Find cheap Volaris Costa Rica flights

Volaris Costa Rica is an ultra-low-cost Costa Rican airline based in San José, flying international routes to Central America and Mexico, and more recently, direct flights to Miami and Orlando in the United States. The Volaris model is straightforward: rock-bottom base fares with pay-as-you-go extras for anything beyond the basics. I’ve used them often for getting around Central America – especially those harder-to-reach destinations – and for quick hops to Mexico, where they’re often a solid option for both price and convenient arrival times.

Fare categories, baggage and seating

Volaris Costa Rica offers three fare categories – Zero, Basic and Plus – each with different baggage and flexibility options.

The airline flies all-economy, so the top-tier experience you’ll get is choosing a Premium+ seat with priority access, an empty middle seat and a complimentary snack and drink.

Here’s what you get with each fare type:

• Zero: Just a personal item (no carry-on or checked bags)

• Basic: Personal item plus carry-on, with same-day flight forwarding if available

• Plus: Personal item, carry-on and checked bag, plus same-day changes, unlimited flight changes, full refund on cancellations and priority boarding

The jump from Zero to Basic is worth it if you’re bringing more than a backpack, but Plus is really where you get flexibility with those unlimited changes and refund options.

For seating, you can pay to pick your spot. “Premium+” covers rows one and two, and includes priority access, an empty middle seat, plus a free snack and drink. “Premium” is rows three to five for quicker boarding and deplaning. “Seats with more space” are in the emergency exit rows. “Standard” is everything else. The price for these goes up the closer you get to the front.

Flight combo deals

If you know you’ll need a few extras, check out their “combos”. They’re basically bundled perks that can save you a bit of cash compared to buying them one by one. You can add these when you’re booking your ticket.

The “Business Combo” gives you unlimited changes, a 24-hour fare hold (for flights at least 72 hours away), a standard seat selection and a carry-on bag. The “More Baggage” combo is great for heavy packers, including a carry-on, an extra checked bag and even a piece of sports equipment or a musical instrument.

Finally, the “More Speed” combo is for folks who hate waiting. It gets you priority boarding, access to express security lanes in U.S. and Costa Rican airports and a standard seat selection. Just note that premium seats like the first row and exit rows aren’t included here.

Membership and credit cards

V.Club is Volaris’ membership program for frequent fliers, offering special deals (released every Thursday), discounts on packages, hotels (through their associated site Yavas.com), and vacation packages for an annual fee. If you’re flying Volaris Costa Rica regularly and love the airline, I’d recommend joining.

There’s also V.Business, which is geared toward work travelers. It comes with perks like unlimited changes, priority boarding, standard seat selection, same-day flight forwarding, a 24-hour fare hold and a free carry-on bag with any fare type.

And if you’re really committed, check if Volaris offers credit cards in your region – benefits typically include perks like cash back, free baggage, and priority boarding.

Check-in process

Volaris Costa Rica has made check-in easy with three digital options: their website through “My Trips” (where you can save your mobile boarding pass), their mobile app (which generates a boarding pass) and WhatsApp messaging for flights within Mexico. I recommend using any of these to avoid the unnecessary fee they charge for airport check-in.

Changes and cancellations

Plans change. Volaris lets you make changes through “My Trips” on their website or app, but be ready for a fee depending on your fare. You’ll also have to cover any price difference if the new flight is more expensive.

You can change the flight time and date up to four hours before departure. Name changes are allowed up to four hours before domestic flights and up to 72 hours before international flights. For cancellations, if you booked within the last 24 hours, you can get a full refund as long as your departure is at least seven days away for international flights or 24 hours away for domestic flights.

After that, you’ll likely need to pay cancellation fees unless you have Plus fare. The main rule to remember is that international flights must be canceled at least seven days in advance, while domestic flights require at least 24 hours’ notice.

Eating and drinking in the sky

Here’s the deal with snacks: nothing’s free unless you’re in a Premium+ seat, which includes a complimentary snack and drink. Everything else from water to sandwiches is for sale from their “Entre Nubes” menu. You’ll find options like sandwiches, chips, nuts, and candy, plus coffee, tea, soda, and alcoholic drinks like Tecate and Heineken.

Pro tip: I always pack my own snacks. It saves a few bucks, and for these short flights, it’s all you really need.

Flying with a pet

Volaris Costa Rica allows dogs and cats in the cabin with some breed restrictions and required paperwork, so always check with the airline before booking. I’ve taken my pup on these short Central America-to-Mexico flights multiple times and found them easy to deal with – the process is straightforward once you have your documentation sorted.

You’ll need to meet country-specific import requirements – check with SENASICA for Mexico or CDC for the U.S.

I’ve also volunteered to fly with rescue dogs from Mexico to their new homes in California, and Volaris was a breeze to work with every single time.

In the cabin, your pet has to stay in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you.

There’s also an option to check larger dogs and cats into the cargo hold.

Cross border perk for San Diego

Here’s a smart travel hack for anyone near San Diego: the Cross Border Xpress (CBX). Volaris is part of this program that lets you fly into Tijuana and literally walk across a bridge into the US.

You can add the crossing to your ticket when you buy it or later through “My Trips.”

I’ve used it several times, and it can be a huge time-saver, especially if you park on the US side. Just make sure you have all your paperwork in order before you go. When flying to Tijuana, you need to use the CBX within two hours of arrival. For departures from Tijuana, you can cross up to 24 hours before your flight. It’s a smooth way to get into California and avoid potential border traffic.