French company Vinci Airports signed an agreement to acquire the portfolio of Airports Worldwide, which includes co-control stakes of Costa Rica’s two major airports, 48.75% of the Juan Santamaria International Airport and 45% stake in the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste.

The agreement also included airports in the United States and Europe, “The operation boosts Vinci Airports’ global network, which now includes 45 airports in 11 countries and on three continents. It’s a strategic move into the USA, the world’s largest air transport market, that also bolsters our presence in Europe and Central America”, informed Vinci through a press release.

“The acquisition of the two main airports in Costa Rica, an increasingly popular tourist destination, strengthens VINCI Airports’ positions in South and Central America, where it manages the Santiago Airport (Chile), the Salvador-Deputado Luis Eduardo Magalhaes Airport in Brazil, and six airports in Dominican Republic, including the Santo Domingo Airport.”

The Juan Santamaria International Airport served 4.8 million travelers in 2017 while the Daniel Oduber Airport served 1.1 million passengers, under concession contracts with residual terms of eight and 13 years respectively.

Aeris Holding, operator of the Juan Santamaria Airport, confirmed the news and commented that they will refer to this topic at noon today.