$138 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Costa Rica - Compare and Save

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Cheap Flights from Chicago to Costa Rica

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
San José
San José1 stop$378
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$318
San José
San José1 stop$378
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$318
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Costa Rica flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Chicago to Costa Rica to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Costa Rica flight route?

The cheapest ticket to Costa Rica from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport found in the last 5 days was to San José, at $410 round-trip. The most popular route is from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) to Liberia (LIR), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $641.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Costa Rica?

The cheapest time of day to fly to Costa Rica is generally in the evening, when round-trip flights cost $514 on average. Morning departures are around 18% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Costa Rica is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $696.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Costa Rica?

No, with an average price for the route of $708, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Costa Rica?

The cheapest month for flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Costa Rica is October, when tickets cost $453 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and March, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $704 and $697 respectively.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Chicago to Costa Rica?

If you are looking for a flight deal from Chicago to Costa Rica, look for departures on Tuesdays and avoid leaving on a Saturday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Costa Rica, Friday is the cheapest day to fly and Sunday is the most expensive.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Costa Rica?

To get a below average price on the flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Costa Rica, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 7 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

September

Cheapest flight

$138
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 12% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 17% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to San José

FAQs - booking Costa Rica flights

  • Are there any onsite hotels at Costa Rican airports?

    There are various hotels within and near SJO and LIR where passengers landing late at the airport can spend the night. Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton San Jose Airport, situated approximately 0.7 miles from SJO, is your best bet. In addition, the hotel offers hotel shuttle transfers. On the other hand, if you are landing at LIR, you can make a reservation at Hilton Garden Inn Liberia, found 0.7 miles away from the airport.

  • How is parking at ORD?

    Passengers who want to leave their cars at the airport while flying out can use the multiple parking lot options available at Chicago O’hare International Airport. You can leave your car at the offsite parking lots, which are more affordable than onsite parking lots. Those who wish to leave their cars at the airport for a long can use the long-term parking lot and Economy Lot F. Alternatively, if you want to park short-term, you can take advantage of the hourly and daily parking lots found at the airport’s terminal parking.

  • Does ORD offer any pet facilities?

    ORD features three outdoor pet relief areas that passengers flying through the airport with their furry friends can utilize to make them comfortable before their flights to Costa Rica. The relief areas are located at terminals 1, 2 and 5.

  • Can I have accessibility services at Costa Rican airports?

    Upon request, you can have access to extra assistance and wheelchair services at LIR and SJO if you are flying with a companion with reduced mobility. However, you need to contact your airline earlier before travel date to have the services arranged.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Chicago to Costa Rica?

    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 Chicago to Costa Rica.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Chicago to Costa Rica?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from Chicago to Costa Rica is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Chicago to Costa Rica?

    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 from Chicago to Costa Rica with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Chicago to Costa Rica?

    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 from Chicago to Costa Rica up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • How many flights are there between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport and Costa Rica per day?

    There is a maximum of 1 nonstop flight a day that takes off from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport and lands in Costa Rica, with an average flight time of 5h 04m. The most common departure time is 7:00 am and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 1 flights.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Costa Rica

  • Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), situated approximately 6.2 miles away from San Jose in Costa Rica, is the main airport in the city, serving many international and domestic flights. However, from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), you can also land at Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), which is approximately 8 miles from Liberia, Costa Rica.
  • If you want to freshen up at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) before boarding your flight to Costa Rica, there are shower amenities in terminals 1 and 3. These shower facilities are found at the American Airlines Admirals Club, United Polaris Lounge and Hilton Athletic Club. However, if you want to access these facilities, you need to have a lounge pass.
  • ORD features a family lounge with a play area where your kids can burn off steam before boarding their flights to Costa Rica. It is equipped with climbing structures, toys and games and is located in the Main hall in terminal 2. Additionally, it features comfortable benches with charging stations where parents can sit and monitor their kids.
  • LIR and SJO feature a few lounges where passengers can unwind and relax upon arrival at the airports. These lounges offer exceptional services such as meals, drinks, entertainment, comfortable seats, internet access and flight information monitor. However, you need to have a lounge pass if you want to take advantage of these services and amenities.
  • If you are flying from ORD to Costa Rica, you can opt for one-stop flight options or airlines offering multiple layover options. Fly with Spirit Airlines, Copa Airlines, American Airlines and Jetblue Airlines, offering short layovers with stops at DFW, FTY, JFK, MIA and FLL airports.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Chicago to Costa Rica

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Chicago to Costa Rica? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.6
Copa AirlinesOverall score based on 1550 reviews
7.4Comfort
7.8Boarding
6.9Food
6.8Entertainment
8.1Crew
Airline reviews

It is not a good experience with Copa Airlines: flight delay, luggage delay, etc.

6.0 GoodAnonymous, Aug 2026
Read more Copa Airlines reviews

It is not a good experience with Copa Airlines: flight delay, luggage delay, etc.

We where skipped for this flight will not head to Panama until tonight..

There should be a warning regarding the quality of the aircraft on the website as we reserve the tickets. There was no TV or any type of screen onboard. The wifi they offer is good for nothing. Traveling 9 hours straight with kids and no type of entetainment was horrible. I wish I had been informed prior so I could buy a ticket with another airline. The food was a joke too. A very tiny portion per passenger. They also charged $100 per checked bag. With United I used to pay $60. So, fair to say that I wont be flying Copa anymore. Their aircraft was super old, outdated, no entertainment, with nearly no onboard food.

Very strict carry on rules meant most of the plane had to gate check their luggage. As is often the case had things that were broken because of this, but I appreciated not being charged to gate check. Otherwise good flight and great crew once on the plane

I liked the meatloaf the chicken was awful but the plane was on time and got there and the staff was nice.

Boarding was quick & efficient; they gave boarding groups due priority; staff & air crew were very cordial and helpful, pleasant flight.

Very happy with my flight. I would definitely recommend it.

Did upgrade, travel in business it was great (more room I could sleep)

Well the airline was fine. The only thing is I was charged for a checked in luggage. But when I reserved the ticket it showed a check in bag allowed. Who can I get in contact with for reimbursement.? The airline said I had to speak to whoever I booked ticket with.

Check in person said there would be lunch. We were first class passengers and lunch was chips.

Terrible service - they don’t want to be there and bad food. Entertainment system in economy from the 2000s

No drink service but there was no N/A as an option to choose. Seats were extremely tight. I am under 5.5 and I bumped my knees have no idea how taller people could manage.

Flight delayed, last seat on the plane, no arrival Gate available due to the plane departing late

Kayak booked this flight with only 1h 20min layover in Chicago. This made it impossible for me and several other passengers to reach this flight. Moreover, the gate closed boarding in spite of several passengers still on their way without waiting even one more minute. However, the plane departed with 20min (!) delay, i.e., there would have been at least 15 min time to let the delayed passengers board without causing any delays. I complained and as a "thank you" the attendent booked us on the last (!) flight to Indianapolis ~7h later! Thankfully, I caught the spitefulness and the United customer line rebooked the flight to an earlier flight. Although I can't grade this particular flight since I never had a chance to take it, Kayak made the mistake of a too short layover and the crew at the gate was awful.

Flight did not have wifi service. It was experiencing technical difficulties. Definitely and old plane that needs updating.

This flight has a history of leaving late, however, I was pleasantly surprised that it was not delayed this day. The flight went smooth, except I was in a window seat and the wall and my feet were freezing. I found it difficult to sleep due to being so cold, I also was using 2 provided UAL blankets and could not get my feet warm. This was annoying, but I still made it there on time and safe.

Old 757 with poor entertainment system. United no longer partners with United for free text and email. O'Hara an absolute disaster! Limited gates clauses two hour delay. Unfortunately this appears to be the norm.

It was a good experience, unfortunately my checked baggages were come late and not arrived on time.

Very stressful to locate United Airline boarding area, delayed flight, changing boarding area again to another location with all tiredness 😩. But flying was fine.

It was hot and not as comfortable as the flight to Chicago. Must have been a different plane that needs to be worked on or replaced.

Nothing was good about this flight. Although the flight actually departed more than 3 hours late, due to “air traffic control management” we pushed back from gate 2 hours and 20 minutes late and proceeded to sit 100 yards from gate for and then n tarmac for another 1/2 hour additional 20 minutes

One thing you can always count on is your AA flight getting delayed. This is not surprising when they operate these planes like a greyhound bus with wings.

The seats cushion on my seat (exit row) needs to be replaced. It felt like I was sitting on a bar rather than a seat cushion. Also, I was in the middle seat and I sat next to an oversized guy (window seat) and he took up about 25% of my space. Otherwise, the experience was good. :)

The flight was delayed by about an hour due to a maintenance issue which later then required a change of planes. The crew was great and friendly. The in-flight entertainment did not play properly on Apple Vision Pro in a Safari browser. Although the movie trailers would play fine, the actual movies themselves just had a black screen with audio. There must be something with copy protection or something that isn’t compatible with the Safari browser on Apple Vision Pro. The free inflight Wi-Fi for American Airlines Advantage members is a nice bonus. and is great that they aren’t charging extra for things that have become basic utilities in 2026, like internet access.

Good flight, regional jet so old and seats could use an upgrade

Couldn't make the flight because connecting flight was canceled.

gate crew was courteous and helpful, flight attendant was nice and friendly once we got going. But we pushed off from the gate relatively on time, then sat there like 10 ft away, for an hour, with no announcement or explanation. Taxiing then took forever, and I get that there was runway congestion, but would be helpful to keep us posted on whats going on

The power outlets were not working for my row. Also felt like the seats have gotten smaller. I was in the window seat and felt like suffocated, as the two passengers next to me were tall and wide.

Terrible. The flight I booked had a convenient departure time. Quick layover. And an arrival timed that worked for the people who had to pick me up. Thanks to delays and rebooking I got none of those things

I had my flight of Cedar Rapids. THen Chicago to Boston. Flight out of Cedar rapids was delayed by 12 hrs. Had to drive to Chicago to catch my flight

First time flying JetBlue and my perception changed. Love it.

Poor, had a 5+ hours delay. Kept sitting in the aircraft with three kids. It was terrible

The plane was filthy and worn - the seat pockets were stuffed with tattered food and torn pamphlets. The cleaning crew that came on as we were deboarding were grabbing handfulls of trash and perfunctorily wiping down tables with dishrags. It's been a while since I flew Jetblue and it used to be a great experience. After this flight I will avoid flying Jetblue again if there is any alternative.

I have flown Jet Blue many times between JFK and SFO. I appreciate how clean the planes are, the ability to select my onboard entertainment and the flight crews have always been amazing! Unfortunately, my trip from SFO to JFK on August 23 was unusual. I arrived early at SFO for the 12:00 noon scheduled boarding. The flight was supposed to take off at 12:45pm but after sitting for a while, the plane had to return to the gate to have a generator inspected. After deplaning and then reboarding, we eventually took off around 3:30 pm. It was explained to the passengers that because the plane was using a backup generator, additional fuel was needed and the flight would take longer than originally scheduled. We were originally supposed to arrive at JFK at 9:32 pm but instead, arrived at midnight. Unfortunately, I was exhausted for the funeral I attended the next morning. As a passenger, I have always expected that the plane will be in good mechanical order and that all parts will function as expected. I'm not entirely certain that if I fly Jet Blue in the future, that I will have the same level of confidence that I had become accustomed to. Thanks for the opportunity to provide this feedback. Kathy Nigro

The series of delays were very unfortunately - first the captain timed out, then the new captain didn't show up when we were told he would, then the first officer timed out. Those delays were compounded by after boarding, weather came in - obviously that's out of JB's control but it was frustrating after all of the other delays that seemed avoidable.

3 hours late JetBlue flight made me miss my connecting flight to Nairobi Kenya, they did not even offer me hotel accommodation, I paid out of my pocket, they did not know where my luggage was, let say my experience with JetBlue was nightmare.

see my previous response about being kicked off the flight and having to fly the next day, ruining a planned vacation tour.

The flight departed more than 1 hour late. Leg room is bigger than most airlines

terrible. Because I felt very unwell during the flight. How do they leave a woman alone in the middle of 2 men? an obese man who was falling on top of me.

I booked this flight using JetBlue points and I was just so happy. The plane was so clean, I had every need met. Thank you!!

I like the attention you gave us in Guatemala due to the loss of the flight coming to El Salvador. It was a nice experience. Thanks a lot

We booked seats next to each other. When we got the boarding passes, they were for different rows. The crew were reluctant to help us, so we ended up sitting separately. 1. What’s the point of reserving by seat number if you’re not going to honor that reservation? 2. Even if it gets messed up between reservation and boarding, how is the crew going to deny us the opportunity to arrange to sit together. There were plenty of people flying alone. It could’ve been easily accommodated. Not very customer-friendly at all.

The seats were the worst I have ever flown Too narrow, did not recline and the actual seat was hard as a rock. I will tell all travelers to stay away from Avianca flights.

They should provide water to passengers who ask for it

The worst experience I've ever had because the "people" @ Avianca wouldn't let me fly because they said I needed a round trip ticket

Seating was tight. Seats don't recline. Initial flight was cancelled. Lost two days of vacation.

Pros: we leave and arrive on time Cons: the most uncomfortable seats ever. You cant recline at all your seats. No entertainment No TVs flight attendants didn't provide even a glass of water. You have to go to back of the airplane and ask for one. I am Colombian and I remember seeing the flight attendants very neat, elegants which is or was a staple of Avianca.it was one with tennis shoes, no male up, the hair was messy... that was really odd.

This low cost airline looks and fells more like a local bus. In a 6 hour flight not being able to recline a seat is torture. The only thing available with no charge is a glass of water provided by, mostly, rude staff. Our luggage didn’t arrive

We did not know about the bag fees until check in. They are way too high. It’s insane. We also had a huge delay and everything costed extra which was very annoying.

Voo longo nem mesmo água ou gelo é servido, se quiser tem que pagar. Embarque é péssimo, mau atendimento.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Chicago to Costa Rica

Information on your arrival and departure airports