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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$345
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$290
Limon
Limon1 stop$945
Nosara
Nosara1 stop$768
San José
San Josénonstop$345
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$290
Limon
Limon1 stop$945
Nosara
Nosara1 stop$768
Booking Insights

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 Liberia (LIR) from $257 round-trip or to San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) at $269 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 14% 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

$150
Beat the crowds with an average 58% drop in travelers.
The most popular month to fly with an average 31% increase in travelers.
One-way flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San José

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 8 airports. The three busiest are San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) (70% of arrivals), Liberia (LIR) (30%) 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 14% 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 8633 reviews
8.5Crew
7.8Comfort
7.8Entertainment
7.2Food
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

Gate agent and flight attendants were efficient, but more stern than warm.

8.0 ExcellentConor, Oct 2026
Read more Delta reviews

Gate agent and flight attendants were efficient, but more stern than warm.

The only issue is that the plane was HOT. This was not the case on my first flight so not sure why, but thankfully I had a portable fan with me. Everything else was great!

13 hour delay stuck in Detroit and missed a day of meetings. It was terrible

My flight was so delayed I would’ve missed my connection and had to cancel my trip

Seemingly unnecessary delays were compounded by a lack of communication from the flight crew which turned a four hour delay into an overly stressful experience.

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

I think the crew makes way too many announcements that are: 1) hard to hear in some cases and 2) repetitive. This detracts from entertainment and concentration if working or reading.

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 :)

Entertainment was great. Seats were good. They did not have my pre-ordered hot food product available but did comp me something cold in place of the item.

Premium economy was worth it. Great seats and good food.

Food was good. Clean aircraft. But why do the airlines make the seats so narrow?! Your executives should have ride in a seat so restrictive for 11 hours and see how miserable it is! When.we got to MUC they changed my boarding gate 3 times for my next flight!!!!

Good flight, even though there was a delay, still got back on time

Santa Barbara is a super small and easy airport. Breezed through rental car return, breezed through Security, ordered a coffee and muffin and to my gate in less than 30 minutes. Maybe because it was a small airport we got the oldest plane. Hardly any overhead space and absolutely zero internet. Its NFL Sunday man! That hurt.

We were delay because so many bags needed to be gate checked and it was disappointing not to have outlets in the seats for such a long flight.

There were no vegan options for first class. Even though we were promised the satellite internet for free, we received NO wifi at all. Even though we were promised a 20-min early arrival, we ended up over 30 mins late.

No water or beverage was provided. I had to ask for water. The sole flight attendant had more interest in selling the credit card. In addition when we got to Dulles the plane and gate were misaligned and it took at least 15 minutes to get off the plane.

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.

There was more leg room in what was most likely a basic assigned seat (row 25) then on other airlines I've flown lately.

They lost my luggage and have ruined first day of my vacation. Still don’t have it. I have nothing. I also paid for a seat I did not get. They changed both our seats with no notice. Will never fly this airline again.

My overall experience with JetBlue was pretty poor and disappointing. We originally booked a DIRECT flight home from Boston on 9/28 at 8:00pm even though it cost more than the non direct flights. With no reason other than "unforeseen circumstances", our flight home Monday was cancelled and we were rebooked on a 7:00am flight on 9/29 with a layover in JFK. We were traveling with sick kids coming home from a funeral of a loved one and needed to be at work on Tuesday so paying extra for a flight home Monday was something we had to do. The original direct flights were considerably more expensive than the non direct flights- so I don't understand how Jetblue did absolutely NOTHING to compensate or right their mistake. We will not be booking with them in the future because they are not reliable and they showed no remorse nor did they make any attempt to make things right. The least they could have done was credit the difference in cost of flight because I know our original flights cost more than the one we were rebooked on. Once again- we will not be flying with them in the future and will advise family and friends to be aware of the risk you run when giving them your business. Do better.

The flight attendant was snarky and the flight took off very late. I know it was an issue with air traffic control and the runways in Boston, so not really anyone's fault, but very frustrating, I missed an important meeting because of rgr delay. They didn't offer headphones to watch the TV, but luckily I remembered my own and was able to enjoy watching a movie.

Terrible. We originally booked a direct flight from BOS to MCO on 9/28 at 8:00pm and it was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances and the flight we were rebooked on was on 9/29 at 7:00am with a layover in JFK. We were traveling with sick kids so leaving at such an early hour was absolutely miserable, and on top of that we all missed work which we couldn’t afford. On top of that- we paid a fortune for our flights to be direct without a layover and the flights with layovers were cheaper so at the very minimum we should have been refunded the difference. With absolutely no explanation or sympathy from JetBlue- we will avoid using them in the future due to the fact they aren’t reliable nor do they correct their mistakes.

Experience with JetBlue was poor. We were originally suppose to fly home on a direct flight on Monday the 28th at 8:00pm and we it was canceled due to “unforeseen circumstances” and we were rebooked on a 7am flight on Tuesday the 29th with a layover in JFK. Traveling with sick kids and waking up at an ungodly hour was miserable, and not only that it caused all of us to miss work. We intentionally flew our Monday on a direct flight and the direct flight was far more than the non direct flights on any given day. There was no compensation provided let alone a reasonable explanation. When you are charging people those type of prices for domestic same coast flights- you should be at least refunding the cost difference of the flights if you are rebooking them on a cheaper flight. I will never fly JetBlue again because they are unreliable and don’t correct their mistakes.

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

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

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

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

I had to buy another ticket and you haven't reimburse me for it.

I was truly shocked at how poor this flight went. The crew was not friendly during the checking process. The asked for people to gate check and were rude about it. They didn't handle my luggage with care. When I got to my seat I noticed a large section of the ceiling vent area was, no joke, TAPED TOGETHER WITH CLEAR PACKING TAPE! To add insult to injury, the back rest button was disabled on my seat and all the seats I could see. The wifi, never connected for me, despite troubleshooting it for a while. I did everything from restarting my wifi/phone to forgetting the network and restarting the app. But that didn't stop the mandatory 2 ads from playing every single time. Even the bags took over 45 mins to arrive at the carousel. Everything about this flight was a flop and I am beginning to notice that some of these events are becoming a trend. Perhaps it's time I switch loyalty programs.

Had to find alternative flights because of AA lateness and bad planning

Fliy was late missed my connection ,. I had to find altery transportation.

When we landed, there was only one gate agent to handle three planes, including retrieval of carry on luggage. I was stuck in the jet way waiting on my carry on for almost 20-30 minutes. NOT GOOD

The flight was overbooked. And the gate agent basically said that the flight will not leave unless two people came forward to give up their seats. Offered money. Raised the $$ too. But we were there for a while and flight was delayed. When passengers approached the gate agent asking what would happen if no one volunteered- the answer was flight would be cancelled! Ridiculous! It’s American’s fault for overbooking. The service level is going from Bad to worse it seems.

AA changes gates constantly at DFW. I got 5 or 6 gate changes. Fortunately the last few were all in the same terminal. I know DFW so it is not a big deal for me but it is a bit disturbing.

Flight was delayed due to maintenance issue. Missed my connecting flight. Got rebooked in a middle seat when I had a first class ticket.

It would be helpful to be able to download an eticket from either American airlines or Cathay Pacific; not just Cathay Pacific.

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