$257 Find Cheap Flights from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica - Compare and Save

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Cheap Flights from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
San José
San José2 stops$504
Liberia
Liberia2 stops$538
San José
San José2 stops$504
Liberia
Liberia2 stops$538
Booking Insights

Price, demand and travel trends for Salt Lake City to Costa Rica flights

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights with more confidence.

Are flights from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica cheaper or more expensive than last year?

Fares from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica are running about 8% higher than they were around this time last year, averaging $712 round-trip.

What are the cheapest fares from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica right now?

The cheapest fares from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica on KAYAK in the last week were to San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) from $504 round-trip, and to Liberia (LIR) from $538 round-trip.

What’s the cheapest month to fly from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica?

September is the cheapest time of year to fly, with average fares of $564. Prices are highest in November, when average flight costs increase to around $884.

When is the best time to book flights from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica?

Book your flights 9 weeks before your trip. KAYAK data collected over the past 12 months shows that booking in this window can save you around 44% compared to booking last-minute (within 2 weeks of departure).

Which airport in Costa Rica is the cheapest to fly to from Salt Lake City?

Based on KAYAK data from the past 12 months, the cheapest airports to fly into Costa Rica are:

• San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) from $705
• Liberia (LIR) from $818

What’s the cheapest day to fly from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica?

Wednesday tends to be the cheapest day to fly from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica, while Monday is the most expensive. Fares run about 21% higher that day, based on the past 12 months of KAYAK data.

What's the cheapest time of day to fly from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica?

Data from the past 12 months shows it's cheapest to fly to Costa Rica during the evening with average prices of $628. The morning is the most expensive time to fly, with average prices of $800.

Key details for Salt Lake City to Costa Rica flights

Low season

September

Cheapest flight

$257
Beat the crowds with an average 60% drop in travelers.
One-way flight from Salt Lake City to San José

Your Salt Lake City to Costa Rica flight questions, answered

Find helpful answers about this route, including flight times, airports, airlines and booking tips.

  • Is now a good time to book a flight from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica?

    Yes. Fares from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica are low right now. As a rule of thumb, a round-trip under $586 (cheaper than most fares this year) is a good deal, so if you spot one at or below that, it's a good time to book.

  • How much should I budget for a flight from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica?

    Over the past 12 months, round-trip fares from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica have ranged from $586 to $954.

  • What are the main airports serving Costa Rica?

    Flights to Costa Rica use two main airports, San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) and Liberia (LIR).

  • What airlines fly nonstop from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica?

    Based on the flight schedule for the next 3 months, no airline regularly operates nonstop flights from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica. One-stop options include:

    • American Airlines
    • Delta
    • United Airlines

  • Which cabin classes are available on flights from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica?

    On flights from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica you can book Economy Class, Business Class or First Class.

  • What are some popular landmarks in Costa Rica?

    KAYAK travelers' favorite landmarks in Costa Rica include:

    • Parque Metropolitano La Sabana
    • Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica
    • Museo de Oro
    • Morazan Park

  • Are Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and Juan Santamaria International Airport San Jose (SJO) fully accessible by Persons with Reduced Mobility(PRM)?

    Both SLC and SJO are fully accessible by Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM). Most of the airport facilities are wheelchair accessible. They are fitted with automatic doors, ambulant, ramps, elevators, and easily accessible call boxes. Both airports have reserved parking slots for the disabled in all their terminals’ parking. However, at SLC, it is customary to give a $3-$5 tip to PRM assistants.

  • Where can I get car rentals after landing at SJO?

    Wondering where to rent a car at SJO? The on-site rental car facilities such as; Alamo, Apex, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Easycar, Enterprise, and Europcar are easily located near the exit in the arrival terminal.

  • Are there any kid-friendly amenities at SLC?

    SLC is ranked among some of the best US Kid-Friendly Airports for Infants, Toddlers, and even Teens. It has two nicely outfitted play areas that are located in Lindbergh Terminal, Concourse C, and Humphrey Terminal, Concourse C, second floor. Here, kids can climb about on a mock airplane.

  • Apart from San José, which other cities are served by SJO?

    Other than San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, SJO also serves as the destination airport for most of the passengers traveling to the nearby cities, among them Colon, Costa Rica. Colon is just about 5.9 miles from SJO. From SJO, you can spend about 23min to reach Colon via a bus, 16min via a taxi, a Towncar, or a Shuttle.

Your guide to booking Salt Lake City to Costa Rica flights

Get tips on when to book, when to fly and what to know before your trip.
  • If you can plan ahead, the sweet spot for booking your flight is 9 weeks before your trip. KAYAK data shows fares in this window are around 44% lower than last-minute bookings (made within 2 weeks of departure). Not ready to commit? Set a Price Alert and we'll let you know when prices change.
  • If your travel dates are flexible, book your trip for September when flights are typically cheapest and avoid November when prices are at their highest.
  • Flying on Wednesday is usually the cheapest. Flights on Monday cost about 21% more on average, so being flexible with your travel dates could help you save.
  • If you're looking to save, San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) is the cheapest airport to fly into from Salt Lake City. If you have onward travel, don't forget to factor in the cost of your journey by train, bus or domestic flight.
  • Start your trip in San José, which is the most popular destination in Costa Rica. From there, it's easy to continue on to other popular destinations such as La Fortuna, Tamarindo and Manuel Antonio.
  • Despite the presence of South Valley Regional Airport (U42)in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has maintained its status as the departure destination of choice for Costa Rica. This is down to its ease of accessibility. From Salt Lake City center, you will take about 24 minutes to access (SLC) via Line 704 tram, 23min via a bus, and about 14min via a Towncar or a taxi.
  • If you intend to conveniently catch up with your early morning flight from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria International Airport San Jose (SJO), consider spending your night in a hotel near the airport. Among your hotel options is the Comfort Suites Airport hotel. Other than being 6min drive away, the hotel will offer you free airport shuttle services to SLC.
  • Longer layovers at SJO need not be boring and frustrating. During your layover, you can consider taking Costa Rica tours to see a bunch of sites within your limited time period. Among these sites is the Arenal Volcano National Park. Located 2.5 miles from Juan Santamaria Airport, the impressive volcano’s neighborhood features Tabacon Resort’s natural hot springs where you’ll relax as you wait for your next flight.
  • If you’re arriving from a late-night flight from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica via SJO, consider reserving your room in Santa Maria Inn. Located about 2.5 miles from the airport, the hotel will offer you free shuttle services from the airport.
  • For pet lovers traveling from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica via SLC, you may find SLC’s pet relief areas quite useful. The pet relief areas are located within Concourse A near gate A9, as well as Concourse B near gate B20. In these areas, your pet will be allowed to relieve itself prior to boarding your flight to SJO. Outside the pet relief area, your pet must, however, be in its right crate or kennel.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Salt Lake City 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.
7.9
SouthwestOverall score based on 4219 reviews
8.1Boarding
8.6Crew
8.0Comfort
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
Airline reviews

They did not fix the wifi that they knew was an issue on an earlier flight. The flight was filled with business people that were clearly frustrated not being able to work. That can’t happen on a 3 1/2 hour flight. Would rather have been delayed a bit.

6.0 GoodWilliam, Oct 2026
Read more Southwest reviews

They did not fix the wifi that they knew was an issue on an earlier flight. The flight was filled with business people that were clearly frustrated not being able to work. That can’t happen on a 3 1/2 hour flight. Would rather have been delayed a bit.

The WiFi did not work three hours of productivity lost. 15 people from the firm were on the flight. Loss of revenue

Very rude stewardess; there was a senior citizen woman next to me who asked the stewardess for help getting her purse out of the overhead bin, and it was as though she asked the stewardess for $1M . . . . I was shocked how rude that stewardess was. The stewardess also refused to get the senior citizen woman a drink about half way thru the flight, telling her that we were almost landing . . . . that stewardess made my flight (and in particular the flight of the senior citizen next to me) very uncomfortable

Overall good experience...exception: very cold temp in teh cabin.

For the first time in a long time we had a flawless experience with Southwest. Both flights were early and no mechanical errors at all. We were shocked and pleasantly surprised 😮.

I stopped flying southwest a long time ago. I don’t care for their boarding process, especially when I have a family to try and seat together. The early bird check in made it so much easier. As long as you do that, it’s great.

Everything was very good. I will fly Southwest again soon!

Nice and easy. You can't go wrong with the value and quality or Southwest.

Flight was cancelled due to “inclement weather” even though all other carriers continued to operate as planned.

sw cancelled our flight 2 hours before we were to leave. Our bags were already checked. Only communication we had was a text that had a link to reschedule that did not work. When we finally got to front of line ticket agent said they could not get us on a flight until Wednesday. This was Sunday. 3 days. The. They stated since it was “weather” related they would not give us vouchers for food, hotel stay anything. So we had to book on a different airline costing us an extra $1000. Unacceptable.

I like Delta. I dislike the volume of announcements from the crew. They are not always easy to hear and typically repetitive.

Sat in the plane at the gate in SLC for 2+ hours before take off, getting me home nearly 3 hours later than planned.

Sat in the tarmac at O’Hare for 65 minutes. This is a regular occurrence for delta at O’Hare

We never made it on this flight because we missed our connection due to o delayed flight from Jackson.

Average seat comfort, a drink and chips were provided, early boarding because we checked a carryon at the gate was nice. Ticket pricing shenanigans, including fees to pick a seat, check a bag, and get food onboard - evidence the industry is reinvigorating last century’s strategies- destroys the experience before one ever arrives at the airport. It’s difficult to recognize any value or sustain loyalty in the end-to-end process making air travel more drudgery than pleasure.

Everything was great until I lost my water bottle and they can’t seem to locate it. I know I left it on the plane though.

Smaller plane for a longer flight than my first one. Doesn’t make sense.

Delta needs to step its game up get a more reliable internet service. Internet service was non-existent for this flight.

NEVER MADE THE FLIGHT BECAUSE DELTA SAID THEY CAN NOT

Another late night flight and MORE men belligerently drinking and yelling. I had to move from first to economy because they were so obnoxious and disruptive. Crazy to go from a cozy chair to cardboard when you were supposed to be in first. Delta allows was too much drinking which leads to belligerent behavior.

Better management of the boarding process. Is there any way you could forward all the window seats first? That's the Way Reno Air used to do it, and they had the fastest boarding in the industry!

Flight was delayed almost an hour because the cleaning crew broke one of the bathroom doors.

On time. Accommodated carry on and personal bag in the plane. Good entertainment available and access without using own device. Gave a whole can of juice rather than a pour. Seat did not recline much.

Airplane is not very clean, food quality and taste was not good. Lufthansa used to be good but nowadays went down. Overall experience is just okay, wouldn't fly again, prefer Turkish airlines.

Very Poor. Significant delays getting to Chicago and then very poor communication on delays in Chicago to Cleveland. We could have rented a car and driven there faster than the delays ended up being.

First class ticket gets you a choice of chips or nuts. . Just like economy Southwest. Also no screen in the seats. This is first class???!

My experience on this United Airlines flight was highly uncomfortable, primarily due to two issues: Cabin Temperature: The temperature on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was unacceptably high, feeling consistently around 80 degrees throughout the flight. This made sleeping impossible and significantly detracted from the experience. Seating Arrangement: Being stuck in a middle seat for a six-and-a-half-hour overnight flight compounded the discomfort. Moving forward, I will always purchase a seat assignment to avoid this situation.

All of the United employees I interacted with were professional and courteous. The aircraft was clean, the food on the flight was good. No complaints here.

I had very little time to change planes originally in Denver after my flight from Omaha. I had an hour and a half layover in Denver originally and my flight leaving Omaha was delayed an hour because they had to change a tire, which I can understand. When I reached Denver my other flight was late, fortunately, but I still had only 10 minutes to run about a mile through the airport to get to my flight. Again, fortunately, I am a healthy 71-year-old and was able to accomplish this feat. However, the stress was more than necessary to bear.

Late boarding by three hours. No Wi-Fi. No screens. Cramped seats. Sitting on the tarmac for 30 minutes after landing waiting for a gate. Delay in luggage getting to baggage claim.

For the first time in all my travels I found the arm rests very inadequate and painful. The arm rest between me and the passenger to my left was thin and didn’t support either of us. On the right side, (window side) the armrest was thin and short causing me pain mid-arm.

It was very hot on the plane and it wasn’t acknowledged by the crew. This whole trip was one of the worst flying experiences I’ve had in a while. We sat in that hot plane on the tarmac in SLC for 45 min (after being delayed for 33 min for crew). 4 hours in the air in a barely cooled cabin. Over 30 min sitting on the tarmac in CLT waiting for a gate. I missed my original connection but was fortunate to get on the last flight out to RDU so I can make my 2 hour drive home. I know these things happen. But it’s frustrating nonetheless.

WiFi didn’t work the entire flight. Very disappointing. Minimal food and options - sadly the state of current affairs. All other aspects of the flight were fine.

Given it’s a red-eye into Charolotte, we didn’t get any food. The survey does not include “N/A” so the rating will be skewed.

It went up and down at the right time and place. I’m happy with that outcome.

Flight was cancelled as I was in line for security. Next available flight got me to my destination 24 hrs later than the first. No refunds offered, just credit toward another flight. I booked with delta, got to my destination only 2 hrs behind my original flight schedule. Won’t be using American again.

It was a good flight - not overbooked and in time.

It was perfect in almost all ways. In fact it arrived early in both legs of my flight. The entertainment was marginal, but that was due mostly to the length of the flight. I love American!

Thankfully no connections off of this one on the day of the flight as it was delayed 90+ minutes.

Average - flew with Jet Blue internal and it was far more comfortable and better food and entertainment. Notable difference

My experience with Frontier was terrible. We were delayed for 2 hours. At one point during the wait at the gate I left to go get a sandwich - I was gone probably 15 minutes. In my absence, they decided to move our flight up, boarded and left. When I came back the two attendants were very rude and I unavoidably had to purchase another ticket on the next flight. During this whole time, the Frontier app did not update the departure time, so I was SOL.

Flight delayed 9 hours. On tarmac for over an hour after arrival. Will never book with Frontier under any circumstances ever again.

I know Frontier is a “no-frills” airline. I understand the concept. However, I jumped on some tickets for our family vacation, expecting to play a bit of a game to figure out the family bags and not over spend. In the end, I got the short end of this deal by far. 1. I did not expect them to charge the baggage fee for each direction. It makes the fee look high-ish at a glance, but reasonable. Then when you get to checkout and realize you have to pay it twice to come home with your luggage, it becomes ridiculous. 2. The low checked bag weight limit. I am used to packing a 50lb bag with my preferred airline. Frontier’s artificially low 40lb limit more quickly triggers the extra weight fee, which almost DOUBLES the price of the bag if you go over ($79 for the bag/$75 for the next 10 lbs) 3. The fee for a carry-on bag is the same as a checked bag but with a lower size and weight limit. Make it make sense! 4. The seats are terrible. My 2.5 hour flight almost had me losing my mind. I’m 6’3” and my femurs barely fit in the space provided. My knees had to wiggle just right to jam into the crack next to the armrest of the seat in front of me. The cushioning was thin and inadequate. I am tall but I’m not a freak. These seats are unacceptable. 5. I overheard the woman next to me speaking with the gate agent about being charged a $25 fee for not checking in online - she checked in at the airport counter when she arrived. That’s ridiculous. She was old and in a wheelchair. She had a paper boarding pass, and was obviously not tech savvy. She should not be punished for that. 6. They do not have good placement in the terminals. It was always out on the end or down on a subfloor, and we had to walk out on the tarmac almost every time. In Denver. Their home airport! 7. Every time I loaded a new page on the website while buying my tickets or my bags, it was constantly trying to upsell me on some esoteric bundle. Like, a pop-up every time. Very annoying. 8. No screens in the boarding area (at least where we were) to confirm you’re in the right place. Just static gate number signs. I am sure these are standard practices for Frontier, and I should have read more about them before I purchased tickets, but as a result of this single round trip, I do not plan to ever use this cut-rate airline again. I would rather pay the normal amount for a ticket and be treated like a customer instead of a mark.

Decent clean onboard experience. Okay discount airline experience. Unfortunately, any customer service interactions are difficult and unhelpful. There is no service. Also, a premium seat only gets you premium boarding if you line up first. Once they start general boarding you must go to the back of the line. Not very premium

The delay was ridiculous because nary a word escaped from the gate attendant regarding our flight status. It was a complete joke.

Plane was down graded and I lost my uncharged exit row with more leg room. No mention or offer of refund from podium. Flight attendant was nice to explain this happens often and that I could request a refund via online form submission. I did this and have heard nothing back.

Although we received an email from Kayak AND the airline, turns out we were not on Frontier’s manifest for the flight. We had to purchase tickets at the gate. Not sure where this transaction fell apart, but it did. We are now disputing the charges for the SLC to PDX flight originally booked through Kayak.

Our flight was cancelled and I spent $800 on a replacement ticket. No refund was awarded other than the cost of my original Frontier ticket. unacceptable...

The worst experience ever!!! They canceled our flight when we arrived at the airport to check in. We asked why is it canceled they told us they don’t know. No apology, very cold and rude. We had to pay for another night at the hotel, we had to call out of work. We won’t be using them anymore in the future!!!

Flying Frontier was a nightmare. From the booking through Kayak, checking in, departing and arriving, I will never recommend Kayak or Frontier.

More options for your flight from Salt Lake City to Costa Rica

Complete your trip to Costa Rica with a hotel stay or car rental