The LIR Airport Was Formerly Called the Liberia International Airport

Updated July 28, 2021

Guanacaste has been home to the second largest international airport in Costa Rica since 1995. While it’s formally named the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR), most people called it the Liberia International Airport, due to its proximity to Liberia, the capital town in Guanacaste. 

A New Name: Guanacaste Airport

However, this airport has been rebranded. Costa Rican authorities announced the new name and logo in a press conference on July 22, 2021. The Guanacaste Airport will retain its official IATA abbreviation: LIR. 

It is hoped that the new name and brand will better represent the airport as the closest international airport for tourists coming to visit the northern Pacific coast and the Nicoya peninsula.

An Airport Growing in Popularity and Traffic

The reality is that the Guanacaste Airport has seen a consistent increase in tourism and MICE traffic up until the pandemic hit in 2020. From 2018 to 2019, airport traffic increased by 8.5% with 600,000 people transiting the airport in 2019. 

Now that restrictions are loosening in Costa Rica and worldwide as more and more people are vaccinated and ready to travel again, the Guanacaste Airport has seen numbers returning to normal. They are anticipating the pre-pandemic growth to continue, meaning this airport will continue to be of utmost importance for the country.

How This Affects the MICE Industry

Since most of our MICE participants stay in Guanacaste, this airport has always been a favorite of our clients and partners. Event planners can expect to see the name “Guanacaste Airport” pop up when they search for flights to LIR. Rest assured that this is the same airport as always.