The aircraft that suits a Costa Rica trip depends on four things: how far you are going, how many people are traveling, how much baggage is coming, and whether you want to make the trip without a fuel stop. A couple flying from Florida to Liberia for a long weekend and a family of ten flying from New York to San José for the holidays need very different aircraft, and the difference shows up in the quote.
Below are the categories we work with. When we send options, your advisor will explain why each one fits.
Passenger charter
- Piston aircraft for short flights with one or two passengers
- Turboprops for shorter regional flights with a small group
- Very Light Jets for a small group with light bags
- Light jets and super light jets for flights from Florida and Texas with a few more passengers
- Midsize and super midsize jets for longer flights from the Northeast, the Midwest and Canada
- Heavy jets for larger groups and longer flights
- Long-range jets for the West Coast and Europe
- VIP airliners for groups that outgrow a heavy jet
- Helicopters, where the route and conditions suit one
Open any category to see the individual aircraft, with seating, range and cabin details, or begin with the passenger charter overview.
Which category fits your trip
Distance decides a lot. Florida and Texas are the shorter flights to Costa Rica, so a light jet often does the job for a small group, while the Northeast, the Midwest and Canada are longer flights where a midsize or super midsize jet gives you more range and a roomier cabin. Your advisor will tell you whether your trip needs a fuel stop, which depends on the aircraft, the winds and the load.
Families heading to a house in Guanacaste for the season, and groups flying down to surf, fish or celebrate a wedding, often travel with a lot of luggage, from surfboards to fishing rods, so tell us the passenger count and the baggage at the start. Both decide the aircraft as much as the distance does.
The airport matters too. International flights land at Juan Santamaría International near San José or Guanacaste Airport in Liberia, and the hop on to a smaller beach or rainforest airstrip is a separate leg in a smaller aircraft. The runway an aircraft needs is calculated by the operator for that day’s conditions, and we confirm it with the operator for your trip.
Cargo and medical
- Air cargo charter when a shipment needs its own aircraft, whether it is urgent equipment or a full load
- Medical and air ambulance flights for patients who need medical support on board
How we choose an operator
Whichever category you end up in, the operator behind the aircraft goes through our internal due diligence before we present it. We confirm operator certification, review the operator’s safety and incident history, and confirm pilot experience and currency on the specific aircraft type. Where the operator participates in a Wyvern or ARGUS program, we reference those audits as well. Our safety page explains each step.
Get options for your trip
Call 1-888-987-5387 or request a quote online, and we will come back with aircraft that fit the trip. The phone is answered at any hour, on any day of the year.