British Airways Costa Rica flights go year-round in 2027

British Airways will keep flying between London Heathrow and San Jose, Costa Rica, through summer 2027, ending the route's winter-only pattern. The airline has scheduled five flights a week for winter 2026-27, followed by three weekly flights from March 29 for the summer season.

The latest announcement extends the service into summer. It does not change the earlier plan to move the route from Gatwick to Heathrow on October 25, 2026.

*Original AI-generated editorial illustration created for Roaming eSIM. The airport, aircraft, city and tropical landscape are generic and do not depict BA233, BA232, Heathrow or Juan Santamaria International Airport.*

The practical answer: for travel from October 25, search Heathrow, not Gatwick. Winter has the greater frequency. Summer 2027 keeps the nonstop route available on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, but the final date, times, terminal and aircraft still need a check in the live booking.

This guide was reviewed on September 20, 2026, three days after British Airways announced the summer extension.

The Heathrow to San Jose schedule

British Airways has published two parts of the plan:

The September release uses the compact notation BA233/2 for the route. Check the issued itinerary for the exact outbound and return flight numbers rather than copying that shorthand into a transfer or pickup booking.

Costa Rican reports carrying statements from the tourism board and airport operator say the winter flights are scheduled to leave London at 11:10 and reach San Jose at 16:40. The return is reported at 18:40, arriving at Heathrow at 10:50 the next day. Those times are local and apply to the winter schedule described in the reports. British Airways did not publish summer times in its September route table, so do not apply the winter timetable to a summer trip.

Two announcements create the year-round pattern

There are two separate announcements behind the new pattern.

In March, British Airways said the Costa Rica route would move from Gatwick to Heathrow on October 25, increase from three to five weekly winter flights and use a 787-8. In September, the airline added three weekly summer flights from March 29, 2027. That second decision is what turns the seasonal route into a year-round service.

The arrival airport remains Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), near San Jose. This is not a new service to Liberia (LIR). The airline's Costa Rica page describes an approximately 11-hour journey, but the actual duration can vary by direction, date and winds.

Flights are available to search now. An announced schedule can still change, so verify the date, operating carrier, airports and times before paying for a separate connection, hotel or ground transfer.

Connecting at Heathrow

Heathrow gives passengers more British Airways connection choices than the former Gatwick operation, but the protection depends on how the trip is ticketed.

For flights on one ticket, follow the purple Flight Connections signs. Heathrow says most connecting passengers do not collect checked bags, although the airline should confirm this for the itinerary. Every connecting passenger goes through security again, and some journeys require a terminal transfer.

Separate tickets are different. British Airways recommends at least four hours between separately booked flights at Heathrow because passengers need to reclaim bags and may need to change terminals. If the first flight is late, the second ticket generally does not carry the same rebooking protection as a through itinerary.

Do not assume the Costa Rica flight will use a particular terminal. British Airways operates from Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5, and its own guidance tells passengers to check the booking, boarding pass and airport screens.

Aircraft, seats and baggage

British Airways listed a 787-8 for the five-weekly winter operation. Costa Rican reporting based on the announcement describes 31 Club World, 37 World Traveller Plus and 136 World Traveller seats. Aircraft assignments can change, so use the seat map attached to the live booking for a cabin decision.

Baggage is controlled by the fare and itinerary, not by the route headline. BA's Costa Rica page says an Economy Standard booking includes a checked bag up to 23kg, while hand-baggage-only fares do not include that checked allowance. Partner-airline sectors and separate local flights may use different limits.

Open Manage My Booking and confirm the allowance printed for every traveler. If a separate Costa Rica domestic flight follows the long-haul arrival, compare its weight and size rules before packing.

Entry and arrival checks

Costa Rica sets entry rules by nationality and trip purpose. UK government guidance for a full British citizen passport currently says the passport must expire at least one day after the planned departure and describes a tourist visa waiver of up to 180 days, with the admitted period decided at the border. That guidance does not answer the question for every passport.

Check the rule for the passport actually used. Keep proof of onward or return travel available if requested, and review any vaccination requirement for the traveler's recent itinerary. Rules can change between booking and departure.

SJO is the airport code to share with a driver or hotel. Save the first accommodation address and transfer contact offline. If the booking lands at 16:40 as reported for winter, allow time for immigration, baggage and road traffic rather than promising a city arrival time from the aircraft schedule alone.

Mobile data for Costa Rica

The live public catalog returned ten Costa Rica eSIM plans when checked on September 20. Examples included 1GB for seven days at USD 3.84 and daily-data plans from USD 1.60. The 1GB fixed plan supported top-ups at the time of review, while the lowest-priced daily plan did not, so reloadability must be checked on the selected card.

The catalog also returned two global destinations for a Costa Rica search. A global plan may suit a journey with another covered country, but the displayed coverage list needs to include every stop that matters. An eSIM provides mobile data after arrival; it does not replace airline Wi-Fi, guarantee signal on remote roads or include calls, SMS, a local number or hotspot use unless the chosen package says so.

Install the eSIM on reliable Wi-Fi and follow its activation instructions. Save the airline booking, entry documents, transfer details and first accommodation offline. Travelers can also check when to install an eSIM, whether a phone supports eSIM and how much mobile data a trip may need.

Ten questions about British Airways Costa Rica flights

When do British Airways Costa Rica flights become year-round?

The continuous pattern begins with the Heathrow winter schedule on October 25, 2026. The route then continues into the summer season from March 29, 2027 instead of stopping after winter.

Does British Airways fly to Costa Rica from Heathrow or Gatwick?

Heathrow from October 25, 2026. The route previously used Gatwick, so check any older article, saved search or transfer booking against the airport on the current itinerary.

How many British Airways flights to Costa Rica operate each week?

British Airways plans five flights a week in winter 2026-27 and three a week in summer 2027. Its summer table lists Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Is the London to San Jose flight nonstop?

Yes. The published route is London Heathrow to Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose without an intermediate stop. A connecting itinerary before Heathrow or after San Jose is a separate part of the journey.

Are BA233 and BA232 the Costa Rica flight numbers?

The summer route table shows BA233/2, the airline's shorthand for the paired service. Confirm the exact number in the booking because the public table does not spell out each direction on a separate line.

Will the Costa Rica flight use Heathrow Terminal 5?

Do not assume it will. British Airways operates from Terminals 3 and 5 and tells passengers to check the booking, boarding pass and airport screens for the assigned terminal.

Is a short Heathrow connection safe on separate tickets?

British Airways recommends at least four hours for separate tickets at Heathrow. That process can include immigration, bag collection, terminal travel, check-in and security, and a missed onward flight may be at the passenger's cost.

Will checked baggage transfer at Heathrow?

It often transfers on a through ticket, but the airline needs to confirm the baggage tag and itinerary. On separate tickets, passengers generally collect the bag and check it in again.

What Costa Rica entry documents do I need?

That depends on nationality, passport type and travel purpose. Check Costa Rica's rule for the passport being used and a current government travel-advice source, then carry any required onward-travel and vaccination evidence.

Can I use a Costa Rica eSIM as soon as I land at SJO?

Only if the phone is compatible, the eSIM is installed correctly and the selected plan's activation conditions are met. Prepare it on Wi-Fi before travel, but follow the package instructions so its validity does not start earlier than intended.

Before booking the year-round service

• Search LHR, not LGW, for travel from October 25, 2026.
• Match the five-weekly winter or three-weekly summer pattern to the travel date.
• Confirm the exact flight number, times, terminal and operating carrier.
• Use the live seat map rather than treating the planned 787-8 as guaranteed.
• Check the baggage allowance printed for the fare and every separate sector.
• Prefer one ticket for a connection when protection matters.
• Allow at least the airline's recommended margin for separate Heathrow tickets.
• Check Costa Rica entry rules for the passport actually used.
• Share SJO, not only "San Jose," with a driver or hotel.
• Save documents and arrival contacts offline.

What to recheck before departure

The year-round extension, March 29 summer start, three weekly summer frequency, operating days and BA233/2 reference come from British Airways' September 17 announcement. The Heathrow move, October 25 winter start, five weekly frequency and planned 787-8 come from its March network release.

British Airways' route, connection and baggage pages support the booking guidance. Heathrow and UK government pages support the airport and entry checks. Costa Rican reports carrying comments from the tourism board and AERIS add the winter times and continuous October 2026 to September 2027 context.

Public Reddit and FlyerTalk discussions were used to identify recurring questions about seasonal availability, Heathrow connections, separate tickets and baggage. They were not used as authority for schedules, airport processes or entry rules.

This page should be updated if British Airways changes the frequency, operating days, summer times, terminal, aircraft or year-round status.

*Schedule, connection, entry and product details were reviewed on September 20, 2026. Recheck British Airways, Heathrow, the relevant authorities and the live Roaming eSIM catalog before travel.*