Airports / Costa Rica / UPL
Upala Airport.
Upala, Costa Rica · 184 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
3.0/5
Google rating
4 ratings
0
Operators based
184
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
20 nm
To the nearest alternate
Los Chiles Airport (LSL), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Upala Airport (MRUP / UPL) is a mid-sized airport serving Upala, Costa Rica. Field elevation is 184 feet above sea level. Free of scheduled airline operations, it serves business aviation, charter flights, and local general aviation.
While no charter operators list UPL as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Los Chiles Airport (LSL, 20 nm), Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR, 36 nm), and La Fortuna Arenal Airport (FON, 36 nm). The field has a single 3,536-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to light jets.
Trip costs from UPL are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from UPL to plan your flight.
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Field capability
ICAO
MRUP
IATA
UPL
FAA / Local
MRUP
Elevation
184 ft
Coordinates
10.8922° N · 85.0162° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs Costa Rica fields
state range 3–3,287 ft
At 184 ft, UPL sits higher than 59% of the 17 Costa Rica fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 3,536 ft
- 05/233,536 ft × 59 ftAsphaltUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 3,536 ft
UPL's 3,536 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 20nmLSLLos Chiles AirportLos Chiles
- 36nmLIRDaniel Oduber Quirós International AirportLiberia
- 36nmFONLa Fortuna Arenal AirportLa Fortuna
- 67nmNOBNosara AirportNicoya
- 72nmSJOJuan Santamaría International AirportSan José (Alajuela)
- 76nmSYQTobías Bolaños International AirportSan Jose
Location
Open the full mapMRUP · Upala Airport · Upala, Costa Rica
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from UPL on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Miami (MIA) | 934 nm | 2h 34m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 988 nm | 2h 42m |
| Houston (HOU) | 1,264 nm | 3h 20m |
| Austin (AUS) | 1,357 nm | 3h 33m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 1,471 nm | 3h 49m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 1,518 nm | 3h 56m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 1,732 nm | 4h 26m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 1,873 nm | 4h 45m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use UPL?
- Upala Airport's longest paved runway is 3,536 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at UPL?
- Upala Airport has one runway; the longest measures 3,536 ft on a paved surface.
- What is the nearest major airport to UPL?
- The closest alternate is Los Chiles Airport (LSL), about 20 nm away, followed by Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) at 36 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from UPL to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Miami about 2h 34m (934 nm), Palm Beach about 2h 42m (988 nm), Houston about 3h 20m (1,264 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.