$180 Find Cheap Flights from San Jose 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 Jose to Costa Rica departing on 4/21. 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.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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Cheap Flights from San Jose to Costa Rica

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
San José
San José1 stop$417
Liberia
Liberia2 stops$553
San José
San José1 stop$417
Liberia
Liberia2 stops$553

Book Cheap San Jose 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 Jose 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 Jose to Costa Rica

Sun, Apr 19 - Tue, Apr 28
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 9:36 pm
SJC
-
SJO
14h 36m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
2:08 pm - 10:10 am
SJO
-
SJC
21h 02m
1 stop
$417American Airlines
Sun, Apr 19 - Tue, Apr 28
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 9:36 pm
SJC
-
SJO
14h 36m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
2:08 pm - 10:10 am
SJO
-
SJC
21h 02m
1 stop
$418American Airlines
Sat, May 16 - Sat, May 23
United Airlines Logo
8:45 am - 5:30 am
SJC
-
SJO
19h 45m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
6:40 am - 5:30 pm
SJO
-
SJC
11h 50m
1 stop
$426United Airlines
Tue, Apr 21 - Tue, Jun 2
American Airlines Logo
2:02 pm - 11:07 am
SJC
-
SJO
20h 05m
2 stops
American Airlines Logo
2:09 pm - 11:56 am
SJO
-
SJC
22h 47m
2 stops
$431American Airlines
Fri, May 29 - Wed, Jun 3
United Airlines Logo
1:10 pm - 10:39 pm
SJC
-
SJO
8h 29m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
12:30 am - 12:03 pm
SJO
-
SJC
12h 33m
1 stop
$435United Airlines
Sat, Jun 13 - Sun, Jun 21
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 10:42 pm
SJC
-
SJO
15h 42m
2 stops
American Airlines Logo
11:59 pm - 6:34 pm
SJO
-
SJC
19h 35m
2 stops
$436American Airlines
Tue, May 5 - Tue, May 12
American Airlines Logo
2:02 pm - 1:22 pm
SJC
-
SJO
22h 20m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
12:10 pm - 10:10 am
SJO
-
SJC
23h 00m
2 stops
$441American Airlines
Tue, May 5 - Tue, May 12
American Airlines Logo
2:02 pm - 1:22 pm
SJC
-
SJO
22h 20m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
2:08 pm - 10:10 am
SJO
-
SJC
21h 02m
1 stop
$446American Airlines
Wed, May 13 - Fri, May 22
United Airlines Logo
6:19 pm - 12:10 pm
SJC
-
LIR
16h 51m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
3:27 pm - 12:03 pm
LIR
-
SJC
21h 36m
1 stop
$576United Airlines
Sat, May 9 - Fri, May 22
Southwest Logo
3:10 pm - 1:10 pm
SJC
-
LIR
21h 00m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
2:10 pm - 11:55 pm
LIR
-
SJC
10h 45m
2 stops
$606Southwest
Booking Insights

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

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San Jose 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 Jose 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 Jose 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 Jose to Costa Rica is August, when tickets cost $391 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $895 and $658 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Jose 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 Jose 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 Jose to Costa Rica, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 22 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonOctober
Cheapest flight$180
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 48% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 10% lower on average.
Flight from San Jose to San José

FAQs - booking Costa Rica flights

  • What travel documentation should I know about before I board my flight to Costa Rica?

    Any traveler making a trip to Costa Rica for a great vacation does not need to get a visa so long as you don't plan on staying for more than 90 days, but you will need to show the immigration authorities your return plane ticket. You will also need a valid passport when flying to Costa Rica, and your passport needs to be valid the entire time you are in Costa Rica.

  • I am planning on renting a car in Costa Rica. What are the child car seat laws I should know about when driving here?

    Every child traveling in a car in Costa Rica that is up to 12 months old needs to ride in a car seat that faces to the rear. If they are between 12 months and four years old, the car seat needs to face forward. After that, children up to 12 years old need to travel in a booster seat or a booster cushion.

  • Is there any way for me to get freshened up at the San José Juan Santamaria International Airport after a long flight?

    This airport offers showers inside of the terminal building that are free of charge to travelers and make a great way to get freshened up after a long flight.

  • Are there any hotels that have a location right at the San José Juan Santamaria International Airport?

    There are several hotels that have a location right at the entrance of the airport property, and some of them include the Hyatt Place San Jose Airport and the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott San Jose Airport.

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

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

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

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Costa Rica

  • When people want to fly from San Jose to Costa Rica, they often fly to the San José Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). Choosing this route, you will find one-stop flight offerings aboard United Airlines and Delta Airlines from San Jose Airport (SJC).
  • One of the most convenient ways to get to the San Jose Airport from downtown San Jose without having to drive your own car is to travel aboard the bus and train lines operated by Santa Clara VTA, which offers service from downtown to the airport in around 12 minutes.
  • If you're looking for a comfortable place to wait for your flight to Costa Rica at the San Jose Airport, consider one of The Club SJC locations at the airport that not only offers plenty of comfortable seating but also quite a few food and beverage options as well as some entertainment options.
  • For travelers planning on driving their to the San Jose Airport and looking for parking options, the airport offers quite a few different choices, with several lots right at the airport terminal building. A more cost-effective solution is to choose Economy Lot One that offers a much lower rate on a per day basis and has a shuttle service to the airport terminal buildings.
  • For nursing mothers traveling from the San Jose Airport, you'll be happy to know that this airport offers five different nursing room locations at gates 8, 18, 21, 24, and 26. Each of these rooms has a very comfortable chair as well as a changing station, power outlets, and a sink.

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

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Jose 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 4338 reviews
8.0Comfort
7.5Entertainment
8.1Boarding
7.0Food
8.6Crew
Airline reviews

Terrible. Even though there’s assigned seating now, they are still the slowest boarding airline of anyone.

2.0 MediocreJames, Apr 2026
LAX - MCO
Read more Southwest reviews

Terrible. Even though there’s assigned seating now, they are still the slowest boarding airline of anyone.

It was good from LAX to Phoenix, But the connection in Phoenix to Tulsa was not that great. The staff on both flights were great. The choice of free entertainment was ok nothing to brag about. The 45 min delay because of some electrical issue wasn't great from Phoenix to Tulsa. We sat there with hardly any air, The seat I had was between windows so the side of the plane pushed in on you. My being a bigger man it then made the seating area uncomfortable. The seats on the plane had no power to connect to recharge your phone or anything. I would recommend that they should look into a slot or clamp to hold your phone to enjoy while watching the entertainment choices hands-free. Also make it possible to raise the inner seat by the window be able to raise the arm rest up to make more room for larger people to set more comfortably. I would also say other then that stop price gouging the airfare or nickel and diming everything. Not fair for people having to fly for emergencies and be paying for higher prices due to the season or holidays. Your making your money either way and the cost of flying is still going to be the same regardless if there's 100 people or 200 people.

Southwest was greaat! The most expensive but the least upsetting for those we were flying to see.

Boarding was easy. The seats are small and fairly uncomfortable

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

Good but I prefer choose your own seat. With the new assigned seats they should board from the back I see no advantage to this new boarding. Just like every other airline

Flight boarded late after announcing on time boarding. Flight arrived only a little late despite late departure. Had trouble connecting to WiFi

The Southwest experience has definitely taken a dive from its early days. You can no longer deferentiate from other airlines. Air travel is too expensive. Southwest is no longer budget friendly. They have lost me as a loyal customer.

The charges were ridiculous for an hour flight and the turbulence was very scary.

The seats are now more narrow. I paid for front row the seats in the front are even more narrow than before.

Alaska is consistently the best in all categories. Excellent airlines and employees

My daughter has anxiety and became nauseous after boarding the plane and before take off. She went to the plane bathroom and ended up having to vomit, and your staff promptly removed us from the flight. We explained that it was due to my daughter’s anxiety, and that the condition would not continue in the air, but they removed us anyway. We have flown many many times before on many different airlines and my daughter’s anxiety has resulted in nausea and sickness before takeoff, and every airline has been accommodating and professional. This is was our first time flying with your airline, and also the first time we have ever been removed from a flight. This was the worst service we have ever experienced. This was a special surprise trip we gifted to my daughter for graduating college. I had also paid to upgrade the family to first class and sit all together which we had never done before and can’t afford on a normal basis. Our removal from the flight was not only extremely embarrassing, but devastating for my daughter. My daughter and I were removed from the plane and a call was made by your staff to medical personnel, a few questions were asked of my daughter, and then she was magically cleared. All of this took mere minutes. Why this could not have been performed while we were on the plane, or why this could not have been performed off the plane and then us allowed to reboard is beyond me. My wife and youngest daughter continued on the original flight alone and were very upset and crying due to the situation, yet the staff did nothing to console or assist them. My wife states that upon arrival in Portland and as they were exiting the plane, one of the stewardesses involved said “byyyyeeeee” to them sarcastically and laughed. Myself and my oldest daughter had to wait 4 hours for an alternate flight and were sat in regular seats because our first class seat purchase could not be honored. My wife wasn’t allowed to pick up our rental car and had to wait 4 hours with our luggage until I arrived. The delay prevented us from being able to carry out planned events and ruined the first day of our trip. Upon explaining all of this to your customer service, we received no sympathy, assistance, or compensation other than your staff submitting a request for a reimbursement of my and my daughters first class upgrade cost. When checking in early for our flight back home, the luggage cost for myself and my eldest daughter was no longer discounted as it was for my wife and youngest daughter. Customer service once again could not assist me over the phone and rectify what should have been a minor adjustment. Instead they stated I would have to wait until we physically checked bags in at the airport and then ask staff to adjust the luggage cost. With everything else we had experienced, I was not going to leave that to chance and instead paid full price for the luggage ahead of time. Or experience with Alaska Airlines was a complete disaster and I am baffled at the lack of empathy and assistance from your staff. I’m not sure of what else to say other than the fact that unless we are compensated by Alaska Airlines in some form to offset the horrendous service we received, we will be relaying our experience to family and friends and on social media, and doing all we can to urge everyone to avoid utilizing your services.

All airlines should board planes back to front, instead of catering to higher priced tickets. The boarding groups are inefficient and delay takeoff time

I got an email 3 hours before the flight letting me know it got canceled

Boarding was easy and quick. Staff was very friendly. Service of snacks and drinks by staff was outstanding.

No issues and clear sailing. What a preferred to have sat in one of empty seats other than my assigned seat that would be my only complaint if it was to complain.

A TV Screen and movies would have been a great addition. The Alaska Terminal at JFK is TOO BIG!!! You need to go up and down 3 escalators to get to your gate and to baggage claim -- and all this while you are carrying your backpack, other bags, etc. I don't know what they were thinking. You can easily miss a flight if you don't add in at least 30 minuites to get to a gate.

Luggage was severely damaged. Flight was late for several hours

No complimentary snacks or food. Had to buy drinks and food.

The ticketing counter in SD was a mess. The lady handling the First-Class check-in seemed overwhelmed until a supervisor replaced her. It took almost 20 minutes to get once couple checked in, and then she started walking around the counters while 7 people just stood in line. Once her supervisor arrived, she announced she was going on break, never to engage with customers again.

N Everything was perfect from boarding to assistance to baggage in Tampa

Loved the crew! Sucks that we went from 1 hour and 8 minute layover to a 3 hour layover. But weather sucks like that.

Fast, lovely scenery, great info on the Delta flight screen about landmarks we were flying over. Great landing!

Long flight but comfortable and not freezing as I have experienced on Hawaiian flights to the islands. They gave us blankets just in case. Nice touch.

I took seat 15A in anticipation of window seat, there is no window.

Flight late, the waited for a long time for “personal” to arrive at gate to dock the plane in Rochester. So annoying. This flight was expected, why aren’t personel available for the jet bridge?

My recent experience was excellent on Delta! I flew with Delta Comfort and I was really comfortable in my seat. I enjoyed the in-flight service. The flight attendants were so friendly and hospitable. I love the snack on the flight as well. This was my first time flying on Delta and I will definitely consider flying with them again.

My flight was canceled on Sunday. Rebooking took three hours. Had to pay for accommodations another night. New flight was delayed for 5 hours, all that was sent was a 12 dollar food voucher, which doesn’t tell you how to use it. Then when we landed we had to sit on the plane for an hour before we could get off.

I was in first class and literally the men behind me were so aggressively loud I moved myself to economy. This has become so common on Delta - people using audio without headphones, and men on 12am / late night flights drinking and yelling to talk to each other which prevents anyone around them from resting. Pretty crazy to have to move from first to economy (poorer service, less comfort...). Wild wild. Looking into other airlines.

Flight was delayed by 3-hours and their fix was… complimentary pretzels.

Boarding was again a "free for all". We were boarding group 4, and almost the entire plane was able to board before us. It's a shame that someone who follows the rules, gets the short end of the stick. Not fair.

It was perfect! I've never flown with United before, but I definitely will in the future

I had a cancelled flight because of technical issues going to my destination, and a delayed flight coming home. All told it wasn’t a total bust.

The business class seat is exceptional. I wish the food is more palatable.

the entire flight felt off. The crew seemed uninterested and disengaged. The food service was really bad - overcooked, bland, weird food service. They actually woke us up to serve chicken wraps in the middle of the night, after dinner and before breakfast. Made no sense. Ultimately, I was glad they did though, because the breakfast had been held for so long it was inedible. Eggs, potatoes, sausage - all disgusting. We were asked to "honor" the lavatories for premium customers and stay in our own cabin: this was also strange. So people in economy didn't pay enough to use the closest toilet to them??? It's a toilet. All in all, not the experience I have come to expect from United Airlines. The return flight from Paris to SFO was better, btw.

They delayed the flight from 9:00 to 11:55 At 11:45 they canceled the flight. I paid a premium price for the tickets with poor service

My flight was canceled a few hours before boarding. I was rebooked on Copa airlines and missed an important meeting .

Business class seats felt very cramped compared to other airlines.

OK, we were delayed and had to de plane and reboard.

The 777’s economy seat’s legroom was more tolerable than expected. I appreciate the reclining mechanism which slides the seat forward to minimize cannibalizing the space behind. The food was terrible: very salty.

We left at 1030 am pacific from LA and supposed to land at 7 pm Eastern in NY. They made a detour, stopped in Philadelphia and didn’t land till 1130 PM Eastern!!! Worst flight experience with no pilot communication with no explanation as to what was going on. Everyone was very frustrated to say the least.

I cancelled my ticket less than 24 hours deadline but I didn’t get refunded.

Flight boarded from Gate 159B, the farthest gate in the LAX Bradley Terminal. While the flight operated on time, the first class cabin attendant made no recognition of my being an Advantage Executive Platinum member.

The flight itself was excellent but the gate attendant made me check my carryon since she said it was an inch too big. I’ve had no problems with this carryon on recent flights on Qantas, Delta, Austrian, Southwest Airlines even though the overhead bins are the same size. there were other carryons in the bins that also looked larger than mine and there was room left in the bins for more. When I picked up my carryon from baggage claim one of the wheels had broken off.

I was in last row so that is never great bc the person in front of me leaned his seat all the way back into me.

The experience at checkin for my American Airlines flight from Sacramento to LAX was very good including the assistance I received in getting my bags checked in and boarding passes printed. Was pleasantly surprised the my bags were checked through all the way to my destination at Clark International Airport in Angeles, Philippines.

Terrible planning. And even worse gate agents. Absolutely rude behavior.

Flight was scheduled at 11:26am but they keep Delaying until midnight. They waited at airport restless.

Rough flight No beverage service due to turbulence Bottom Seat cushion was non existent

Not good. One of my luggage is missing. And until now they can’t find it

Everything you need to know for your flight from San Jose to Costa Rica

Information on your arrival and departure airports