I flew Porter Airlines from Toronto to Liberia Just a few weeks after they launched this route. This flight started in December 2024 with service to Costa Rica. This is Porter’s first flight to Central America, and I wanted to see how it stacked up against Air Canada and WestJet. The flight got delayed by about an hour coming out of Toronto—snow, of course. That’s alright though, because aside from that the whole experience was great.

Porter now flies this route up to six times a week. They’re using these Embraer E195-E2 jets with that 2×2 seating setup, meaning no middle seats. This is a large selling feature for Porter’s new jet flights. The flight cost about $200 USD for the basic service, but there’s options at higher prices. The whole flight time clocked in around 5 hours and 20 minutes, give or take.

This guide breaks down everything about flying Porter from Liberia – the airport experience on both ends, what you actually get on the flight, whether it’s worth choosing over other airlines. I’ll also get into the commercial area near the airport (there’s a Starbucks right across the street from LIR) and the closest beaches you can hit after landing. If you want more videos of great destinations in Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica – Check out our Youtube Channel with walking/drone tours.

Porter’s New Flights to Costa Rica

Toronto to Liberia

Porter kicked off this Toronto-Liberia route on December 4th, 2024. When I talked to the staff at the gate, they mentioned the airline had only been running it for about two weeks—so I was on one of the early flights. Tickets usually run between $150 and $220 CAD one-way if you book around 40 days out, which is pretty competitive with what Air Canada and WestJet charge for the same route.

The schedule runs up to six times weekly during peak season. I booked through Porter’s website and it was straightforward – none of that multi-page nightmare you sometimes get with other booking systems. You can also use VIPorter points if you’ve got them, starting at 10,000 points one way.

Ottawa to Liberia

Porter also added Ottawa service about two weeks after Toronto, launching on December 17th. This route runs twice weekly, which makes sense since it’s a smaller market. Same aircraft, same amenities, just a different departure city. If you’re in Eastern Canada, this beats having to connect through Toronto or drive down to Pearson.

The Ottawa flights are seasonal, December through April, so they’re timed perfectly for when Canadians are desperate to escape the cold. This is great news if you’d like to try Porter and you’re in Quebec, to avoid a layover at Pearson.

Part of Bigger Expansion

This Costa Rican routes are part of Porter’s big push into sun destinations. They’re not just doing Liberia—they also launched routes to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Nassau, and Grand Cayman around the same time. All of them using the same Embraer jets with that 2×2 setup.

The Toronto-Liberia route makes sense when you look at the numbers. Over 140,000 passengers fly between these two cities every year, so there’s clearly demand. Porter’s basically adding another option to a route that was already busy with Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat. More competition usually means better prices which I’m very happy to see.

Liberia Airport Experience

Arrivals Process

Landing at Liberia is pretty straightforward. You go through immigration first, where they’ll stamp your passport and might ask a few basic questions – how long you’re staying, where you’re going, that kind of thing. Be sure to have an actual date and departure ticket for leaving Costa Rica. You can use a service like Onward Ticket to hold a flight reservation for about $15, which Immigration will accept as a departure ticket. Most planes land in Costa Rica in the late morning/early afternoon, so your time at Immigration can be very quick or up to an hour. 

After immigration, you grab your bags at the carousel. Each one has a screen showing the flight number, so you know where to stand. Then you head through customs, where they might glance at your bags or wave you through. Once you’re out, you’ll immediately get hit with offers for taxis and shuttles. Rental car agencies will pick you up at the terminal and drive you to their office nearby.

This is the public access part of the Liberia Airport. Here’s where you’ll check in for your flight. At the other end is where arrivals exit the airport, lots of taxis and shuttle busses waiting there.

Departures Process

I got to the airport about two hours early, which is about the least amount of time you’ll want to have. Porter’s counter was easy to find, right there with JetBlue and the other airlines. Security moved pretty quickly, maybe 5 minutes total. This can be variable, though, as departures can stack in smaller windows through the afternoon. I haven’t seen a security/immigration departure que longer than 20 minutes.

One thing to note: if you didn’t prepay your departure tax (it’s usually included in your ticket now), there’s a small office to handle that. Confirm this tax is included with your ticket at your airline, so there’s no confusion when proceeding to security.

Inside the Terminal

Once you’re through security, the terminal is small. There’s a handful of gates with skybridges, so no boarding from the tarmac. It’ll be interesting to see how more flight volume is handled at LIR in the future.

There’s a decent duty-free section with all the usual stuff – alcohol, perfume, that sort of thing. They’ve got a massive wall of Costa Rican chocolate that’s honestly pretty tempting. Food options are limited and expensive, so consider stopping at a grocery store on the way to the airport for snacks. I ate before the airport, which turned out to be the right call.

The good news? There’s a water bottle refill station, so bring an empty bottle through security. Free water beats ten dollar water every time.

Here’s the inside of the passenger departures terminal. You’ll find restaurants and souvenir shops. Pick up some Costa Rican duty free alcohol, coffee and other Pura Vida souvenirs.

Airport Souvenirs & Shopping

The souvenir shops have everything from t-shirts to hand-painted ceramics. One shop had these traditional Costa Rican rocking chairs that they’ll actually ship for you, which is wild because you obviously can’t carry a rocking chair on the plane. The chocolate wall I mentioned earlier is in the duty-free area. They have tons of Costa Rican brands, different percentages, some with coffee mixed in.

There’s also a smaller souvenir popup style shop with ‘Pura Vida’ keepsakes: miniature surfboards, magnets, local crafts. Prices are airport prices, so if you forgot to buy gifts, you’ll pay for the convenience.

Commercial Plaza & Hotels Nearby

Right across from the airport on the main Highway there’s a commercial plaza with a KFC, Starbucks, and a few local restaurants. I walked over there before my flight because I didn’t want to deal with airport food prices. The Starbucks was busy with travelers doing the same thing. There’s also an AM Convenience store if you need to grab anything last minute.

For hotels, the Hilton Garden Inn is about 2 minutes drive with a free shuttle. The Hampton Inn is nearby too. This whole area is growing fast. I could see construction everywhere, new commercial plazas going up, lots of development. There’s even a Pricemart (like Costco) if you need to stock up on groceries before heading to the beach. *Pricemart requires a membership to shop.

From the plane during takeoff, I got this cool night view of all the commercial development around the airport. Way more going on there than I expected.

The Flight Experience on the Embraer E195-E2

Aircraft & Seating: 2×2 Configuration

The biggest difference between Porter and most other airlines on this route is the seating layout. Porter’s Embraer jets have two seats on each side of the aisle, that’s it. No middle seats anywhere on the plane. Compare that to WestJet, which crams three seats on each side in their bigger planes, and you can feel the difference immediately.

I’m about 6 feet tall, and my knees didn’t touch the seat in front of me. Not by much, but they didn’t touch. The seats are leather with adjustable headrests, which is nice for a flight that’s over five hours. There’s also way more space under the seat in front of you than I expected. My lockable sling backpack fit easily without me having to shove it in there.

The 2×2 setup just feels less claustrophobic. You’re either at the window or the aisle, never stuck in the middle doing that awkward armrest negotiation with strangers. If you’re traveling with someone, you get your own row. If you’re solo like I was, you’ve got a 50/50 shot at having the row to yourself during off-peak times.

Every seat has a power outlet, which saved me because my phone was at like 15% when I boarded. The outlets are the regular North American plug style, so no adapter needed.

View inside the Embrear jet with Porter’s 2×2 row configuration. Very comfortable arrangement compared to other airlines.

What’s Included

Porter includes stuff that other airlines charge extra for. Free WiFi is probably the biggest one—and it actually worked really well. I spent most of the flight watching the flight tracker, which was cool because I could see exactly which cities I was looking at out the window. Flying over Miami at night with the tracker running was especially awesome. You could match up the city lights below with the map on your screen.

Beer and wine are complimentary too, served in actual glassware instead of plastic cups. They’re big on using Canadian products when they can, which I noticed with the snacks.

The snack situation is solid for a flight this length. They came around with a basket of premium Canadian snacks. Not just pretzels, actual stuff you’d buy at a store. I grabbed some cookies during the flight. Free coffee, tea, soft drinks, the works. The flight attendants came through multiple times, so you’re not stuck dying of thirst for five hours.

Flight Quality

Boarding was quick and easy. Because the plane is smaller than those massive 737s or Airbuses, it doesn’t take forever to get everyone seated. The flight attendants were friendly and attentive throughout the flight.

The takeoff was smooth, even with the delay we’d had. Once we got up to cruising altitude, the flight was pretty stable. I didn’t feel like I was getting tossed around, which can happen on smaller planes sometimes. The night departure out of Liberia gave me this cool view of the city lights. This is not common as most departures from LIR are in the afternoon. This was a plus of having a delayed departure, I suppose.

Landing in Toronto was one of the smoother landings I’ve experienced. I was actually hand holding my phone to film it, and the video barely looks shaky. The pilot nailed it.

The bathrooms stayed pretty clean throughout the flight, which is saying something for a five-hour trip. They’re small—this is still economy—but they’re well-maintained.

Final Verdict

Overall Experience

I’d fly Porter to Liberia again, no question. The whole experience felt more thoughtful than what I’m used to with other Canadian airlines. little things like the glassware for drinks, the lack of middle seats, the Canadian snack selection. This at a time when Westjet compressed their rear rows to add more seats. It’s not business class or anything, but for economy it punches above its weight.

Price wise, Porter sits right in the middle of what you’d pay with Air Canada or WestJet. I’ve seen all three airlines hit that $150-$220 range depending on when you book. So it really comes down to the experience itself, and Porter wins on that front for me. The 2×2 seating alone is worth considering if you hate middle seats as much as I do.

The one hour delay didn’t help my first impression, but honestly that was weather in Toronto, not a Porter issue. Once we were in the air, everything ran smoothly. The flight attendants actually seemed happy to be there, which sounds like a low bar but makes a difference on a five hour flight.

Gateway to Incredible Beaches

The real win with more flights to Liberia is beach access. You’re landing right in the heart of Guanacaste, which has some of the best beaches in Costa Rica. I’m biased because I love this region, but having another airline option makes it easier and potentially cheaper to get here.

Playa Hermosa is the closest beach to Liberia airport with solid amenities—about 25 minutes away. You’ll find restaurants, beach clubs, good surf breaks, and a nice stretch of dark sand. It’s not as busy as Tamarindo but has more going on than some of the quieter beaches further north. I’ve got a full video on Playa Hermosa if you want more details on what to do there.

Beyond Playa Hermosa, you’ve got Playas del Coco about 30 minutes away (great for nightlife and diving), Tamarindo at around an hour (surf town vibes, tons of restaurants), and Playa Flamingo for the luxury resort crowd. The airport location puts you within 90 minutes of pretty much any beach in northern Guanacaste, which is why over 140,000 people fly this route every year.

More airlines flying to Liberia means more competition, which hopefully keeps prices reasonable. And it gives travelers options—if one airline’s schedule doesn’t work, maybe another one does. Porter adding six flights a week plus the Ottawa route just makes the whole area more accessible for Canadians looking to escape winter.

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