Jet Charter Costa Rica arranges private flights for clients bringing their pets to Costa Rica, whether it is a family dog joining a vacation in Guanacaste or cats and dogs coming down for the season with their owners. On most charters, pets travel in the cabin with you, subject to the operator’s policy for that aircraft.
Making sure the aircraft accepts pets
Each operator sets its own pet policy, and some aircraft do not accept animals at all. Tell your advisor on the first call that pets are coming, with the species, breed and weight of each one, and whether they travel in a carrier. We then search only among aircraft whose operators will take them, so the question is settled before the trip is booked.
For older or nervous animals, the private cabin makes the day much easier. Your pet stays with you for the whole flight, and you can bring water, a leash, bedding and anything else that keeps them calm.
Paperwork for entering Costa Rica
Costa Rica asks for health paperwork for animals arriving from abroad. Your advisor can help with questions about the paperwork, and you will work through the requirements themselves with your veterinarian. Start early, because the appointments and certificates can take longer to arrange than the flight. Ask your veterinarian about the paperwork for the flight home as well.
The trip on to your house
If your home or hotel is close to one of the smaller airstrips, the last leg is a separate flight in a smaller aircraft, and its pet policy may be different. Your advisor will tell you how that leg works for your trip, including whether your pets can fly on it. Horses and other large animals travel as cargo, and you can read about those flights on our air cargo page.
Vetting Behind Every Trip
Every operator, aircraft, and crew goes through our internal due diligence before we present any options. Our internal standards meet or exceed what the FAA requires:
- FAR Part 135 charter operators for traditional private aircraft, or FAR Part 121 for airliner-size and group trips (or the foreign equivalent on international legs)
- Operator subscription to Wyvern and ARGUS reviewed where the operator participates.
- Pilot experience and operator incident history reviewed before we recommend an aircraft.
- Fewer than 60 brokers worldwide hold Premium Wyvern Broker Member status, and Air Charter Advisors is one of them.
Costa Rica-Specific Patterns We Plan Around
A private flight from abroad lands first at one of Costa Rica’s international airports, most often Juan Santamaría International near San José or Guanacaste Airport in Liberia, which is the closer of the two to the Guanacaste beaches and is not open overnight. The flight on to a smaller beach or rainforest airstrip, such as Tamarindo, Nosara or Quepos, is a separate leg in a smaller aircraft, usually flown by a Costa Rican operator, and your advisor will tell you how that leg works for your trip. The busy season runs from Thanksgiving to April, when ramp space for private aircraft is limited, and the holidays, spring break and Semana Santa book up first. The dry season on the Pacific side runs from late November to April, and from May to November afternoon rain is common.
Contact
For a quote on a charter to or from Costa Rica, send the trip through our contact page or call an advisor at 1-888-987-5387. Our safety page sets out how we review operators and crews, and the aircraft gallery covers every category we arrange. We are also a member of the National Business Aviation Association.