Upala Airport (UPL)

Upala Airport is a small public aerodrome serving the town of Upala in northern Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. Located about 10 km south of the Nicaragua border, it functions as a regional gateway for domestic flights and general aviation in an area known for rural communities and nature destinations such as the Rio Celeste waterfall and Tenorio Volcano National Park.

The airport's single asphalt runway, designated 04/22, is roughly 1,000 metres long and sits just south of the town on the south bank of the Zapote River. In 2019 the Costa Rican government invested around 1.2 billion colones to modernize the runway, widening it from 11 to 18 metres and extending it from 915 to 1,000 metres.

Because the runway lies only about 1 km from central Upala, the airport is easy to reach and convenient for short transfers into town. Road links continue to surrounding communities such as Bijagua and Los Chiles, while Liberia's Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR), about 67 km to the west-southwest, serves as the nearest major international gateway.

As a compact regional facility, the airport provides basic passenger services and operates mainly during daylight hours under visual flight rules. Travellers typically continue by private transfer, taxi, chauffeur service or rental car to Upala and other destinations in northern Costa Rica.