$126 Find Cheap Flights from San Diego to Costa Rica

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Diego to Costa Rica departing on 11/24. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
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Cheap Flights from San Diego to Costa Rica

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
San José
San José2 stops$204
Liberia
Liberia2 stops$431
San José
San José2 stops$204
Liberia
Liberia2 stops$431

Book Cheap San Diego to Costa Rica Plane Tickets

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Diego to Costa Rica that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from San Diego to Costa Rica

Tue, Sep 9 - Tue, Sep 16
Spirit Airlines Logo
1:35 pm - 11:14 amSAN-SJO
20h 39m2 stops
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:19 pm - 11:34 pmSJO-SAN
12h 15m2 stops
$204Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Sep 6 - Wed, Sep 10
Spirit Airlines Logo
7:47 pm - 11:14 amSAN-SJO
14h 27m2 stops
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:19 pm - 11:34 pmSJO-SAN
12h 15m2 stops
$250Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 9 - Tue, Sep 16
Spirit Airlines Logo
7:47 pm - 11:14 amSAN-SJO
14h 27m2 stops
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:19 pm - 12:40 pmSJO-SAN
25h 21m3 stops
$253Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Sep 22 - Mon, Sep 29
Copa Airlines Logo
9:08 pm - 7:27 amSAN-SJO
9h 19m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
10:05 am - 5:50 pmSJO-SAN
8h 45m1 stop
$280Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Oct 15 - Sun, Oct 19
Copa Airlines Logo
9:12 pm - 4:52 pmSAN-SJO
18h 40m2 stops
Copa Airlines Logo
4:11 am - 5:57 pmSJO-SAN
14h 46m1 stop
$285Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 9 - Tue, Sep 16
United Airlines Logo
6:15 am - 7:37 pmSAN-SJO
12h 22m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
1:30 pm - 9:41 pmSJO-SAN
9h 11m1 stop
$292United Airlines
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Tue, Sep 9 - Thu, Sep 25
American Airlines Logo
7:13 am - 6:11 pmSAN-SJO
9h 58m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 8:29 pmSJO-SAN
15h 29m2 stops
$296American Airlines
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Thu, Oct 23 - Mon, Oct 27
American Airlines Logo
4:38 pm - 6:16 pmSAN-SJO
24h 38m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 9:41 pmSJO-SAN
16h 41m1 stop
$299American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jan 21 - Mon, Jan 26
United Airlines Logo
6:30 pm - 8:15 amSAN-SJO
11h 45m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:45 am - 5:49 pmSJO-SAN
11h 04m2 stops
$310United Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 11 - Tue, Sep 16
Southwest Logo
6:30 am - 6:55 pmSAN-SJO
11h 25m1 stop
Southwest Logo
1:40 pm - 10:05 pmSJO-SAN
9h 25m1 stop
$365Southwest
Find Deal
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Diego to Costa Rica flights

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

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Diego to Costa Rica?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Diego to Costa Rica, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from San Diego to Costa Rica is September, when tickets cost $473 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and February, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,179 and $685 respectively.

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

The average price of all round-trip flights from San Diego to Costa Rica clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

For San Diego to Costa Rica, Monday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Saturday is the most expensive. Flying from Costa Rica back to San Diego, the best deals are generally found on Thursday, with Sunday being the most expensive.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Diego to Costa Rica?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Diego to Costa Rica, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from San Diego to Costa Rica, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 9% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 12 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonOctober
Cheapest flight$126
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 14% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 6% increase in price.
Flight from San Diego to San José

FAQs - booking Costa Rica flights

  • Where can you dine at the departure airport?

    There are both dine-in and grab-and-go dining options at the San Diego airport. There is a fair mix of well-known and regionally-owned restaurants at the airport. Nearly all of the city's gastronomic staples, including Phil's BBQ, The Prado, and Elegant Desserts, are present along with several locally-produced alcoholic beverages like Ballast Point Bar and Stone Brewing. Each has a different opening and closing hour, though. You can also order food from the airport restaurants through the At Your Gate app.

  • Where can you shop at the departure and arrival airports?

    MAC Cosmetics, MindWorks, which sells toys and games, and Gaslamp Marketplace, where you can buy regional goods and souvenirs, are just a few of the well-known stores at the San Diego airport where you can shop. At Terminal 2 near gates 20–21, there are duty-free shops. In addition, there are five duty-free stores at the SJO airport, four on the airside and one on the landside, for travelers who want to shop when they arrive. Other airside stores that sell jewelry and cosmetics are also available.

  • Where can you get a spa treatment at the departure and arrival airports?

    If you're looking for spa services at the San Diego International Airport, you can also stop by The Be Relax Spa in Terminal 2 which provides massages, facials, oxygen and light therapy, and other treatments. You can also get a spa treatment on arrival at SJO airport. Spa Mioderma offers a variety of spa services, including as massages, facials, pedicures, and more. This spa is located on the airside at gates 5 and 10.

  • Where can you exchange currency at SJO airport?

    Since the currency used in San Diego is the dollar while in Costa Rica it is the colon, you may have to exchange some money. In SJO, currency exchange services are available at the airport lobby. These services are offered by Global Exchange and BAC San Jose. You can also withdraw at the BAC branch since they offer withdrawals in colones, euros, and dollars.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Diego 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 San Diego to Costa Rica.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego to Costa Rica up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • 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 $563 on average. Morning departures are around 100% cheaper 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 $672.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Costa Rica

  • The airport's lounges are available to passengers who want to unwind before their journey at San Diego International Airport. The lounges provide comfort, free refreshments, and food. The Airspace Lounge has shower facilities. Additionally, there are lounges including the United Club and the Delta Sky Club.
  • At the San Diego International Airport, lactation rooms are available for parents who prefer a private setting to nurse their children. In Terminal 1, there are two of them, and Terminal 2 has one more. In these rooms, you can find conveniences like a sink, a seat for kids, and comfortable seats.
  • If you wish to rent a car at SJO airport, there are various car rental providers at the airport such as Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, and SIXT. You can consider booking in advance since it may be cheaper and you might also get discounts.
  • There are only a few food concessions available at Liberia Airport if you wish to eat when you arrive. Bar Imperial, Britt Cafe & Bakery, and Cafe Players are a few places to eat.
  • There are numerous ways to go from the airport to the city center for those arriving at the Liberia airport. A public bus operates between the airport and the city. There are both private and shared taxis in the ground transportation area for individuals who desire them. Additionally, there are several car rental companies at the airport, including Avis, Budget, and Economy.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Diego to Costa Rica

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Diego 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.
8.0
SouthwestOverall score based on 4244 reviews
8.6Crew
8.0Comfort
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
Airline reviews

The cabin was quiet for the redeye flight. The area was clean. The staff was great. The 787 Max was in good condition. Drawbacks were that the seat widths were tight for some passengers. The seat padding was at best average and for a long flight uncomfortable.

10.0 ExcellentJoseph, Aug 2025SFO - BWI
Read more Southwest reviews

The cabin was quiet for the redeye flight. The area was clean. The staff was great. The 787 Max was in good condition. Drawbacks were that the seat widths were tight for some passengers. The seat padding was at best average and for a long flight uncomfortable.

Delayed flight. Nicest crew member was a SW pilot flying seated next to me who kindly move to seat the final passenger. Flight extra delayed. My cup of refreshment of ginger ale was so packed with ice it was literally 2 sips.

No trays in our seats, we sat in first row, purchased a business class fare. Had to hold our drinks and snack in our hands. No plugs for our cell phones. Had to pay for it a drink cocktail each. Seats so uncomfortable.

Flight wasn’t even full, but too many carry-ons caused us to run out of bin space. New bag fee has folks who would usually check their bags carrying on. Watching Southwest morph into Spirit/Frontier is so sad to watch

Southwest is Southwest. No frills. If you're luck enough to get a happy crew (we did), then it makes for a nicer flight.

It was a perfect flight in all aspects! Both legs!

Great flight, 47 passengers on a 180 seat plane. Stewardess was pleasant and cheerful.

I liked the crew member who gave flight instructions on "in case of a problem:. The seats are so small that only a young teenager could sit in middle seat.

Great flight staff. Ease of boarding. Overall, very uneventful and easy trip.

Employees were kind and funny, as always! Flight was late but no announcements were made for people with tight connections to help them transition quickly. No service due to turbulence.

My husband upgraded our seats and I don't know if it was due to the type of planet was or if they didn't upgrade our seats. We were supposed to be in I believe comfort seats and they were just as tight as any other seat- no leg room and we are very tall people but at least it wasn't extremely cold. My husband did put in a complaint about our seating because he paid extra and if we would have known that the space and the tightness would have been the same, we just would have gotten the emergency row emergency row seats that we normally get. We love Delta but both our flights coming home we're not good. Oh I forgot to mention that on our flight to Hawaii our luggage wheels got broke and we had to purse new luggage on vacation then we never had this problem so we didn't know protocol and reported it after we got home only for them to tell is we only had 24hrs to report the damage. Not sure what was going on with Delta this vacation trip.

Crew was excellent. Comfort seats not as nice as other kinds of planes.

It was a great flight and the stewards and stewardess were all kind and accommodating!! The seats were comfortable and entertainment screen excellent!

There are 4 flights in consecutive gates with about the same departure time. Two flights were boarding at the same time. One was delayed or boarding would be happening at the same time. I am not sure what Delta and LAX need to do to have a better layout at the end of Terminal 2

There was a security issue at the airport and we were unable to land. We circled endlessly and then landed at another airfield for fuel. We then circled the airport again, almost landed but didn’t fully touch down before circling again. I am thankful to the crew for keeping us safe- the issue was the airline and staff at the airport getting us seats on our connecting flights. That part was hours of searching for someone and getting in double my steps.

Most aspects were good however if they assign boarding zones they ought to enforce them or why bother? My luggage from SAN-JFK-MAD was lost in NY so I without my main bag for two days upon arrival in Spain. They were helpful in tracking it and eventually delivered it to my hotel. The flub was because of a delay upon arrival in NYC. I had booked 2 1/2 hours between flights but we had to hold on the taxiway for an hour after landing while waiting for a clear gate which likely caused the baggage error.

Excellent flight, the planes were newer, they did a nice job with boarding, great service overall.

It would be nice if was given wires ear buds. Overall was a good experience was able to sleep on the plane

737-800 in first class was pretty dumpy. Seat had an uncomfortable angle, storage under the seat was blocked so even my very modest backpack didn't fit, power outlet was flaky. Weird tiny seat pockets that couldn't hold a gallon ziploc bag, emesis bag missing, etc. etc. No in-flight service due to turbulence. Crew was excellent, boarding was smooth despite a full flight.

Delta flight was on time, seats were comfortable, and crew was nice.

We had a great flight just wished they had a tv so we can see a movie that would of made my trip excellent.

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

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

Had to go through security at the gate again. Had to take off shoes and go through the whole thing again even though we have global entry. They asked us to check in items bought at duty free during our layover and since we checked our luggage at the original departure airport, they forced us to check in a small backpack. None of this ever happened with other airlines. In addition, no vegetarian food option and no snacks during a 7 hr flight. Luggage limits are unusually small. This is unacceptable. Will NEVER fly Copa again and will tell friends and family to avoid this airline.

We paid extra with copa for seats near one another The plane was changed and we lost our seats We were all Separated. We have not received a refund for our seats despite emailing and calling.

Tell people to remain in their seats during the meal/beverage distribution. Enforce boarding by group numbers. No one was checking. Tell people to turn their electronics speakers off. Bigger cups for drinks.

Enforce the boarding process by group numbers. Tell people to stay seated during the meal/drink distribution. It took forever to get food and drinks because people would not stay out the isle and let the crew do their jobs. Everyone wanted to go to the bathroom forcing the crew to enter and leave the isle constantly so people can pass. Tell people to keep their electronics off speaker mode. No one wants to hear phone conversations and music playing.

Placed us in the last rear row of the plane so could not recline seats because of the rear wall, and also made it more of a tight space when the passenger in front reclined their seat. While understand seat assignments, every passenger should be afforded a reclining seat. The odor control scent from the restrooms was overwhelming strong. My wife and I could not deal with it, and she suffered a terrible headache as a result. I kept getting hit by the crew since I was on the ilse seat. No apologies, nothing. They made me feel like I was supposed to take the beating for a 3 hr flight.

There was no individual at the front check in when I arrived. I waited for at least 15 minutes and walked around asking security/janitors if they could help and they did not have a solution. So I had to take my checked bag through security and they threw away some of my items. I ended up making it to the gate only a few minutes before it closed due to my waiting for an agent at check in.

The flight was delayed twice and I could not speak with anyone at the airport about checking in. The phone number to Copa - the customer service agents were polite. They are just limited at helping because they are not at the airport

The pilots were late and it made us 1 hour late. The meat was tough and bok choy was also tough.

Stuck on tarmac for two hours plus a 5.5 hour flight. Rude flight attendant. And no meals, not even for purchase!

I learned that seating towards the end of plane that a line forms for the restroom and people use your chair as a hand railing, bumping your seat consistently. I was seated in the aisle. I think that next time if I am towards the back row I would want to sit in the middle or window seat.

The best airline I have ever travel , really good customer service, attention and service !!

United sent me a mileage plus number last year but that number is invalid so I can’t use it to check into flights or collect mileage. There is human to speak about the problem, only computers who keep asking me if I am using the correct email. It’s so frustrating and I cannot resolve it.

Not a great experience. We paid for the upgrade for premium economy seats and seated ourselves in very comfortable seats. Someone came along with the same seat on their boarding pass. The aircraft had been changed and as a result we were booted out and sent further back to small uncomfortable seats. After complaining we were moved to emergency row seats, which gave us more leg room but the seats don’t recline. For people in our 70’s we found having to sit upright from California to NJ very uncomfortable. Not sure why they chose to move senior citizens instead of the two people that were allowed to take the more comfortable seats. Not happy.

Everything was great. Only thing that could’ve made it better was buy on board options for hot food, but the snacks were decent. The flight attendants were great. I had no complaints. I was able to make it to my destination safely

Boarded plane and then delayed 1.5 hours while on the plane

Horrific. They missed my connecting flight to San Diego. I didn’t get there until Monday at 9am when I had a mandatory court settlement conference scheduled at 6am since we had parties on the east coast. This caused many issues. All because United apparently forgot to hold the doors open until my flight landed that only had a 10 minute delay. This was the last flight to Southern California. So I couldn’t even rent a car to finish the trip. United cannot be trusted when traveling on specific days and times since weather didn’t have anything to do with the delays.

Really good 😊 the woman at the gate entrance was a little rude checking in our carry-on but i dont think she worked for the airline, she worked for the airport at sacramento, other than that amazing.

4 hours late, including over +1 hour waiting in plane to take off. Baggage left behind too.

While waiting to claim my checked luggage, I discovered the airline had lost it. After a long wait and inquiries, I discovered it was on another flight. Fortunately, the airline finally sent my luggage home.

Was not able to watch most shows on the entertainment site. They would not load

Our flight was 1.5 hours delayed. There was no weather for the inbound flight, so I don't understand why. This meant a VERY late arrival and only a quick nap before my morning flight.

Delayed flight, so I switched fights to SFO to Phoenix , Phoenix to DSM. Excellent service through American Airlines

AA re-routed flight from HNL to LAX due to delay. My group of 3 with reserved seats in row 9 was broken up, with one assigned to a middle seat, another in the last row of the plane. Not happy. No explanation to the delay. No apologies. No compensation. Would have been nice to be offered an Admiral Club admission or a voucher for the extra 3 hours of layover in LAX. Could not hear the boarding gate announcements in LAX. Adjacent gate was boarding at the same time. Loud speakers were competing against each other. Barely made my boarding group.

Almost a 6 hour flight and the only food option is a cheese plate… and chips. Also how is it there are no options for texting on American. I’ll be going back to delta and united.

Bad food, small seats that didn’t recline. I thought I was buying a quantas ticket so I feel like I got scammed

The chair cushions may need an upgrade. I have been noticing they are so worn out, thin so you’d sit in a dip 😄. Other than that, all was an enjoyable trip. Thanks AA!

Cramped seats. FAA should make airlines have more legroom, for even short people complain

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