Air Canada is adding a new nonstop route between Vancouver and Guanacaste for the 2026 to 2027 winter season, giving Costa Rica’s Pacific coast another direct link to the Canadian market just as competition for North American travelers stays intense. The new service between Vancouver International Airport and Liberia International Airport is scheduled to begin on December 13, and run through April 12, 2027.
The route is part of Air Canada’s wider winter expansion. In its official release, the airline listed Vancouver to Liberia among its new nonstop winter routes and said flights are now on sale. Air Canada’s schedule shows the service operating on a seasonal basis during the high travel months, when Canadians head south in search of warm weather and beach destinations.
For businesses in Guanacaste, the new connection matters because it opens a more direct path from Canada’s West Coast to one of Costa Rica’s busiest tourism regions. Vancouver is a major gateway for western Canada, and the added service gives travelers another option to reach the beaches, resorts, and surf towns of the northern Pacific without routing through eastern Canada or the United States.
Vancouver International Airport already highlighted the return of nonstop Costa Rica service in late 2025 through WestJet, and Air Canada’s move deepens that connection for the next winter season.
The new flights are expected to use Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. For those interested in the route details, the aircraft will carry 177 passengers, including 12 seats in business class and 165 in economy, with arrivals in Guanacaste scheduled for 7:35 a.m. twice a week. That kind of early arrival is useful for travelers heading straight to beach destinations in Papagayo, like Tamarindo, Flamingo, Nosara, or Samara on the same day.
The timing also fits Costa Rica’s strongest travel window for Canadian visitors. Liberia airport has continued to build out its Canada network, and Guanacaste has become one of our country’s main entry points for travelers seeking sun, short transfer times, and resort-based vacations. Earlier this year, Liberia airport was already expanding its Canada footprint with year-round Toronto service, showing how central that market has become for the province.
Canada remains one of Costa Rica’s key tourism source markets. The latest expansion with Guanacaste now has direct links to Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Winnipeg, reinforcing Liberia’s position as Costa Rica’s airport with the most direct routes to Canada. That gives Costa Rica a stronger hand in attracting winter travelers from across the country, not just from its biggest eastern cities.
The new Air Canada route also makes Guanacaste easier to reach from British Columbia and western Canada during peak season. For tourism to Costa Rica, it is another sign that airlines still see strong demand for our country’s Pacific coast, especially from those looking for beach holidays during the winter. With flights now on sale, the route gives Guanacaste one more boost heading into the 2026 to 2027 high season.
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