Juan Santamaria Intl
A Journey Through Time
1958 — 2023
1950s
1958
Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría opened in 1958 near San José, named after Costa Rica's national hero who fought against William Walker's filibuster invasion in 1856.
2000s
2009
A new international terminal opened under a concession by the Brazilian company Andrade Gutierrez, transforming the airport into Central America's most modern aviation facility.
2020s
2023
Costa Rica's booming ecotourism industry pushed passenger numbers past 6 million. The airport became the busiest in Central America, surpassing Panama City's Tocumen.
Present