WestJet Flight Guide - Vancouver to Costa Rica
WestJet fly to over 70 destinations in Canada, the USA, Mexico and the Caribbean. In 2010, rumours were flying high of WestJet receiving approval for flights to Costa Rica. In November 2009, they announced new flights to Varadero, Cuba and St Maarten and at that time they indicated more sun destinations would be added soon. This was the time, that rumors of new flights to Costa Rica began to circulate. We do anticipate flight service in the near future. The question appears not to be whether they will fly to Costa Rica, it is just a matter of when. The other question that comes up regarding this destination is: "Which city WestJet will fly to, San Jose or Liberia?"
San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport SJO is the busiest airport in the country and handles over 4 million passengers. This would seem the most logical destination, however, for sunseekers the International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste is the most probable destination when WestJet fly to Costa Rica.
The Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) in Liberia is the most convenient airport for travellers coming to the popular beach destinations in the Northwest part of the country. This is where you will find Playa Tamarindo, Playa Flamingo, Playa del Coco and most of the all-inlcusive style resorts. This market is under-served compared to the flights from Canada and the US to Juan Santamaria Airport.
We are expecting that WestJet will announce WestJet flights to Liberia Costa Rica.
Airline Tickets to Costa Rica
Flying from the West Coast of Canada to Costa Rica, you have several options if you want to fly with WestJet and then connect with another airline. In October 2010, Westjet announced its first interline deal with a US Airline, American Airlines. This agreement between the two airlines is viewed as an important first step towards code sharing. Update: On February 28, 2011 WestJet and American Airlines announced an agreement to begin code sharing between the two airlines. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval. If approved it will allow the airline to place its WS ticket code of American Eagle and American Airlines.
Code sharing between the two airlines would allow each airline to put its flight code on a single flight operated by one of the airlines.
For travellers searching for the best airfare from Vancouver, the cheapest flights to Costa Rica are with Spirit Airlines. Spirit do not fly to Vancouver, but they do fly to Los Angeles (LAX) and Las Vegas (LAS). By booking a flight during a WestJet seat sale to LAX or LAS, then connecting with Spirit, you will usually find this is the cheapest airline tickets when flying from the West Coast of Canada. It is possible to book this flight route for under $600 return airfare prior to taxes and fees.
Another option for cheap flights from Vancouver is to fly with Frontier Airlines from Seattle/Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The flight is from Seattle to Denver to San Jose, Costa Rica. Editorial note: I booked a trip in March 2011 for May 2011 and the cheapest flight was with Frontier from Seattle. Hopefully before the end of 2011, we will see WestJet introduce flight service to Costa Rica.
Flights From Canada Direct to Costa Rica
For travellers who do not want the hassle of flights landing in the USA, the best option is to fly to Toronto. The Pearson International Airport has direct flights to SJO with Air Canada. In addition their are one stop flights to choose from with United landing in Houston, Texas.
Other Central and South America Flight Guides