Heightened sanitation
Daily cleaning, installation of cabin HEPA filters on flights from Charlotte to San José
American Airlines has waived its change and cancellation fees on flights from Charlotte to San José. Confirm policy on booking site.
Entry restrictions
Costa Rica has allowed all countries in the world to enter by air.
Entry requirements
Travelers must complete the digital Health Pass 48 hours before boarding.
Travelers must have a travel insurance with coverage of COVID-19 treatment and accommodation costs. Check Visit Costa Rica website for more details.
Costa Rica has eased their travel regulations and removed the requirement of RT-PCR tests for the detection of the coronavirus.
All other info
Expired residence permits (DIMEX) with category “permanente" are extended until 11 January 2021, with categories “temporales" and “especiales" which expired after 18 December 2019 are extended until 11 January 2021 and with category “estancias" which expired after 17 March 2020 are extended until 12 February 2021.
For information on visas, refer to the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners.
There are currently 29,896 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in CR and 3,099 deaths as of Apr 20 2021
Please see our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Travel Restrictions page for more information on restrictions worldwide.
An average nonstop flight takes 6h 00m, covering a distance of 1755 miles.
There are 14 (nonstop) flights between Charlotte and San José per week, averaging 2 per day.
In the past 3 days, the cheapest one-way tickets were found on Spirit Airlines ($93) and Delta ($94), and the lowest round-trip tickets have been found on Delta ($225) and Spirit Airlines ($237).
Yes.
American Airlines (2 times daily) is the most frequent flyer on this route.
From Charlotte to San José, Friday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Wednesday is the most expensive. Flying from San José back to Charlotte , the best deals are generally found on Friday, with Monday being the most expensive.
When flying out of Charlotte you will be using Charlotte Douglas, often referred to as Charlotte Airport. You will be landing at San José Juan Santamaria Intl, also known as San José Airport.
KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Charlotte to San José.
KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San José from Charlotte is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.
Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to San José with an airline and back to Charlotte with another airline.
Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to San José from Charlotte up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.
Scores according to KAYAK customer reviews
Cons: "Everything was fine... I should have packed a snack because I’m always hungry! Will travel Delta again!"
Pros: "I apreciated how well informed he captain kept us. There were several delays but she communicated freely and helped us to feel safe."
Cons: "Best option across the pond, amazing upgrade prices"
Pros: "Inflight entertainment was great. Movies, games, moving map. Best I’ve ever seen in main cabin for free."
Cons: "The seating was too cramped. It’s extremely uncomfortable. Seems tighter both on knees and elbows."
Pros: "The crew was awesome. The entertainment was great with a huge selection of movies. The food was really good."
Cons: "Boarding was delayed while waiting for Delta agents to come and assist people off of the plane."
Pros: "The crew was great and also the snacks."
Pros: "Quick Boarding Awesome staff"
Cons: "We were late getting into ATL."
Cons: "Plane too small to have any on board entertainment"
Cons: "Let was a typical flight. About all you can hope for is that it is on time. That makes it excellent."
Cons: "Great flight. On time and friendly staff."
Pros: "Food good"
Pros: "Great service!"
Cons: "N/A"
Cons: "Leg room"
Pros: "It was on time"
Cons: "Plane too cold."
Pros: "Quick boarding, great seats and everything went on schedule."
Pros: "The fact that I was so relaxed."
Cons: "The food"
Pros: "We were deplained twice from two different plains going to LGA. We are now booked on a third plain going to JFK. Hope we can get home. I have a surgical appointment tomorrow."
Cons: "We bought First Class tickets. But we were downgraded How do you think we should feel ? We have been in Charlotte since 9:30 AM It is now 6:45 PM Should we use the train to go home?"
Cons: "Online check in didn’t work. Called Delta 800# and rep said I needed to wait till I got to airport. Airport rep said I needed to use the KLM flight number, not the Delta number.W"
Pros: "Nicest staff"
Cons: "Nothing at all"
Pros: "El cumplimiento de vuelos"
Pros: "The pilot and the stewardess were very polite."
Cons: "Standing on line,it was slow cause only 1 person was help people check in. It would been better if everyone could check in with the kiosk machines. After half an hour than another person came to help. TSA move more fast cause so many people were working."
Pros: "The flight & landing were smooth, and we arrived a few minutes early."
Cons: "The entertainment system & WiFi were out. Wasn’t able to charge my phone either as the outlets weren’t functioning properly."
Pros: "They did take care of the situation in a timely manner and switched my flight were I made it in my time line . Switched to American from Atl. to Houston"
Cons: "Was informed the flight delay due to equipment ,"
Pros: "in Charlotte"
Cons: "delay on flight"
Pros: "The crew was extremely nice and helpful."
Cons: "Small crowded aircraft with minimal overhead storage. The seat pitch was so limited my knees were against the seat in front of me. The tray table couldn’t be lowered completely. Small child behind me kicked my seat during the entire fight."
Pros: "Crew was friendly and efficient"
Cons: "Very minimal legroom. Screaming children behind me kicking my seat during flight"
Cons: "Multiple delays in Atlanta"
Pros: "Nothing other than it was over quickly."
Cons: "Seat did not recline at all."
Pros: "I love being on a smaller plane/jet! Boarding was painless and I had no problems with my two small bags. Due to a mix-up in seating, I had both seats to myself! We even got in will before the scheduled time! De-boarding took far less time than "regular" plane/jet!!!"
Pros: "Leg room was descent"
Cons: "Excessive delays. Was scheduled to leave CLT at 3:21 PM, then rescheduled to depart at 423; then waited on the tarmac to take off for about 45 mins total; didn't arrive in NYC until around 718 PM; very long day with Delta Airlines."
Cons: "Nothing"
Cons: "Kids yelling"
Pros: "Flight was on time and even landed early. Boarding was seamless with bag tag. Seats were comfy. Crew was professional."
Cons: "A drink with no napkins? I know airlines need to cut costs but what if I spilled my drink or want to wipe my hands after eating pretzels Delta? You can still provide napkins."
Cons: "The flight was delayed for boarding, then delayed for take-off, then circled LaGuardia for an hour, diverted to JFK. They indicated weather, but JFK is 9.6 miles away... so weather really??!!"
Pros: "The crew was personable and kept us informed regarding the trip. The Flight Attendant was very attentive and went above duty to ensure our comfort."
Cons: "I didn't t like the overall design of the plane - it was small."
Pros: "Flight attendant was excellent and pilots did a great job with weather"
Cons: "nothing."
Pros: "Nothing."
Cons: "Delayed multiple times. I have been traveling 13 hours and am still not in London."
Pros: "Having status. Always on time. They run their schedules like European trains."
Pros: "Excellent service and on-time"
Cons: "Baggage charge"
Pros: "Same as previous flight."
Pros: "The customer service of the middle aged White frmale FA"
Cons: "The seats were small"
Cons: "lost mom's glasses"
Pros: "The crew & pilot were awesome. At least they provided snacks & water while we waited and kept us informed of delays the whole time."
Cons: "My flight was delayed then cancelled with no option to seek a seat on an alternative airline. I had to fly standby. Fortunately, I was able to get a seat on the 3:30 flight (my original flight was scheduled for 10:45am). When I arrived at my destination I was exhausted from spending all day in the airport!"
Pros: "There is no rating selection for not applicable under entertainment, unless your asking about watching other passengers."
Cons: "Leg room was awful, and flights left late for no reason."
Pros: "Free upgrade to Economy Plus"
Cons: "The flight was delayed an hour"
Cons: "My mother, Linda Thompson, has a progressive neuromuscular disorder, Dystonia. Along with this condition, stress can bring on non-epileptic seizures. My mother has had to endure one of these seizures due to the stress that this incident had put her through. As my mother's power of attorney, I am helping her vocalize this incident that she has experienced. The image below shows the spot where she was left, in the Atlanta airport, in her wheelchair. Delta airlines says they provide safe, accessible travel to all of their passengers. That includes providing an employee to transport physically disabled persons to and from their flights and to their shuttle. An employee accompanied my mother when she got off of her plane arriving in Atlanta from Charlotte. This employee was obligated to transport her where she needed to go. Due to her first flight being delayed, she missed her connecting flight in Atlanta, and had to stay the night until the connection could be made in the morning. They provided her with a voucher to a local hotel and a shuttle to that hotel. The employee who met her at the gate was obligated to help her get to that shuttle so she could get to her hotel in time. As many of us may know, Atlanta airport is one of the largest. You might need to take a train to get from one area to the next. It would be very difficult for my mother to walk that distance with her cane, and that is why she needed a wheelchair. The inconsiderate, selfish employee of whom needed to transport my mother to her destination was coming to the end of his shift. He attempted to hand my mother off to another employee at the desk while she was getting her voucher. Told her it was the end of his shift and he had to clock out. She told him, "You can't leave her here". Her statement, and the way she stated it, made my mother feel like she was a piece of luggage. She ignored it and let the employee take her on her way. She just wanted him to take her to her shuttle so that she could get to her hotel and rest. That did not happen. He strolled my mother along for a moment until they were out of site. They approached a gate, of which was empty, and he told her to wait here for an agent to come by. He left. She waited...and waited. No one ever came and assisted her. She was left like a piece of luggage in the middle of the Atlanta airport with no one around. My mother was treated like a bag that someone did not want to carry around anymore. This situation and the selfishness of that employee makes me think of who else could have been treated like this, or who else could be treated like this in the future. Help me spread this message so that something can be done about this issue. Delta has already been contacted, they do not care enough to do anything about it. I bet they will if this message gets heard by their potential future passengers."
Pros: "Airport staff was nice.. Boarding was good.. Flight attendants very friendly.. Smooth trip"
Cons: "Plane too small.. Nothing but one beverage given all flight"
Pros: "Staff all was good."
Cons: "Better bag prices"
Pros: "Excelent cree"
Cons: "They are overbooking flights."
Cons: "At checking the machine wasn't reading our passports and then we also got charged for luggage at security while the desk rep said that was not applicable."
Pros: "The crew was super friendly"
Cons: "There was no Social distancing and I was very scared about it"
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "Use American Airlines"
Pros: "Nada"
Cons: "Todo! Everything"
Cons: "I was lied to about my connecting flight waiting for my initial delayed flight. Now I’m stranded."
Pros: "All went well. Seat was comfortable."
Cons: "Kiosk agents need to be more customer oriented."
Cons: "- they call for parents and children’s and later they forgot us at the side. - No AC... - Bad Actitud from the stewardess. - 1:30 waiting for my baggage. - Incomplete luggage."
Pros: "It's pretty cheap until you have to pay for your bag, carry on, food, seat, counter assistance, etc."
Cons: "My flight was delayed and the crew and the company had different versions of the situation, plus if you sum all the extras you need to pay I'm no longer sure if the flight is still cheap."
Pros: "Flight attendants were great"
Cons: "Todavía estoy en Fort Lauderdale no pudimos cojer el vuelo por un imprevisto en la carretera y a pesar de que llegamos 40 minutos antes el personal nos atendio demasiado mal no nos quisieron solucionar de ninguna forma es la primera vez q utilizamos esta aerolinia y su personal no sabe nada de servicio al cliente ni mucho menos de humanidad todavía estamos aquí en FLL viendo cómo solucionamos por nuestros medios pasa una vez dos no y más q pensábamos seguirlos utilizando y recomendarlos pero veo q lo q les interesa en asegurarse el dinero en sus cuantas y NO el bienestar de sus clientes"
Cons: "Helen the superviser dont let me go she is no good superviser no good no frienley no nathing"
Cons: "Flight cancelled"
Pros: "Timely and efficient boarding"
Cons: "Bare minimum but no complaints"
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "They didn't have a 1st officer present and could not get a hold of him. Instead of telling all the passengers, they decided to let us board and made us wait forever before they finally told us we didn't have a 1st officer. After all this they told us to get off the plane and they would let us know when to board again. Finally after the flight had been delayed almost 2 hours, the 1st officer arrived, we boarded and were on our way."
Pros: "STAY AWAY FROM THIS AIRLINE NOT WORTH THE SAVINGS AND YOU REALLY DON'T SAVE THAT MUCH AFTER YOU PAY FOR EVERYTHING"
Cons: "THIS IS A HORRIBLE COMPANY"
Cons: "No beverage additional seat and carry on charge."
Pros: "Everything it was nice"
Cons: "We were super delayed and the crew was very unhelpful. Wouldn't keep us updated and didn't know what was going on."
Cons: "The crew handled the situation poorly."
Cons: "Spirit canceled the flight and had to find me another one"
Cons: "Witnessed one very rude flight attendant. Additionally, the airline couldn't spare buying a few pens to help people fill out customs/immigration forms. Most uncomfortable seats I've ever been in."
Pros: "Getting to destination safe."
Cons: "Too .many to talk about. But the main thing is the airplanes are uncomfortable. The seats are awfully tight. The carryon baggage fee is highway robbery. I cannot wait for more competitive flights from Ft Lauderdale to Costa Rica. I only use Spirit for my Costa Rica trips."
Cons: "Delayed, poor service"
Pros: "Colorful crowd"
Cons: "Baggage"
Pros: "The crew was fine , not recleaning seats which is horrible in a night flight . The plane looked new"
Pros: "Terrible customer service. Rude agents, poor understand of regulations, awful management."
Pros: "Not the seats"
Cons: "I don't know from which forbidden bowls of the earth Spirit conjured up these forsaken seats, but the wizard who did so much have been through a fresh divorce because these chairs are built from hate and spite. If you get off the plane with out needing to see a chiropractor, Spirit hasn't done their job."
Pros: "on time"
Cons: "crammed space, small legroom"
Pros: "seats need better cushions"
Pros: "Price"
Pros: "I loved the crew they where amazing ! They made the whole flight laugh and feel special ."
Cons: "I didnt like that they dont give you anything to drink at all pr anything to eat for free"
Pros: "a flight attendant was attentive"
Cons: "$82 for overweight bag; wouldn't let me remove stuff"
Pros: "Crew was very friendly. We upgraded to have more space so my boyfriend could sit without being in pain by the small seats and limited leg room and that was much better. The crew gladly gave me some water for medicine and said it was something everyone is suppose to do if needed to take meds. why didn't the first flight??"
Cons: "We had to pay for the upgrade on a pretty empty flight so that we could be comfortable. We also saw people move to the better seats when the flight got going, and we paid $50 each for them and they took them for free."
Pros: "Friendly staff to makeup for the unprofessional services of the airline two and a half hour wait to checkin."
Cons: "What a waist the plane was full and we all had to get off the plane with all of our items..I tried to print my boarding pass on line but their system crashed and was not up to finish on line."
Cons: "Once they have your money the staff doesn't care. Lack of communication and over priced for the "quality""
Cons: "Not only do you have to pay extra to sit next to your traveling companion but I was also forced to pay an additional 40 bucks in order to leave San Jose CR. All other airlines include these taxes/fees in their ticket prices. Please factor in an additional 100 bucks for any Spirit prices once additional taxes and landing fees, baggage fees, seat costs, etc. also remember they wont even give you a free soda or 1 peanut on the flight."
Pros: "the pilot and the attendants. soooooo nice."
Pros: "Same as above"
Cons: "Same as above."
Cons: "I have flown spirit a few times and each time all the staff from ground to stewards... are unfriendly, unhelpful, sour people. i believe it's because of your management style. I fly southwest and delta often and their staff is happy, helpful, delighted to be of service. while your fares are low, it's only 100$ more to fly better. and you coverup charges like departure taxes that are included with other fares in other airlines, so, hence, the fees, add up so quickly, it's become easier and more cost effective --even-- for the budget travelor to fly other airlines. we need friendly people in airlines. folks who love their jobs and treat each other respect. you can do a whole lot better Spirit airlines. really. everyone is becoming disgusted with your service."
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "After an hour and a half on the plane, passengers were offered a glass of water and a small cookie. After the flight was cancelled, we waited in line for up to 3 hours for re-booking. No effort was made to make passengers feel comfortable, and communication of options/process was minimal, leading to a lot of confusion."
Cons: "Arrived at the airport three hours early and still only just made the flight. When we arrived the lines were out of the door and we had to stand outside with no shade in 90 degree heat for half an hour until the line finally led us inside. We flew with Spirit two years ago to Mexico and experienced exactly the same issues. We thought this might have been a one off and so gave them another try this year. Never again. There are never enough agents at the desk and $50.00 per bag is ridiculous. For three of us, $300.00, OUTRAGOUS! I looked for lines at other airline desks and there were none. Don't be pulled in by the prospect of a cheaper flight. By the time you have taken into consideration all the extra charges for luggage, checking in online and selecting your seats, one of the most expensive carriers in the airline business. Seats don't recline and no padding!"
Cons: "On top of the general and unavoidable things that make spirit awful like the ridiculous prices you end up paying with all its extra fees, for a very poor experience, the planes are rarely on time. Mine was an hour and a half late, luckily this was a small delay compared to my last experience with Spirit. I don't know why I booked with them again but I won't be making that mistake anymore."
Cons: "Seats don't recline. High fees for luggage."
Cons: "All the extra fees for baggage."
Cons: "The ticket counters are a fiasco. I was charged several times for baggage. The attendant at the ticket counter refused to look at my receipt, just telling me to repay at the kiosk. We missed our connection, along with hundreds of other Spirit fliers. EVERYONE I talked with downed Spirit, indicating you wear poor customer service like a badge of honor. I spent an inordinate amount of extra money for my "inexpensive" flight. I am so utterly disappointed."
Pros: "nothing. GFY spirit."
Cons: "flights are never on time. if you have a connection flight you will miss it. please listen to me and fly another airline."
Cons: "Baggage fee"
Airlines flying from Charlotte to San José have enacted additional safety measures and adjusted policies to better accommodate travelers. Policies vary by airline.
Heightened sanitation
Daily cleaning, installation of cabin HEPA filters on flights from Charlotte to San José
Mandatory masks
Masks required on board, masks provided on flights from Charlotte to San José
Social distancing seating
Middle seats unavailable to book on flights from Charlotte to San José
Pre-flight testing
Testing for antibodies, testing for symptoms for flights from Charlotte to San José
Flexible cancellations
Waiving of change fees. Search flexible flights from Charlotte to San José
Charlotte (CLT) United States
San José (SJO) Costa Rica