YVR - SJO

$242 Find Cheap Flights from Vancouver to San José

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Vancouver to San José departing on 7/21. 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

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to San José

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Vancouver to San José, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Vancouver to San José, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Cheap Flights from Vancouver to San José (YVR-SJO)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Vancouver to San José 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 Vancouver to San José

Wed, Jul 30 - Sun, Aug 17
 Logo
7:45 am - 7:28 amYVR-SJO
22h 43m2 stops
 Logo
7:30 am - 8:52 pmSJO-YVR
38h 22m2 stops
Wed, Jul 30 - Sun, Aug 17
 Logo
7:00 am - 3:13 pmYVR-SJO
31h 13m3 stops
 Logo
4:13 pm - 2:30 pmSJO-YVR
23h 17m2 stops
Tue, Aug 12 - Wed, Aug 20
United Airlines Logo
3:15 pm - 12:26 pmYVR-SJO
20h 11m3 stops
United Airlines Logo
8:37 am - 3:54 pmSJO-YVR
32h 17m1 stop
$551United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Aug 12 - Wed, Aug 20
United Airlines Logo
2:20 pm - 10:11 amYVR-SJO
18h 51m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
1:30 pm - 1:53 pmSJO-YVR
25h 23m2 stops
$552United Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Aug 4 - Wed, Aug 13
Alaska Airlines Logo
1:17 pm - 11:30 pmYVR-SJO
33h 13m2 stops
Alaska Airlines Logo
12:50 am - 6:17 pmSJO-YVR
18h 27m2 stops
$597Alaska Airlines
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Wed, Jul 30 - Sat, Aug 16
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:07 pm - 11:30 pmYVR-SJO
27h 23m2 stops
Alaska Airlines Logo
12:50 am - 6:17 pmSJO-YVR
18h 27m2 stops
$638Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Aug 23 - Sat, Aug 30
Air Canada Logo
12:45 am - 8:25 pmYVR-SJO
18h 40m2 stops
Air Canada Logo
8:00 am - 6:43 amSJO-YVR
23h 43m2 stops
$846Air Canada
Find Deal
Sun, Aug 24 - Sat, Aug 30
Avianca Logo
8:10 am - 11:35 pmYVR-SJO
14h 25m2 stops
Avianca Logo
8:00 pm - 8:08 pmSJO-YVR
25h 08m3 stops
$854Avianca
Find Deal
Sun, Aug 24 - Sat, Aug 30
Avianca Logo
8:10 am - 11:35 pmYVR-SJO
14h 25m2 stops
Avianca Logo
8:00 pm - 8:08 pmSJO-YVR
25h 08m3 stops
$855Avianca
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 29 - Sun, Aug 17
Air Canada Logo
12:45 am - 8:25 pmYVR-SJO
18h 40m2 stops
Air Canada Logo
8:00 am - 7:00 amSJO-YVR
24h 00m2 stops
$1,033Air Canada
Find Deal
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KAYAK's insights & trends for Vancouver to San José flights

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

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Vancouver to San José?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Vancouver Intl Airport to San José clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

If you are looking for a flight deal from Vancouver to San José, look for departures on Thursdays and avoid leaving on a Tuesday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from San José, Sunday is the cheapest day to fly and Saturday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Vancouver Intl Airport to San José?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Vancouver Intl Airport to San José, 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 Vancouver Intl Airport to San José is June, where tickets cost $569 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,022 and $774 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Vancouver Intl Airport to San José?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Vancouver Intl Airport to San José, 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 Vancouver Intl Airport to San José, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 8 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJuly
High seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$242
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 3% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 2% lower on average.
Flight from Vancouver to San José

When to book flights from Vancouver to San José

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Vancouver to San José based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking Vancouver to San José flights

  • Where can I exchange currency at the airport in Costa Rica?

    If you wish to purchase local Costa Rican currency upon arrival, head to Global Exchange which provides this service and has a few locations throughout the airport. Global Exchange can be found in the airport lobby, the general boarding area, the gated area next to Gate 9 and the baggage claim area. Most locations are open 24h a day. Please note that US Dollars are also accepted in most tourist areas within Costa Rica.

  • How much is a taxi from the airport?

    There are 3 official taxi companies that operate from the airport. These are Gorila Airport Taxi, Taxi Unidos and Coopetranstura. Their cars are recognizable by their orange colour and taxis are available 24h a day from outside the terminal building. They can get you to any destination within Costa Rica. A taxi ride to the San Jose downtown area should cost around ₡16,000 (about C$ 35).

  • Can I rent a car from San José Juan Santamaria International Airport?

    If you are looking to rent a car upon arrival, you will find the car rental desks located in the main arrivals hall after you go through customs. You will find most of the major international companies at the airport such as Budget, Alamo, NU Car Rentals, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz and National, and most operate from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm.

  • Are there any on-site airport hotels at San José Juan Santamaria International Airport?

    If you wish to stay close to the airport after your flight from Vancouver to San José, you will find 3 accommodation options located nearby. The Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton San José Airport, Holiday Inn Express San José Costa Rica Airport and Courtyard San José Airport Alajuela are all within 5min from the terminal, and they all offer a free airport shuttle any time of the day.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Vancouver Intl Airport to San José?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Vancouver Intl Airport to San José was $242 for a one-way ticket and $522 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Vancouver and San José?

    Yes

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Vancouver to San José?

    Vancouver airport is called Vancouver Intl and the only airport in San José is San José Juan Santamaria Intl.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Vancouver to San José?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Vancouver to San José?

    Star Alliance, and oneworld are the airline alliances operating flights between Vancouver and San José, with Star Alliance being the most commonly used for this route.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Vancouver to San José, United Airlines or American Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Vancouver to San José are United Airlines and American Airlines. With an average price for the route of $718 and an overall rating of 7.4, United Airlines is the most popular choice. American Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $673 and an overall rating of 7.2.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Vancouver to San José?

    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 Vancouver to San José.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San José from Vancouver 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 Vancouver to San José?

    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 to San José with an airline and back to Vancouver with another airline. Booking your flights between Vancouver and SJO can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Vancouver to San José?

    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 to San José from Vancouver up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Vancouver Intl Airport to San José

  • Travellers who arrive hungry after long flights from Vancouver to San José will find multiple food options throughout San José Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). In particular, Café Lavazza, in the public area of the airport, and Bar Imperial and Brioche Doree, in the gated area, are open 24h a day.
  • Treat yourself to a massage upon arrival at Spa Mioderma, which has locations next to Gate 5 and Gate 10 of San José Juan Santamaria International Airport. Both locations are open from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm and offer massages, facials and nail treatments.
  • If you would like to use public transportation to get to your accommodation from San José Juan Santamaria International Airport, you will find the bus stop located a few minutes’ walk from the terminal. There are buses to the downtown areas of Alajuela, San José and Heredia, with a single bus fare costing ₡660 (about C$ 1.50).
  • Those who would like to freshen up before their flight can do so at one of the airport lounges in the gated area of Vancouver International Airport (YVR), or at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel, which is located in the public area of the airport and offers access to their showers, spa and sauna for a fee.
  • If you’re looking for a way to pass the time before your flight from Vancouver to San José, head to levels 3 and 4 of Vancouver International Airport’s international terminal. There you can check out 2 large aquariums that are home to many local and indigenous sea creatures and jellyfish.

Top 4 airlines serving from Vancouver to San José

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Vancouver to San José. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Vancouver to San José? 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.
7.4
United AirlinesOverall score based on 8790 reviews
6.6Food
7.7Boarding
7.0Entertainment
7.3Comfort
8.1Crew
Airline reviews

Airbus plane, nice and polite staff, entertainment even as it was a short flight.

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, May 2025YVR - SFO
Read more United Airlines reviews

Airbus plane, nice and polite staff, entertainment even as it was a short flight.

Very nice and clean plane. Transit time between flights was tight though

Our flights got changed from United to Air Canada and our purchased seats did not get transferred so we had to pay for seats twice. I brought it up with Air Canada and they stated I had to go back and chase it with United. The united seats were $21 Canadian each and Air Canada were $56 each so we have paid $77 for each seat. Very unhappy

So far so good but food and entertainment are not available for this flight

Plane temperature was comfortable (not to hot) when boarding and waiting for takeoff.

Michael, our FA was very attentive, even finding me a chocolate brownie from economy class when the dessert selections were all dairy based. ( intolerant, not allergic so don’t usually need to order dairy free)

We tried to upgrade to economy premium but were told this was not possible as we had booked through United Airlines (and Air Canada was operating the flight). This seemed silly given there was ample space in economy premium. Additionally, we had to wait almost 1.5 hours upon arrival to taxi to the gate. Otherwise, the crew were very pleasant and passengers were friendly.

It was my first time with United Airlines and I would say it was very good experience and best of all the flights were on time. Will definitely fly with United Airlines next time.

headphone jack didnt work for the first flight and not much variety

Plane 3 hours late. Missed connection. No help from gate staff. App horrible. Lost connection repeatedly. No service desk. Finally got help from young girl driving cart.

The pilots are always hauling in the sky. No issues with boarding only problem was layover was shortened too much by weather but luckily the next flight was still boarding and did not missit

I miss the screens they used to have for the long flights. I use a Kendal and it doesn’t work well with there WiFi. I tried my cell and the wifi was not good for it either this is the free wifi.

It was nobody’s fault - but the plane came 4-hrs late and we were updated randomly in 20-30 mins increments which left us hostage to sit and wait expectantly. It was very long and got very late. Our plane didn’t land until nearly 1 am! Also the toilet wasn’t working. The hosts were nice enough but were clearly “about to pass out” as one told me. Lastly, there was no snack or even time for it. Just a bad experience overall.

Not very good , the stewardess were unfriendly and they don't like to be bothered. Cos was a night flight and they need to sleep.

Flight was delayed bc of mechanical issue. New plane had different configuration so some seats had to be switched. They called all passengers who needed new boarding cards. They did not call us so we thought our seats were the same and fine. When we boarded they informed us our receipts had changed and we are now all sitting separate and in the back row. Both my daughters had meltdowns and started to cry and once we got on the flight, we figured out how we could sit closer to each other, but this was very upsetting.

Very friendly and efficient and smooth boarding. We were even way early arriving at my destination. Thank you.

Flight delayed, missed connection, had to stay overnight. Next flight instead of our business class we were booked on the very back row. Second time this had happened in 2 months.

boarding was quick and painless. entertainment could have been better- but that's also what ipads are for.

The crew were a bit short and not as warm although they did take care of small details that I requested.

Domestic airlines have really fallen from what they used to be.

Food hope it make it international not mainly like pilipino food

Good flight, friendly crew and overall - good service on United Airlines.

Very clean plane, staff were courteous, complimentary wifi and beverages are nice, and it was nice to have a whole row to myself! I do miss having seatback entertainment, though. And the prices are getting ridiculous, especially with the different teared tickets. But the flight overall was great.

The seat was reasonably comfortable. I hope the food could be hotter and more tasty.

flight landed late almost 1.00hr and we 4 passengers missed our connected flight to indianapolis, we need to get the hotel and taxi for the next day flight to home in indianapolis, cost us $ 300 more

The flight wose Daley 2hr I lost my connect flight i wose delay one day and I am not happy

Had the same two cabin attendants and Darren and Lea are exceptional

Nuts would be better than pretzels as the non sweet snack

I’m writing to share my deep frustration with a recent experience, which I feel reflects a troubling trend in the airline industry—one where customer care often takes a backseat to profit maximization. First, I do want to acknowledge a positive aspect: I appreciated that your team accommodated a seat change due to my medical needs without charging an additional fee. This gesture made a genuine difference during my trip, and I’m thankful for that. That said, the overall experience left me extremely disappointed. The ticket I purchased for myself and a companion turned out to be “basic”—a fare category I now understand to be non-refundable and non-transferable. Unfortunately, my travel companion was involved in a car accident and could not fly. Not only was I unable to receive any kind of reimbursement, but I also couldn't transfer the ticket to someone else, despite the flight being overbooked by three passengers. This inflexibility felt exploitative. To add to the frustration, I had to shoulder additional unexpected expenses: overpriced in-flight food and a costly baggage fee on my return trip. The entire process felt more like a profit-maximizing scheme than a customer service experience. I understand that airlines, like any business, need to remain financially viable. However, creating fare structures that penalize customers during emergencies, while simultaneously overbooking flights, comes across as deeply unfair. It’s hard to feel like a valued passenger in this environment. While I don’t expect much will come of this message, I do hope Air Canada takes this feedback seriously. There’s an opportunity to lead with integrity in an industry where choices for consumers are becoming more limited and experiences increasingly transactional.

Boarding is a mess. The lines all jammed together and no one knows which line was for which zone. The flight was delayed and the plane taxied on tarmac for more than 30 mins before we could get off. Overall not a bad flight. But the boarding part can do better.

Flight to Bogotá delayed by 3 h Missed connection from Bogotá to Guayaquil. Avianca unable to bring us to Baltra on time Overall delay 36h. We missed boat departure from galagos. Overall 10 day trip needed to be cancelled. Avianca was completely un-professional.

Late departure. When the flight arrived in Medellin the plane sat at the gate for 20 minutes waiting for a bus for us to get off the plane.

i think the flight was late because they were so strict about measuring everyone's personal items to try and charge them $119. It was really petty and made us late.

A few years ago long flights 6 hours or so used to have video screens and they offered ear phones. The food cart used to come and drinks. Now absolutely nothing. Avianca is as bad as Spirit Airlines. Avianca will now be my last choice when booking my next flight.

Purchased a business class ticket and got a economy seat with center seat blocked they call it business. 3100usd ticket on a flight where economy costs 500usd The biggest scam insult have had on a regular airline. Avianca should be in the low cost category and kicked out of Star Alliance. I want the difference to be credited. Ets see what Avianca does. No reply so far. Avianca = low cost airline. Beware

Excellent flight and one of the smoothest landing I’ve ever experienced

The seats were very uncomfortable. I would have upgrade or got different flight if I knew. I usually sleep in the plane but I couldn’t sleep at all. Very uncomfortable. Also no food or drink everything was to purchase, and that’s u usual for international flight.

There isn't much space in-between seats and even water needs to be paid for during the flight.

We were not aware carry-on bags cost extra until we arrived at the airport so, we were charged $240.00 for two small carry- on bags! There was a substantial fee for drinks and snacks. No wifi, or other entertainment was available. Waiting areas were crowded and uncomfortable.

please see previous response; it covers the whole travel trajectory.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Vancouver to San José

Information on your arrival and departure airports

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