The first direct flight from Poland to Costa Rica landed in Liberia on November 5, 2026. A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner left Katowice just after 9:35 a.m. Polish time. It touched down at Guanacaste Airport (LIR) at 2:40 p.m. Costa Rica time, a flight of about 12 hours.
The flight is a charter for Rainbow Tours, one of Poland’s largest tour operators. It runs every Thursday until December 17. Seats are sold as Rainbow holiday packages, so the route does not show up in normal flight searches.
On approach to Liberia over Playa Ocotal, just south of Playas del Coco.
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What Landed in Liberia on November 5
The plane was a LOT Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which seats 251. It flew nonstop.
In all, 251 passengers and 11 crew landed in Costa Rica to start their experience in this beautiful country.
How the Katowice to Liberia Flights Work
The route is a seasonal charter. LOT flies the plane and Rainbow sells the trips. Travelers buy a package from Rainbow, not a seat from LOT.
| From | Katowice Airport (KTW), southern Poland |
|---|---|
| To | Guanacaste Airport (LIR), Liberia |
| Day | Thursdays |
| Season | November 5 to December 17, 2026 |
| Aircraft | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, 251 seats |
| Booking | Rainbow Tours (r.pl) only |
Seven Thursdays fall between November 5 and December 17, 2026.
Before this route, travel between the two countries meant at least one connection. Iberia, SWISS, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM and American were the usual choices.
How Many Polish Visitors Come to Costa Rica
From January to September 2026, 5,367 Polish visitors arrived in Costa Rica by air. That is up 20% on the same months of 2025. In all of 2025, Costa Rica received 8,837 Polish visitors, and only 524 of them came in through Guanacaste Airport. The rest came in through other entry points, mainly San José.
The new flights change that split. Seven flights of up to 251 passengers come to as many as about 1,750 seats into Liberia. That is more than three times the number of Polish visitors who used the airport in all of 2025. These are estimates based on the published schedule, not reported totals.
Poland is still a small slice of European travel to Costa Rica. Europe sent 335,586 air arrivals from January to September 2026. Polish visitors were about 1.6% of that. For the bigger picture, see how Costa Rica’s air arrivals grew in 2026.
Why the Flight Lands in Guanacaste
Rainbow sells beach and nature holidays. Guanacaste is where Costa Rica’s beach resorts are concentrated, from the Papagayo Peninsula down to Tamarindo. Flying into Liberia puts those hotels within an hour or two of the plane door.
The airport is also growing. Passenger traffic at LIR rose 10% from January to September 2026, compared with the same months of 2025. The airport has said it wants the Polish route to lead to more links with Europe.
Most new service at LIR still comes from North America. Recent examples include Air Canada from Vancouver, Porter from Ottawa and Toronto and charters from Chicago Rockford.
Will the Flights Continue in 2027?
As of November 6, 2026, no 2027 schedule has been announced. Costa Rican authorities hope the connection can continue into 2027.
Rainbow’s winter contract with LOT covers long haul charters until March 29, 2027, at the latest. Costa Rica is one of six destinations in it, with the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Mexico. The current Costa Rica series still ends on December 17.
What It Means for Playas del Coco
Playas del Coco is the closest established beach town to Liberia airport, about 35 minutes by road.
Seven charter flights will not move the property market on their own. Costa Rica received fewer than 9,000 Polish visitors in all of 2025.
The direction matters more than the size. Most European travelers you meet in Costa Rica are in the Central Valley. That is where their flights land, since most flights from Europe go to San José. Reaching the Guanacaste coast from there means a connecting flight or a drive of four hours or more.
A nonstop landing in Liberia skips that step. A visitor from Europe can land at LIR and be on the beach in Playas del Coco in under an hour. Guanacaste’s visitors have long come mostly from the United States and Canada, and most new routes into Liberia still do.
Playas del Coco is known for its Canadian snowbirds and expats. Commercial interest from Europe, like this Rainbow series, may change that mix over time.
For a sense of what visitors find when they arrive, see the beaches near Playas del Coco. For the wider market, the 2026 Playas del Coco real estate update covers prices and supply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a direct flight from Poland to Costa Rica?
Yes, for the 2026 season. LOT Polish Airlines flies a weekly charter for Rainbow Tours from Katowice to Liberia, Guanacaste. It runs on Thursdays from November 5 to December 17, 2026.
How long is the flight from Poland to Costa Rica?
About 12 hours nonstop. The first flight from Katowice to Liberia, on November 5, 2026, left just after 9:35 a.m. Polish time and landed at 2:40 p.m. Costa Rica time.
Can you buy a seat on the Katowice to Liberia flight without a package?
The flights are charters sold by Rainbow Tours as holiday packages. Ask Rainbow directly about flight-only seats. They do not appear in normal airline or flight search results.
Which airport in Costa Rica do flights from Poland use?
The direct flights land at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia, Guanacaste. Travelers who connect through another country land in San José (SJO) or Liberia, depending on the airline.
How many Polish tourists visit Costa Rica?
Costa Rica received 8,837 Polish visitors in 2025. From January to September 2026, 5,367 Polish visitors arrived by air, up 20% on the same period of 2025.
For walking tours of Playas del Coco and the beaches near Liberia airport, visit our sister site Sights and Sounds.