• Costa Rica strengthens its position as an accessible, modern destination aligned with the interests of international travelers.

This Friday, May 23, 2025, the inaugural flight of the new direct route between San Francisco, United States, and San José, Costa Rica, arrived at the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), operated by United Airlines, establishing a new air bridge between Costa Rica and the U.S. West Coast. The launch of this connection is the result of a strategic collaboration between AERIS, United Airlines, and the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT), aimed at further enhancing Costa Rica’s international connectivity.

“The opening of this new direct and daily route between the city of San Francisco, United States, and San José responds to the growing interest of Californian travelers in destinations that offer authenticity, a focus on sustainability, and outdoor experiences—pillars that define our tourism offering. We thank United Airlines for its confidence in Costa Rica and AERIS for its strategic role in expanding our connectivity. We will continue working to make access to our country increasingly seamless and aligned with the expectations of international visitors,” said William Rodríguez, Minister of Tourism.

This new direct route between Juan Santamaría International Airport and San Francisco International Airport marks a significant milestone for Costa Rica’s air connectivity, especially with the U.S. West Coast, one of our main source markets for tourists.

With this new route, United Airlines now connects San José with its seven U.S. hubs, reaffirming its 35-year commitment to the country and consolidating its position as the largest U.S. airline operating in Costa Rica and Central America.

“United’s new service to Costa Rica is another example of how we continue offering our customers more flights and more opportunities to travel to the destinations they want to visit. With the launch of this new flight, United customers can travel from any of our seven U.S. hubs and enjoy the vibrant nature and culture of San José and the rest of Costa Rica. It is very meaningful for us to launch this new route and become the only airline connecting San Francisco with San José, Costa Rica, while celebrating 35 years of service to the country,” said Frederick Thome, Director of Sales for the Andean Region and Central America at United Airlines.

Isabel Barrantes / Directora de Medios y Comunicacion CR Online Guide

Pictures and Information ICT ( Instituto Costarricense de Turismo)