Costa Rica receives, for the first time, a direct flight from Poland with 251 passengers and opens a new tourist route with Europe

The first direct LOT Polish Airlines flight from Poland landed in Guanacaste with 251 passengers and 11 crew members on board. Credit: ICT Costa Rica opened a new direct air connection with Europe after receiving the first flight from Poland this Thursday, November 5, 2026, an operation aimed at strengthening the arrival of international tourists and expanding economic opportunities in Guanacaste, one of the main tourist regions of the Central American country. The LOT Polish Airlines aircraft, a Boeing 787-8, landed at Guanacaste Airport from Katowice International Airport with 251 passengers and 11 crew members. The arrival marked the start of a nonstop route between the two countries, through a charter operation organized by the Polish travel agency Rainbow Tours. According to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the service will be available until December 17, 2026, on a weekly basis, specifically on Thursdays. Unlike regular commercial flights, this charter operation is aimed at tourists who purchase vacation services through the tour operator responsible for organizing the trips. The arrival of the first visitors was accompanied by a welcome featuring Costa Rican music and folk dances, organized by representatives of the airport and the tourism sector. In addition, passengers and crew received a gift from Coriport, the concessionaire company of Guanacaste Airport. The executive president of the ICT, Marcos V. Borges, highlighted that the opening of this connection expands the country's possibilities for attracting visitors from the European continent. "The arrival of this historic flight from Poland strengthens the new connections with Europe and consolidates Guanacaste Airport as a key terminal for Costa Rica's tourism growth," said the official. Borges also noted that these operations help strengthen Guanacaste's competitiveness as a destination and generate opportunities for nearby communities. The inauguration coincides with the start of the high tourist season, a period during which the arrival of international visitors to different destinations in the country increases. The Polish tourists were welcomed with Costa Rican music and folk dances as part of the activities organized to celebrate the opening of the route. Credit: ICT Official statistics reflect growth in the number of Polish tourists visiting Costa Rica. According to ICT data, between January and September 2026, 5,367 visitors from Poland entered the country, representing a 20% increase compared to the same period in 2025. During those nine months, the country received a total of 335,586 European tourists by air, consolidating Europe as one of the relevant international markets for the Costa Rican tourism sector. The new route also arrives at a time of growth for Guanacaste Airport, which recorded a 10% year-over-year increase in passenger traffic during the first nine months of 2026. These figures correspond to the terminal's overall passenger movement and not exclusively to visitors from Poland. The commercial and communications manager of Guanacaste Airport, Renata González, explained that this connection represents an opportunity to showcase the province's tourist attractions among Polish travelers. "This connection is an important step for Polish tourists to discover Guanacaste, fall in love with our region, and add it to their map of vacation destinations," she said. The province offers attractions such as beaches, national parks, volcanoes, tropical forests, and activities related to nature and adventure tourism. For his part, the vice president of Rainbow Tours, Piotr Burwicz, highlighted that the new connection is part of the company's expansion of its long-distance vacation destination offerings. The company considers that Costa Rica has attractive characteristics for European travelers interested in exploring natural destinations and engaging in outdoor activities. Credit: ICT The opening of this route could also benefit companies linked to lodging, gastronomy, tourist transportation, and excursions in Guanacaste. For now, the scheduled flights represent an opportunity to assess the Polish market's interest in visiting Guanacaste directly, without the need for connections at other international airports. With this new operation, Costa Rica expands its air connections with Europe, while the tourism sector seeks to take advantage of the growth in international visitors during the final months of 2026.