Austin is getting closer to the Caribbean. It’s not because the city has suddenly become a beach resort.
That’s because airlines are increasingly looking to the Texas capital as one of the country’s newest international travel markets.
Just months after Cayman Airways launched nonstop service between Austin and Grand Cayman, Southwest Airlines is adding another major route to the wider Caribbean Basin: new nonstop flights to Costa Rica. This is another sign that Austin has become one of the country’s fastest-growing departure destinations for Caribbean vacations, and the route map has changed significantly from just a few years ago.
Beginning March 13, Southwest will launch new Saturday nonstop service between Austin and San Jose, Costa Rica, giving Central Texas travelers their first nonstop connection to the country’s major international gateway.
The flight departs Austin at 10:25 a.m. and arrives in San Jose at 2:05 p.m. The return service departs Costa Rica at 3:05 PM and arrives back in Austin at 7:20 PM. Tickets are already on sale.
Austin’s Caribbean Story Continues to Grow
Austin has been one of America’s biggest success stories for most of the past decade.
The population soared. Tech companies have been pouring into the region. Business relocations have transformed the local economy. The result is a rapidly expanding base of travelers with both the income and desire for overseas holidays.
Airlines took notice.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has steadily expanded its international route network, adding nonstop flights across Europe, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Caribbean travelers have already seen Cayman Airways launch nonstop service to Grand Cayman, while Copa Airlines offers Austin passengers one-stop connections throughout the Caribbean via Panama City.
With direct flights to Cancun, Mexico’s Caribbean coast is now easily reachable.
Southwest’s new Costa Rica flights are another step in that change.
Instead of relying on transit through Dallas, Houston or Atlanta, many Central Texas travelers are increasingly starting their Caribbean vacations from their home airport.
Why Costa Rica Makes sense
Costa Rica has long established itself as one of the most popular destinations in the wider Caribbean region.
You can spend a week hiking beneath Arenal Volcano, relaxing in natural hot springs, and exploring cloud forests. Head west to the Pacific beaches of Guanacaste or Manuel Antonio. Alternatively, you can drive east towards Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, where destinations such as Puerto Viejo and Cahuita offer a completely different side of Costa Rica.
San Jose also deserves more attention than usual.
Although many travelers immediately head to the beach after landing, the capital city has become a destination in its own right, with easy access to museums, historic districts, great restaurants, and the coffee farms of the surrounding Central Valley.
Saturday itineraries naturally translate into week-long vacations, making this route an attractive option for travelers looking to combine multiple parts of the country into one trip.
Southwest continues to build its international network.
The new routes also reflect Southwest’s continued expansion beyond its traditional domestic network.
Costa Rica has become one of the airline’s strongest international leisure destinations, and Austin’s continued growth makes the city a logical candidate for another nonstop international route.
In Austin’s case, the announcement concerns more than one flight.
This is another sign that airlines are increasingly viewing the city as an international origin market rather than simply a supplier to larger hubs.
A different kind of Caribbean gateway
The traditional American gateway to the Caribbean remains unchanged.
Miami remains a major hub in the region. Fort Lauderdale continues to expand. New York remains one of the largest source markets in the Caribbean region.
Austin isn’t trying to replace any of them.
Instead, this place is becoming something different. It’s one of a growing number of U.S. cities where travelers can begin their Caribbean vacation without having to board a domestic flight first.
Now, with Grand Cayman on the map, Costa Rica joining the network, and continued international growth in Austin-Bergstrom, the Texas capital is quietly becoming one of the country’s newest poles for Caribbean travel.
And judging by the recent pace of route announcements, it may not be done yet.
