Costa Rica is currently the subject of an invasion by budget airlines, which are fighting each other for market share in the lucrative segment of flights between North and Central American destinations. As recently reported by The Costa Rica Star:

Data compiled by the Directorate of Civil Aviation in Costa Rica indicates that low-cost airlines transported 9.2 percent of 4.2 million air passengers in 2011. This increase is clearly a response to the greater offer presented by discount airlines in our country in recent years. At any given time during the year, ten low-cost airlines choose to offer flights in Costa Rica, but this number climbs during the high season, particularly at the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, province of Guanacaste.

The low-cost airlines operating in Costa Rica are based in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The increase in air travelers visiting Costa Rica is directly related to the availability of budget travel options and the business decisions taken by these low-cost carriers to enter our country, which is known to be an expensive destination to fly to.

One of the most recent entrants in this invasion of discount air carriers is Volaris, a Mexican airline that is already popular in the United States. Volaris will start flying to Costa Rica this September 2015, but the inaugural discounts are being offered now. The Costa Rica Star has taken a look at some of the special airfares being offered now, which include:

• Non-stop flights from Cancun – Costa Rica or Guadalajara – Costa Rica for $119 one-way
• Guatemala to Guadalajara, Cancun, New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Oakland, or Tijuana for $109 one-way
• Las Vegas to Mexico City for $140 one-way
• Fort Lauderdale to Mexico City for $140 one-way

Furthermore, The Costa Rica Star checked the airfare of a round-trip flight from either O’Hare or Midway in the magnificent, Windy City of Chicago to the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in the province of Alajuela. Here are the details of that booking:

Departing October 7 and returning October 15: $495.18. This route features one layover in Guadalajara, and assumes that only one adult passenger is traveling. The price includes taxes, but it does not include excess baggage fees.

As you can see, the fare offered by Volaris is very reasonable, and it should prompt competitors to come up with their own discounts in the near future. To this effect, travelers in Central and North America should shop around the various budget carriers, which include Volaris, JetBlue, Southwest, and Spirit. Do not be surprised if you see major airlines, such as Avianca, start launching airfare promotions as well.