Q COSTARICA — The expansion of Juan Santamaría (San José) International Airport has, for now, shelved the project for a passenger terminal in Orotina, as formally proposed during the administration of former President Luis Guillermo Solís (2014-2018).
The infrastructure in Orotina had been envisioned as a long-term development intended to replace the Juan Santamaría Airport when it reached its capacity.
The current government, however, is confident that the ongoing expansion works, and others planned for the future, will extend the lifespan of the country’s main airport.
Efraím Zeledón, Minister of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT), stated that there is a premature plan to transform the concept of the Orotina proposal. He explained that the idea now is to convert it into an air cargo terminal, given that the Juan Santamaría Airport’s cargo terminal is operating beyond capacity.
Orotina offers several advantages for becoming a logistics hub: the canton’s geographic location, its connectivity to the port of Caldera and Route 27, and its proximity to the railway line, which is a key factor in the potential reactivation of the train service to Caldera.
Ongoing Projects
The San Josél Airport is currently undergoing a nearly US$400 million expansion program that includes ongoing projects and others planned for the future.
This week, the first phase of this expansion was inaugurated: a new 3,800-square-meter (m²) arrivals area. This space includes car rental and taxi counters, a customs inspection and control area with seven scanners from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), restrooms, and an outdoor plaza in front of the terminal.
Simultaneously, construction is underway on a parking tower with more than 600 spaces, which will be partially completed by the end of the year, and a seven-story hotel with 175 rooms, scheduled to open in 2027.
Inside the main terminal, the immigration and security area for international departures is being expanded. The second floor will extend over the airport’s internal roadway to reach the parking lot. The roadway will be transformed into a tunnel-like structure. The expansion of check-in counters will continue into 2027.
While this work is underway, there will be changes to passenger flow within the building, according to Juan Belliard, Director of Operations and Security at Aeris, the airport administrator.
In the aviation sector, a 35,000 m² section will be added to the remote aircraft parking apron, providing space for seven aircraft, including three wide-body aircraft used for transatlantic flights.
Limón and the southern region follow
Authorities plan to prioritize investment in other airport terminals to alleviate congestion at Juan Santamaría International Airport.
At Guanacaste Airport in Liberia, the apron for private flights is being expanded. However, the expansion of the passenger terminal to meet growing demand remains pending.
The airport planned for Palmar Sur, located in the southern region, is still undergoing archaeological rescue. Indigenous artifacts discovered in mid-2025 must be removed from the area, a process that will take the remainder of this year.
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) is working on the master plan that will be implemented after the archaeological rescue. This plan will define the project’s technical aspects.
For the Limón airport, there is good news. Studies of tides and winds, conducted in 2025, concluded that the terminal is viable, but with modifications.
Zedón indicated that among the possibilities are moving the runway inland or changing its orientation, but what is certain is that it must be raised two meters to protect it from flooding and other weather events.
These adjustments increase the project’s cost. The investment in this airport is estimated at US$200 million.