Transportation - Costa Rica - page 1086

ral and Latin American countries. Grupo TACA usually offers the most flights on these
routes.
* Nature Air ( www.natureair.com ) now flies from Liberia to Granada (Nicaragua). Note that
rates vary considerably according to season and availability.
Grupo TACA offers daily direct flights to Caracas (Venezuela), Guatemala City (Guatem-
ala) and San Salvador (El Salvador). TACA and Mexicana have daily flights to Mexico
City, while both TACA and COPA have several flights a day to Panama City. Rates vary
considerably according to season and availability.
DEPARTURE TAX
There is a US$29 departure tax on all international outbound flights, payable in dollars
or colones.
At the Juan Santamaría and Liberia airports this tax can be paid in cash or by credit
card; Banco de Costa Rica has an ATM by the departure-tax station. Note that credit-
card payments are processed as cash advances, which often carry hefty fees.
Travelers will not be allowed through airport security without paying.
Other Countries
Flights from Houston, Miami or New York are most common.
From Canada, most travelers to Costa Rica connect through US gateway cities, though
Air Canada has direct flights from Toronto.
From the UK, Costa Rica is served by British Airways and Virgin , typically with at least
one stop.
Most flights from the UK and Europe connect either in the USA or in Mexico City. High-
season fares may still apply during the northern summer, even though this is the begin-
ning of the Costa Rican rainy season.
From Australia and New Zealand, travel routes usually go through the USA or Mexico.
Fares are highest in June and July, even though this is the beginning of the rainy season
in Costa Rica.