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Cheap Flights to Costa Rica

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
San José
San Josénonstop$299
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$287
Limon
Limon1 stop$985
Puerto Jiménez
Puerto Jiménez2 stops$999
San José
San Josénonstop$299
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$287
Limon
Limon1 stop$985
Puerto Jiménez
Puerto Jiménez2 stops$999

Price, demand and travel trends for flights to Costa Rica

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

Are flights to Costa Rica cheaper or more expensive than last year?

Fares to Costa Rica are running about the same as they were around this time last year, averaging $562 round-trip.

What are the cheapest fares to Costa Rica right now?

The cheapest fares to Costa Rica on KAYAK in the last week were to San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) from $282 round-trip or to Liberia (LIR) at $287 round-trip.

What's the cheapest month to fly to Costa Rica?

January is the cheapest month to fly to Costa Rica, with round-trip fares averaging $506. The most expensive months are December and July, when average round-trip fares rise to $684 and $645, respectively.

When's the best time to book a flight to Costa Rica?

The best time to book is 4 weeks before departure. Drawing on 12 months of KAYAK data, fares booked in this window have averaged 4% lower than last-minute bookings (within 2 weeks of departure).

How do fares to each airport in Costa Rica compare?

According to KAYAK data from the last 12 months, the cheapest airports to fly into Costa Rica are:

• San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) at $543
• Golfito (GLF) at $597
• Nosara Beach (NOB) at $641

How do fares to Costa Rica vary across the week?

Based on deals KAYAK users found in the last 12 months, Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly to Costa Rica and Saturday is the most expensive. Looking at KAYAK data from the past 12 months, Tuesday prices run 13% lower than Saturday.

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

On average, afternoon flights are the cheapest, at around $528. Morning flights are the most expensive to Costa Rica, with tickets averaging $626.

Key details for flights to Costa Rica

Low season

September

Cheapest flight

$122
Beat the crowds with an average 46% drop in travelers.
The most popular month to fly with an average 33% increase in travelers.
One-way flight from New York John F Kennedy Intl Airport to Liberia

Flights to Costa Rica: the best tips from KAYAK users' own experiences

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew to Costa Rica 
RonFlew with Delta-Jan 2026
It took us an hour to go through immigration at peak about 1:30 landing time and room was warm, so wear something for the heat and put away any jackets/overcoats/sweaters before you even deplane, you will not need them.
CarmelFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jan 2025
Know that flights are very unreliable so pad your days/plans.
LannyFlew with American Airlines-Jan 2024
Bring a book or tablet to connect to entertainment to keep you occupied. This leg of our trip met our expectations. Much better job than our first leg of our trip.

Your questions about flights to Costa Rica, answered

Find helpful route details based on KAYAK data, including flight times, airports, airlines and booking questions.

  • Is now a good time to book a flight to Costa Rica?

    Yes. Fares to Costa Rica are low right now. As a rule of thumb, a round-trip under $419 (cheaper than most fares this year) is a good deal, so if you spot one at or below that, it's worth booking.

  • How much should I budget for a flight to Costa Rica?

    You can typically expect round-trip fares to Costa Rica to cost from $419 to $788, based on KAYAK data from the past 12 months.

  • What are the main airports serving Costa Rica?

    Costa Rica has 17 airports. The three busiest are San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) (69% of arrivals), Liberia (LIR) (31%) and Limon (LIO) (0%).

  • What airlines fly nonstop to Costa Rica?

    Based on the flight schedule for the next 3 months, 11 airlines operate nonstop flights to Costa Rica on a regular basis:

    • United Airlines
    • American Airlines
    • JetBlue
    • Delta
    • Southwest
    • Alaska Airlines

  • Is it cheaper to fly with a layover to Costa Rica?

    Yes. Based on KAYAK data, flights to Costa Rica with a layover can cost less than nonstop flights. The most affordable connecting airports are:

    • Managua Augusto C Sandino (MGA) from $264
    • Medellín Jose Maria Cordova Intl (MDE) from $391
    • Bogotá El Dorado (BOG) from $400

  • How often are flights to Costa Rica delayed, and by how long?

    Around 17% of flights to Costa Rica are delayed by at least 15 minutes. Delays last 2h on average.

  • What cabin classes are available on flights to Costa Rica?

    On flights to Costa Rica you can book Economy Class, Premium Economy Class, Business Class or First Class.

  • What are some popular landmarks travelers visit in Costa Rica?

    Based on KAYAK data from the past 3 months, Costa Rica is home to many popular landmarks. KAYAK travelers' favorites include:

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

  • Which airport should I fly into for a trip to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca?

    Because Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a popular destination, there are a handful of ways to get there. One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to get to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is by flying into San Jose Airport and taking the 4.5h bus that departs from the Terminal Atlantico Norte.

  • Do I need a visa to enter Costa Rica?

    US nationals do not require a visa to stay in Costa Rica for less than 90 days. What you will need is a valid passport and a ticket for your flight departing from Costa Rica (back to the US or onward to another country) within the 90-day timeframe.

  • Can I exchange USD into Colones at Costa Rica airports?

    USD is widely accepted in tourist areas of Costa Rica, but Colones are the way to go if you’re going out of heavily tourist-centric areas. USD can be exchanged for Colones at the airports in San Jose and Liberia, but you can often get a better exchange rate if you simply make purchases with USD and receive your change in Colones, which is common practice.

  • Which airline should I take for a nonstop flight to Costa Rica?

    There are a handful of different airlines that offer nonstop flights to Costa Rica from the US, and each flies out of a different hub city. There are nonstop flights to Costa Rica from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando with Spirit Airlines, from Miami with American Airlines and from Orlando with jetBlue.

  • Which airport should I fly to if I want to visit the National Park of San Jose?

    National Park of San Jose is a famous attraction in Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose. The best way to access it is by booking a flight that lands at SJO. A TUASA-operated bus provides the most convenient means of travel between these two points, covering the 12 miles (19.1 km) stretch in about 30 minutes. The coach departs every 10 minutes from the airport to its terminal in Sabana.

  • Which Costa Rican airport provides easy access to Nicaragua?

    Nicaragua borders Costa Rica to the north. If you are planning to connect to this neighboring country after your excursion in Costa Rica, consider booking a flight that departs from Juan Santamaría International Airport, and lands at Sandino International Airport (MGA) after approximately 3h 10min.

  • Which Costa Rican airport is closest to the Sacred Heart Cathedral?

    Sacred Heart Cathedral is a religious landmark found in Puerto Limón. As such, the best way to access it is to fly into Limon International Airport (LIO). Taxis provide the quickest connection between these two destinations in about 7 minutes. Still, the distance is walkable if you do not have heavy luggage.

  • Are there hotels near major airports in Costa Rica?

    Most of the airports in Costa Rica are located close to a wide range of accommodation options, leaving no cause to worry if you are planning to arrive late. Normally, such facilities offer courtesy shuttles to and from the airport, an essential service if you have heavy luggage.

Your guide to booking flights to Costa Rica

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 4 weeks before your trip. KAYAK data shows fares in this window are around 4% 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 dates are flexible, January usually has the best deals, while December tends to be the priciest. The best-time-to-travel chart on this page shows how prices move across the year.
  • Tuesday is usually the cheapest day to fly, about 13% cheaper than Saturday, the priciest day. If your dates are flexible, that's an easy way to save. If not, try nearby airports or a layover instead.
  • If arriving on time matters more than price, consider flying with one of the most punctual airlines flying to Costa Rica: Avianca, Volaris, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines or JetBlue.
  • If you're looking to save, San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) has had the lowest fares over the past 12 months. Just remember to factor in the cost of getting to your final destination.
  • San José is the most popular destination in Costa Rica. Start your trip here and then check out these other places KAYAK travelers love: La Fortuna, Tamarindo and Manuel Antonio.
  • Consider a layover to Costa Rica, it can cost less than flying nonstop. Managua Augusto C Sandino (MGA) is typically the cheapest place to connect.
  • For most destinations throughout Costa Rica, flying into San Jose (SJO) is going to be quicker and more affordable than other airports. However, if you happen to be flying into Costa Rica specifically to go to the beaches in Guanacaste and the surrounding areas, it will be more convenient to fly into Costa Rica’s other international airport: Liberia Airport (LIR).
  • If you’re only traveling to Costa Rica, a flight into one of the major airports is the best option. However, if you’re looking to experience multiple cities, including the beaches in northern Costa Rica, it can be a good idea to fly into Managua, Nicaragua, and take the inexpensive bus to Liberia.
  • For travelers heading to the forest preserves in Monteverde, it can be confusing on whether to fly into San Jose or Liberia. Since Monteverde lies nearly an equal distance from both, it would be more convenient to fly into whichever city is closest to the other attractions on your Costa Rica itinerary.
  • There are many festivals that last several days in Costa Rica, and flight prices can skyrocket during these festivals. One of the most popular festivals is the Limón festival, which takes place over 2 weekends from October 11th through the 22nd. Unless you’re traveling specifically for the festival, you can save money by avoiding flights to Costa Rica during these weekends.
  • If you’re heading to Tamarindo, Costa Rica, you may be tempted to book a connecting flight from San Jose or Liberia Airport to the regional Tamarindo airstrip. A less expensive alternative to getting to the Tamarindo area from Liberia Airport is to take one of the shuttle buses that goes directly from LIR to Tamarindo.
  • The choice of your arrival airport when booking your flight to Costa Rica depends on which part of the country you’re intending to tour, whether it’s military museums in the capital city or the pacific beaches in the west-southwest of the city of Liberia. Nevertheless, Costa Rica has two main international airports located in San Jose (SJO) and Liberia (LIR).
  • If you’re planning to visit multiple cities in Costa Rica, consider reserving a flight that arrives at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), which serves the country’s capital, San Jose. As the main getaway and the busiest airport in Costa Rica, it offers numerous connections to other destinations, and you are thus sure of getting a flight that fits your itinerary.
  • Are you planning to spend your time in Costa Rica touring east-central Costa Rica? In that case, it might be convenient to book flights that arrive at Cartago, which is one of the popular cities in this region. The town hosts Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ).
  • Travelers looking to explore the north-central part of the country might have Heredia as a possible destination. To this end, consider reserving a flight that lands at an airport that serves this region. Juan Santamaria International Airport is one such facility, as it lies about six miles away.
  • Flights with one-stop layovers from New York to San Jose usually make layovers in their respective capitals. For instance, Copa Airlines makes a stopover at Tocumen International Airport Panama (PTY) in Panama City, while Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is a major focus port for Spirit Airlines.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to Costa Rica

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from the United States 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.
7.8
DeltaOverall score based on 8653 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.8Comfort
8.5Crew
7.8Entertainment
7.2Food
Airline reviews

Everything was great, from the flight and crew to the seating and snacks.

10.0 ExcellentEric, Oct 2026
Read more Delta reviews

Everything was great, from the flight and crew to the seating and snacks.

Rude staff from baggage check to gate crew. Poor instructions. Inconsistent application of baggage rules.

There was an incredibly surly flight attendant that ruined the experience

Good but since we got in early we had to wait on runway for our gate. That was kind of a bummer but we still got in earlier than planned For entertainment I was watching a movie and getting close to the end of it with 15 min left but it kept jumping automatically to the next movie before finishing.

Delta seems to be getting worse. They are trying to take any comfort away from poorer people to make more money selling it to the rich. I paid for delta comfort and on my flight from Rome to jfk I had a tv that would go on and off automatically and literally no electrical outlets or usbs worked which was advertised in the price of the fare. The infotainment system wasn’t fully working. Luckily the movies worked and the plane was needing a lot of repairs. The jfk to Tampa flight they stuck me next to this really larger guy who was half in my seat and they should have made other accommodations for him because now you’re interfering with the fare class I paid for and act like I shouldn’t care because I didn’t pay for first class. I couldn’t even pull out my tray table because of this guy. The safety video tv screen you couldn’t even see it. It made me a little scared to fly delta anymore, because if these planes are this much in need of servicing, I have to wonder if the plane is going to make it to the destination.

Delayed departure, 30min. but arrived nearly on time. Crew was reassuring.

First, off the bat, the Delta gate attendant was rude, inattentive and gave us an attitude when we asked for clarification of our seats for this rebooked flight as we missed our connecting flight due to the delay from Berlin. Flight attendants were all but friendly, rushed through for water refills so you couldn’t even catch them to request more water. Snacks were just OK. Headphones for the movies were so bad that with the airplane noise, the volume of the movie wouldn’t go up enough to even understand the voices. I had to turn on CC to even know what was being said.

Easiest airport experience ever in my life at MSP with Delta check-in and flight attendant gave us a bottle of champagne in celebration of our 10-year wedding anniversary, so overall amazing!

Great. Seamless. Check in agent at kiosk international was amazing and extremely helpful.

Delta planes have the WORST seat comfort of any plane in history. It's the opposite of ergonomic, in every sense. They also recline minimally, are covered in a vinyl and have no feet rests. Then the disembarking process is chaotic and time consuming (because of the way they load the plane and deal with luggage). Overall, somewhat frustrating but we arrived safely :)

Flight was so congested it was disgusting. Hals of the hostesses clearly seemed to be racist. no sanitation maintained in the restrooms.

United, from whom we bought this code-shared flight, mid-flight canceled our tickets for the rest of our itinerary, without explanation. After long delay they tried to re-issue the tickets, but Air Canada could not find the re-issue. It finally resolved after escalation to several layers of supervisors.

Takeoff delayed 2 hrs. Boarded on time to find we were missing part of the flight crew. Then informed that they had loaded too much fuel. Spent 1 1/2 hrs sitting there burning off the excess, which included a couple of laps around the runway until we were light enough to fly! Ridiculous!

The WiFi went out an hour before the flight was due to land so I did not get my money's worth.

I have been flying united for a long time but now I’m done

It's not United, but TSA security at Terminal A in Newark is a disaster and seriously makes me consider switching to flying out of JFK. The touchless TSA pre-check had a line of over 50 people and the bag screening was so slow that it limited the flow of people through the facial recognition process. It is the only airport that I frequent that has this issue and makes me reconsider whether I should fly out of Newark given the wasted time and frustration it causes. As I said, it is not a United issue but will impact United if people choose to stop utilizing Newark airport because of the poor experience.

The food could be much better. Also very unfortunate that most of business class seats were empty but I could not upgrade.

Requested for warm or hot water because of throat pain, it was denied. The entertainment system was hung, requested the crew to turn it off, instead of turning it off they rebooted the device. It was stuck again, no one bothered to check.

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.

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.

I am always very pleased with the service u receive from JetBlue employees

Your Jet Blue representative at the check in desk in Boston on Sunday morning, October 13, was unkind and unhelpful. For that reason alone I will avoid JetBlue airlines in the future. No food or beverage on the flight due to turbulence (not your fault). However I paid extra to sit in the upgraded section in the front and did not benefit from most amenities.

we used to fly with a different airline but it shut down. We had to find an alternative airline that we like in order to make domestic trips and this fits the bill. Not only is it a similar price but the customer service and the experience overall is much much better. We will be using JetBlue again.

Uncomfortable seat. No help for my disability. Staff refused to help me put my carry-on in the overhead bin. So I had to check the bag.

Terrible. Quality has gone down significantly. Plane was delayed. No instructions from the staff. Will try to avoid in the future!

The flight left unexpectedly early. Although I checked in at the gate, the crew made no attempt to contact me to inform me that what had been a delayed flight was now departing before the scheduled departure time. No announcement on the PA, no phone call. When I checked back at the gate for the delay status just before the scheduled departure time, I was told the doors were already locked and the flight had left.

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!!

At 5:46 am EST, when I arrived at my departing gate, your gqte agent told me that I could not board the flight because the flight is closed 15 minuets before departure. However, the same gate agent escorted a woman (standing right next to me) at the gate onto the flight which, proves that I could have boarded the flight just like the woman I watched board the flight. The gate agent stated "she was here before you". 1-why was she not already on the flight & 2-how and why was she able to board a "closed" flight that I was not. Additionally, although 6am EST was the time of departure, the plane did not 'pullback' from the gate until 6:15am EST The same gate agent told me that the "boarding closes 15 before departure time" is printed on my boarding pass. This statement is not displayed on my digital boarding pass that I downloaded from AA.com. She also told me that this in stated on AA.com whent I booked my ticket however, since am travelling for work, I booked my flight thru my firm's (Deloitte Consulting) corporate travel app, not AA.com. Marc W Brown

What an amazing plane! We flew a 787 to Miami. Although the Internet was not functioning, it was a wonderful flight.

Although it was a smaller plane, the flight was quick and uneventful.

This trip on American was the WORST I have ever experienced. The plan was LATE taking off from Tucson due to mechanical issues. It caused me to arrive late in Dallas, so I tried to move flights so I would not miss my dinner meeting. First attempt, that flight was delayed, Second attempt, that flight was also delayed. Got back on original flight, the mechanical issue was NOT fixed, so we de-planed and had to find the new gate. Overall, was which was 4 hours delayed and missed the dinner meeting. Friday return, flight from Orlando was on time and landed early. Then the next flight was delayed due to crew coming in late, and them waiting on other passengers. After 90 minutes of delay, we boarded, and then were informed the Fist Officer could not fly due to time constraints. At 12:15 AM we were offered a hotel for a 4:20 boarding flight. Not happening. DFW was COLD and no place to sleep. Plane delayed again to 6:50, but was late taking off AGAIN. Finally landed in Tucson at around 8AM. Should be refunded 75% of the ticket costs due to negligence, nothing more.

Same the delay was not ideal and the credits to move flights was not sufficient

The delay was not handled well and the offers to move flights and get travel credit was also not ideal.

The worst seat in any business class. Food are worst then economy class.

Plane was in good shape, multiple passes from the drink cart, and one of the smoothest flights I've had in a while.

We left nearly 40 minutes late, which is a long time when you're just seated and waiting. Otherwise, it went well.

A much better flight than our previous. The flight attendant took care of us and regularly checked in to see if we needed anything. Brought us drinks prior to the departure and then a couple more times. Totally makes the difference in how you travel when the crew is checking on their passengers. Great job on this leg of our trip.

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.

It was delayed and I lost my connection flight to Cali and I missed my Mom's funeral

I actually upgraded to the medium level of seats from basic and even doing that it may have been physically the most uncomfortable flight I have ever had. They packed everyone like is a train to death camp. It was a red eye so I hoped to get some sleep but it was physically impossible to find a comfortable way to rest. I met other folks on the same flight and they said the same thing. It was an utterly miserable flight and if I have any other options I will never fly with them again

Deplaning was a mess, I sat in business (seats are horrible) and the front door had a problem so we had to deplane from the rear exit. The stairs were not tall enough to reach so there was a large step down from the plane to the top of the stairs.

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

More options for your flight to Costa Rica

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