitality industry in a dozen countries arrived at LIR and visited many of our beaches and exclusive resorts. The tourism professionals also visited La Fortuna and Monteverde to get an idea of the tourism packages they will offer to clients in their respective countries.

Tourism between Latin American nations has grown significantly in the last couple of years. The ongoing economic prosperity in countries such as Brazil, Chile and Peru has moved many families to venture beyond their own borders in search of new sights in countries that share some of their culture and language.

In the past, Europe and Florida (particularly Orlando) were common vacation destinations for Latin Americans. Costa Rica is now becoming an attractive option, and Copa Airlines is also betting on tourists who visit our country more than once. These tourists, who have already landed at the Juan Santamaria International Airport once before, are familiar with San Jose. For their next visits, they may wish to land closer to the beach.