Traveling  to Costa Rica, Which International Airport to fly Into?

If you are planning to travel to Costa Rica and are wondering which international airport you should fly into?  Costa Rica has two international  airports.   SJO  or San Jose international airport is located  in the center of the country, 2 miles outside Alajuela and approx 8 miles from downtown San Jose, about a 30 minute drive.    The other international airport is located in North Central Costa Rica in Liberia.  LIR    It’s name is Daniel Oduber International airport.

When should I fly into Liberia- Daniel Oduber International  airport? 1. Visiting the northwest Pacific beaches of Guanacaste and the province of Guanacaste in general.   2. Also the popular Arenal Volcano National Park is located in this same region.

When Should I fly into San Jose -Juan Santa Maria International Airport? When visiting all other destinations in Costa Rica.

Is there an international airport in the south part of Costa Rica?    No

Helpful information: 1.The driving time from San Jose International Airport to  the northwest Pacific beaches is four hours, so you can see why it’s best to fly directly into Liberia.

Flying within Costa Rica?  There are two regional carriers   www.flysansa.com         www.natureair.com            Both of these carriers fly to the most popular tourist destinations within Costa Rica

Sansa’s terminal is located adjacent to the San Jose international airport  Baggage is limited to 25 pounds per person.

Nature Air’s terminal is located about 20 minutes from the San Jose international airport in an area called Pavas.   Baggage is limited to 25 pounds per person

Important: If you are departing from the San Jose International Airport be sure to be at the airport 2 hours prior to departure.  Lines can be long.  And remember you need to pay a departure tax  $27  per person at a different counter than the check in counter.  And this also takes time if the line is long.