New Terminal Opens in the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia

By: Helen Dunn Frame

The inauguration of the new terminal at the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia Costa Rica featuring a slew of concessions was held after two delays totaling nine months on January 12, 2012.  During the peak hours the airport, touted as the best secondary facility in all of Central America and the second major airport in Costa Rica, will be able to accommodate 1,500 passengers.  Coriport, a Costa Rican company that has a 20 year concession to operate it, has six months to propose a plan to remodel the old terminal and expand airport services even more.

The $68 million expansion of the Liberia airport became necessary due to the surge in tourism to the northwest province of Guanacaste. A preliminary $2 million renovation which allowed the airport to receive 11 planes simultaneously, including four more Boeings 767's, had already been completed. Since then, many airlines have added direct flights to Liberia from popular gateways like Houston, Denver and London.

The lower level of 18,000 square meters houses expanded immigration facilities, customs, and an area for arriving passengers, plus airline and airport administration offices. The second floor containing 5,000 square meters includes waiting rooms for passengers departing from Guanacaste, four new gates, concessions, and offices for Costa Rican government officials. Also included in the new terminal are security upgrades.  Existing services including emergency medical technicians, refueling, a fire brigade, banks, telephones, Internet, and restaurants remained.

The airport is located approximately 12 kilometers west of Liberia (10 minutes driving distance), 45 Km east of the Papagayo Peninsula, 80 KM northeast of the beach areas of Tamarindo, Conchal, and Flamingo, and 220 Km (136 miles) northwest of San José in the Guanacaste province. Arriving at Liberia International Airport is an excellent option for visiting places like Tamarindo, Golfo de Papagayo, Flamingo, Playa Potrero, Playas del Coco, Playa Samara, and many other places of interest that are either in the Guanacaste Province or in the neighboring areas.

The airport has come a long way from its initial landing strip built at the location at least 50 years ago.  At that time it serviced private planes and emergency landings. When it evolved into an international airport it was named after one of Costa Rica’s previous presidents, Daniel Oduber Quirós (1974-1978), who advocated expansion of Guanacaste tourism. Previously, all international flights entered San Jose, a five to six hour drive depending on the time of day and traffic.
"Liberia is a world-class destination with a really diverse set of attractions," said JetBlue Director Dave Clark who began offering the only direct service from JFK last November. Flights depart JFK at 9:32 a.m. and arrive in Guanacaste at 1:48 p.m. and return from Liberia at 2:43 pm and land in New York City at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.  For all JetBlue flights and promotional prices go to their website: http://jetblue.com/

Beginning this month Delta will add service from Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Some of the airlines besides Delta that fly daily to Liberia from various cities are Air Canada, American Airlines, Continental, Northwest Airlines, Sky Service, Taca Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways.  Other airlines have charter service from Los Angeles (LAX), Atlanta, Miami, Houston and New York (JFK). The two major domestic airlines, Nature Air (www.natureair.com) and Sansa (www.flysansa.com), as well as several private charter companies also provide service to Oduber.  Most domestic flights are on 19-passenger twin-turboprop aircraft.

Among the concessions including Britt Coffee is Corteza del Mar located upstairs near the waiting room in the new terminal.  Owner Adrian Clachar, a member of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Liberia Tourism and an associate of Coldwell Banker Coast to Coast Properties, along with a partner, provide travelers a last minute shopping opportunity.  Travelers have a choice of 200 arts and crafts made of wood, ceramic, Indian clay and leather with price points from $1 to $1000.  For more information call Adrian at 8996-0909 or email him at aclachar@me.com.

Another concession allows passengers to fill their eyes, mind, and spirit with the beauty of Costa Rica while waiting to depart.  The first exhibit, Mangroves and Beyond, transports viewers from the depths of the ocean, through the magical mangroves, to the canopies of the rainforest. The Hidden Garden Art Gallery in collaboration with Coriport launched its first exhibit when the terminal opened.  Presented by local artists Carlos Hiller and Tony Jimenez, the exhibit consists of both paintings and sculpture.  For more information about the gallery go to http://hiddengarden.thevanstonegroup.com

For clients seeking a vacation or second home, possibly for retirement, or a hotel alternative to rent in the beach communities of the Northwest Pacific Province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica including Playas del Coco, Hermosa, Ocotal and Panama, contact Linda Gray, Owner/Broker Coldwell Banker Coast to Coast Properties.  She can be reached at (506) 2670-0805 (office), (506) 8347-4704(cell), toll free in North America at 1-877-589-0539 or by Email:  linda@coldwellbankercr.com. Her agents are prepared to leverage the company’s legacy, its network and their unsurpassed knowledge in assisting clients with rentals and purchases of a home or investment property.