Private jet to Costa Rica

Costa Rica runs from the Caribbean to the Pacific, with a chain of volcanoes down the middle, rainforest on both slopes and beach resorts that fill with North American and European guests in the dry months. For a private flight from Europe the country has two airports that matter: Juan Santamaría near the capital San José, and Daniel Oduber Quirós at Liberia, about half an hour from the hotels of the Papagayo Gulf in Guanacaste.

The crossing is 8,000-10,000 km from the main European cities. A Global 7500 covers it without landing in 9:25-11:35 h from the hubs, Larnaca excepted; a Challenger 650 refuels once, for example in the Azores or Atlantic Canada. The landing permission requirement for private and charter flights is confirmed for each flight with the civil aviation authority. Every airport must approve the aircraft's parking in advance, and from late November to early April that approval is the hardest part of the plan. As a broker, we compare operators in Europe and North America and book the parking with the flight.

Tell us where you will stay, the dates and the number of passengers; the beach or the capital decides which airport we quote.

Why fly there privately

Flight times from Europe

Global 7500 block times without a stop, unless another type is named:

• Lisbon - San José: 9:25 h, the shortest crossing
• Madrid - San José: 9:57 h; Dublin - Liberia: 9:47 h in a Gulfstream G650
• London - San José: 10:09 h, London - Liberia: 10:12 h
• Paris 10:25 h, Geneva 10:45 h, Milan 11:02 h to San José
• Amsterdam 10:37 h, Frankfurt 10:56 h, Zurich 11:00 h to Liberia
• Vienna - San José: 11:35 h; Larnaca - San José: 13:37 h

A Falcon 8X needs about 20 minutes more on each route. The tables count about an hour and a half for the Challenger 650's refuelling stop, which makes the trip 12:00-13:44 h from the hubs. Westbound the headwind lengthens the sector; the way home, with the jet stream behind, is often an hour or more shorter and is usually flown overnight.

Prices for a private jet to Costa Rica

The figures price the entire jet for one direction, starting from a base near the origin. Parking, handling, the San José terminal fees, charges at a refuelling airport and passenger taxes are quoted separately. Each row's time is for its first column, the heavy jet with its stop.

From the European hubs to San José and Liberia

The one-stop Challenger 650 costs EUR 105,000 from Lisbon and EUR 110,000 from London or Madrid. Going non-stop adds EUR 15,000-25,000 in a Falcon 8X: EUR 130,000 from London to either airport. The two airports are only 161 km apart, so the price hardly changes between them; the drive after landing does. From Larnaca even the Falcon 8X has to stop, and at EUR 190,000 it costs the same as the non-stop Global 7500.

From other European cities

Dublin and Manchester are the nearest of these: a Falcon 900EX with one stop costs EUR 120,000 to Liberia from Dublin and EUR 125,000 from Manchester. From Rome the Gulfstream G550 still crosses without landing in 11:48 h.

From the region and North America

Legs between Costa Rica and its neighbours are international and flown by aircraft based in the region. The table shows flights into the airport named last; the reverse costs the same:

New York - Liberia is beyond the reach of a light jet, so the Citation Latitude at EUR 30,000 is the entry point. Passengers flying on to Miami or New York need a US visa, or an ESTA when the operator belongs to the Visa Waiver Program. For Panama and Colombia each landing is a new international arrival with its own papers.

Each European departure country taxes passengers in its own way. A Paris start pays the French business-jet tax, which increases with distance, about EUR 2,100 per passenger on a transatlantic flight against about EUR 420 on a European one; Rome and Milan pay Italy's EUR 200 per passenger, out and back; Vienna EUR 12. From London and Manchester, jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, which includes every type in the European tables, pay the higher band of Air Passenger Duty. Germany, Norway and the Netherlands have departure taxes of their own, the Dutch one on aircraft from 5.7 t; Sweden has none. Costa Rica adds a departure tax for every passenger leaving the country; the handler can pay it in advance, which saves a queue of 30-45 minutes in the high season.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Three costed trips

Per passenger

The aircraft costs the same whether two or twelve people fly, so the share per seat falls quickly; taxes are added per person:

Calculator

The calculator gives a first estimate; write San José or Liberia in the comment, and a consultant adds the parking situation for your dates.

Airports and parking

Four airports have customs and immigration, and two of them take jets from Europe. As a rule, the north Pacific coast belongs to Liberia and the rest of the country to San José. Every airport, including the domestic strips, requires prior permission for parking, and neither of the two jet airports has hangar space for visiting aircraft.

From late November to early April a notice can restrict overnight parking at San José, and Liberia has the same problem in the holiday weeks. The San José request is filed at least 48 hours before arrival, even for a short fuel stop; for the peak season we apply in September, answers usually come in November or December, and an approval can still be withdrawn. Fuel can take hours between 13:00 and 16:00 in the high season, so departures are timed outside that window. The handler files the flight plan in person about four hours before departure, and San José and Liberia serve as each other's alternates, with Managua, Panama City and David in Panama further out.

Which aircraft

On a ten-hour crossing a cabin where everyone can lie flat matters more than speed; say how many beds you need. Surfboards, fishing gear and bulky luggage go in the request with sizes, since the turboprops used on domestic strips have far less room than ultra long range jets.

Leave a number if you would rather talk it through: a consultant calls with the refuelling and the non-stop options for your dates.

When to go: the year in Costa Rica

December to April is the dry season on the Pacific side and the busiest time for private aviation, with Christmas, New Year and Holy Week the hardest weeks for parking. From May the green season brings rain, more free aircraft and easier parking, so the jet can stay until the flight home. Empty Legs cluster around the holidays, when full flights out are followed by empty returns a few days later.

From the airports to the coast and the highlands

We book a car with a driver with the flight. Belongings are never left in a parked car, as thefts from cars happen, and on the Pacific beaches rip currents are common.

Empty Legs between Europe and Costa Rica

Across the Atlantic such legs are rare, and even an empty leg needs approved parking. Send the direction and a window of a few days to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Taking a dog or cat

Once the operator has said yes, the dog or cat flies next to its owner and remains inside while the jet refuels. Costa Rica's veterinary service asks for:

• A health certificate after an examination by a vet within two weeks before departure, issued or endorsed by the state veterinary service of the departure country; original and copy are shown on arrival, no notary or consular stamp.
• Rabies vaccination valid on the day of arrival for animals over three months.
• Dogs also vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis; cats against rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia.
• Treatment against internal and external parasites within 15 days before departure, with date and product on the certificate.
• No import permit when the animal travels with its owner, and no quarantine.

Passports, forms and customs

Before departure

• Passports valid for the whole stay, for every passenger and crew member.
• Passport data to us a week ahead for the entry cards.
• The address of the hotel or villa, so we choose San José or Liberia.
• Proof of the return flight in case immigration asks.
• US visas or ESTA approvals if the trip continues to the USA.
• For a pet: certificate, vaccinations and the antibody test result for the return.

How to book

1. Send the dates, the number of passengers, where you will stay and how many days the jet should remain in the country.
2. We compare a one-stop heavy jet with a non-stop long-range jet and ask the airport for parking; for late November to early April we apply as early as possible.
3. Once parking is confirmed, you receive the contract and invoice; domestic flights with a local operator are priced as separate lines.
4. We send passport data to the handler, order the car and agree fuel outside the afternoon peak.
5. On landing you clear in the terminal and the driver waits outside; on departure the handler has paid the departure tax.

Frequently asked questions about Costa Rica by private jet

• • How much does a private jet to Costa Rica cost?

  • A Challenger 650 with one stop costs from EUR 105,000 one way from Lisbon and EUR 110,000 from London or Madrid, for the whole aircraft. A non-stop Falcon 8X from London costs EUR 130,000.

• • San José or Liberia?

  • Liberia for the Papagayo Gulf, Tamarindo and the north Pacific beaches; San José for the capital, the central valley, the central Pacific and the Caribbean side. Many trips land at one and leave from the other.

• • Do we need a landing permit?

  • The permission requirement is confirmed for each flight with the civil aviation authority. Every airport must also approve parking in advance, at San José at least 48 hours before arrival. From late November to early April spaces are scarce, so we apply months ahead.

• • Can the jet stay while we are there?

  • In the green season usually yes. In the high season there is no hangar space and parking is limited, so the jet often flies home or to another airport and comes back.

• • How long is the flight?

  • About 10:09 h non-stop from London to San José in a Global 7500, 9:25 h from Lisbon. With a fuel stop in a Challenger 650 it is 12:13 h from London.

• • Do EU and UK citizens need a visa?

  • No, for stays of up to 180 days, with the length set by the immigration officer. Every passenger fills in an entry card.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a health certificate after a vet check within two weeks of departure, a valid rabies vaccination and parasite treatment within 15 days. For the return to Europe, the antibody test should be done before leaving.

• • What is the time difference?

  • There is no daylight saving time, so Costa Rica stays 6 hours behind London in the European winter and 7 hours behind in summer; from Paris or Frankfurt add one hour.

• • Can we fly from Costa Rica to Nicaragua or Panama?

  • Yes. Managua - Liberia takes about 45 minutes and Panama City - San José about 1:15 h in a Citation CJ3, from EUR 7,500 and EUR 9,500.

• • Can we fly to the beach strips like Tamarindo or Quepos?

  • Yes, with a local operator in a turboprop or small aircraft. A foreign jet would need a temporary import of 7-8 working days to land there.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Costa Rica?

  • Mostly around Christmas, New Year and Holy Week, and between Florida and Liberia through the winter. A transatlantic empty leg is an exception; requests go to empty-legs@jets.flights.