The first international route of Air Costa Rica will fly to Guatemala, followed by Panama and hopefully Miami in the next few months. Such are the ongoing plans of Costa Rica’s newest international airline, which will fill a decades-old void in the history of commercial aviation in our country.

According to a news report filed by business reporter Stefania Colombari of national radio station Monumental 93.5 FM, the general manager of Air Costa Rica expects a smooth debut of its international routes to Guatemala and Panama; once the airline has been safely operating for six months, an application to fly to Miami will be filed with the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT),

The FAA and DOT require airlines to submit proof of continuously safe operations conducted over 180 days before they can be allowed to operate in the U.S. The new international airline of Costa Rica is currently hiring personnel for its Guatemala operations, and the next major step will be to translate all corporate materials, including flight manuals and other operational documents, to English.

Ever since the esteemed airline LACSA ceased operations, air travelers and the aviation community have been anxiously waiting for the day Costa Rica will once again have its very own international airline.

Air Costa Rica intends to do everything possible to start offering service to Miami this year. This would be the first of various U.S. cities that the airline intends to serve. Air Costa Rica realizes that it will face active competition from several carriers that already connect our country with the U.S., but the young airline is betting on the substantial appeal that its brand will carry as it continuous to develop.

Air Costa Rica is a $5 million joint venture with Air Panama, a regional airline based in the Albrook Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport. The initial fleet will consist of Boeing 737 aircraft.