$516 Find Cheap Flights from Zurich to San José - Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Zurich to San José:

• Earliest: departs at 9:35 am and lands at 9:56 pm
• Latest: departs at 1:10 pm and lands at 1:31 am.

The flight takes about 12h 21m.

Two cabin classes are available on flights from Zurich to San José:

• Economy Class
• Business Class

A nonstop flight from Zurich to San José takes 12h 21m, covering 5,835 miles.

Yes, a valid passport is required for this international route. Many destinations require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Check your passport expiry well before booking.

Round-trip flights from Zurich to San José range from $1,083 to $1,554, with an average of $1,286 over the past 12 months. Anything below $1,083 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 7% above the $1,286 route average. Book 5 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, layover flights are cheaper than nonstop options on average. Layover fares average $1,069 round-trip via Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau Intl (YUL), compared to $1,448 for nonstop.

Edelweiss Air is the only airline operating Zurich to San José flights. 70% of its flights are on time.

The Airbus A350-900 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by SWISS and Edelweiss Air. Other aircraft seen on the route include Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner variants.

One-way fares from Zurich to San José are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $590, which is 33% below the typical average for this route.

San José Juan Santamaria Intl Airport (SJO) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates starting from around $1 for economy cars. Top options include:

• Priceless
• Avis
• Budget
• Routes Car & Truck Rentals
• Payless

Flights from Zurich to San José usually depart from Zurich (ZRH) and arrive at San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO).

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route, while afternoon departures tend to have the most.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Zurich to San José route, 30% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 1h 42m.

One-stop flights from Zurich to San José most commonly connect through:

• Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) - 31% of one-stop connections
• Madrid Barajas (MAD) - 27% of one-stop connections
• Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) - 13% of one-stop connections
• Newark (EWR) - 11% of one-stop connections

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 15% on flights from Zurich to San José. Thursday is the cheapest departure day at $1,159 round-trip on average, while Friday is the most expensive at $1,352, a difference of $193.

KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

Only Edelweiss Air operates flights between Zurich and San José.

Flying via Frankfurt am Main (FRA) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 14h 24m, compared with 14h 52m via Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) and 15h 22m via Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG).

San José is 8 hours behind Zurich (Central Time vs Central European Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in San José are Parque Metropolitano La Sabana, Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica and Museo de Oro. These are among the most viewed places in San José on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating Zurich to San José flights:

• SWISS: offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• SWISS: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• Edelweiss Air: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route and airline, so always check the fare details before booking.