Whether you’re just traveling to Costa Rica, traveling within Costa Rica, or planning to move there permanently, you may be thinking: There are so many airports in Costa Rica. Which one is best suited for me and my needs? We don’t blame you. Costa Rica has a couple of international airports along with a bunch of domestic airports spread throughout the country, so if you’re not a native or local, it may be hard to pinpoint which airport to utilize.
In this article, we’ll give you a brief rundown of Costa Rica’s International Airports and a few domestic airports you can utilize to get from Point A to Point B while you’re traveling in Costa Rica.
International Airports in Costa Rica – Main Access Points
Costa Rica houses two International Airports in different parts of the country. To avoid choosing the wrong airport to fly to for your trip, it would be best if you figured out your travel itinerary list first. Note: Even if you choose to change your plans during your trip and add a new destination to your itinerary, you’ll still be able to utilize Costa Rica’s domestic airports to get there. However, it’s always good to travel to the closest airport to your main travel destination. The best questions to ask are – Where do you want to spend most of your time? In nature or in the city? Are you staying in one area or do you plan on visiting multiple surrounding cities?
Once you’ve got a better idea of where in the country you’ll be spending your most time, you can choose from either of the following international airports in Costa Rica:
San José International Airport (also known as Juan Santamaria International Airport)
San José International Airport (SJO) is located in the “Central Valley” of Costa Rica in the San José province and it is known as the primary entry point into the country. It is also known as the second most prominent airport in all of Central America with the highest number of international, domestic, and commercial flights in the country. SJO Airport is in the city of Alajuela which is around 25km away from downtown San José city. San José International Airport, San José city, and the San José province are all located quite literally in the center of the country. So, if you’re looking to visit the city to experience the culture, art, and architecture, SJO would be the right airport to fly into for you. There are also a number of surrounding cities near San José city that you can travel to by car or a domestic flight and visit.
There are some places where you can experience the beaches and nature of Costa Rica somewhat near San José city. You can visit the Manuel Antonio National Park located around 160km from San José city, the Arenal Volcano National Park located around 120km from the city, or visit the nearest beach named Playa Jaco, which is about a 2-hour drive from the city. It’s a bit inconvenient to visit any national parks or beaches when you fly into the center of Costa Rica, so you may want to fly to Costa Rica’s International Airport in the Northwest, where the trip to nature would be significantly shorter.
Alternatively, if you have a travel itinerary that includes several destinations, it may not be a bad idea to fly to the SJO airport and start your trip there because there isn’t anywhere in Costa Rica you won’t be able to reach from San José city. Most of Costa Rica’s domestic flights pass through San José at some point, so you’ll have access to most of the country from San Jose International Airport. There are some beautiful cities and National Parks surrounding San José like the Tortuguero National Park located in the Limón province.
If you’re considering flying to the San José International Airport, you may also be interested in a more in-depth article about San José Airport in Costa Rica and everything you need to know if you’re flying in there.
Liberia International Airport (also previously known as Daniel Oduber International Airport)
The Liberia International Airport (LIR) is located in northwest Costa Rica. The airport is 8 miles (13km) outside of the capital city of Liberia and is about 135 miles northwest of San José. Liberia is located in the Guanacaste province where there is a ton of natural landmarks and captivating beaches. Although the nature of this region is breathtaking, Liberia is a small city compared to San José, so the accommodation options aren’t extravagant or extensive. There are definitely some nice resorts and modern hotels that can lodge you during your stay, but there aren’t too many options to choose from.
The Liberia Airport is also a much smaller airport compared to San José International Airport. LIR still has everything you would need in an airport, like an airport shuttle, a bank, a snack bar, a money exchanging kiosk, a cell phone service store, a pharmacy, and a couple of restaurants you can eat at before your flight. There are airport authorities there that can help you with anything you need. Since it’s a smaller airport, there is less congestion and traffic so you likely won’t have a hard time getting anywhere.
If you’re looking to explore the beautiful nature of Costa Rica, flying to the Liberia Airport is probably the best choice for your travels. The biggest pro to flying into the Liberia Airport is its proximity to the ocean coast, which means you can reach a beach within 20 minutes of leaving the airport. There are also some alluring landmarks and National Parks that are in close proximity, like The Rincon de la Vieja National Park, The Manuel Antonio National Park, The Arenal Volcano, the beautiful town of Monteverde, and the Nicoya Peninsula, which features the most captivating beaches.
Liberia Airport also offers some domestic flights within Costa Rica, so you can always take a flight to a different region of Costa Rica as well. You can even fly from Liberia International Airport to San José International Airport if LIR is not getting you where you need to go.
If you’re considering flying to the Liberia International Airport, you may also be interested in a more in-depth article about Airport Liberia in Costa Rica and everything you need to know if you’re flying in there.
Best Airports To Fly Into in Costa Rica – LIR or SJO?
Now that you’ve read about both airports individually, you may still be wondering, which airport is better for me to fly into? Let us break it down even further than you.
Both Liberia International Airport (northwest Costa Rica) and San José International Airport (central Costa Rica) are modern, and efficient, and have all the amenities or faculties you would need in an airport. Both airports have expanded their terminals over the years in order to operate over their designed capacity. Both airports also have their own distinct airline list that they receive flights from. If we were to say one airport is busier than the other, it would definitely be SJO as the busiest airport.
The best way to choose what airport you should fly to is by determining your itinerary, your travel interests, what areas of Costa Rica you want to see, and what time of year you’re visiting before you book your flight. Basically, it’s best to have a pretty good game plan of what you would like to do, see, and accomplish at your travel destination before booking your flight. You don’t want to book a trip to Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province during the dry season!
The LOCATION of your main travel desires and activities should be the main factor in what airport you choose. The ticket cost is about the same for each airport with only some slight fluctuations, which means cost probably won’t be a factor for you. If you’re looking to travel to central and southern Costa Rica and the Caribbean, your best bet is to fly to the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). If you’re looking to visit the best beaches, national landmarks, national parks, and the untouched nature in the Guanacaste province, your best bet is to fly to the Liberia International Airport. Note: SJO can be closed at any time due to a volcano close to the city which can produce volcanic ash at any time.
Domestic Airports in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has a few of its own domestic airlines named Aerobell Airlines, Sansa Airlines, and Skyway Air. Typically, you can get anywhere in Costa Rica within 90 minutes through a domestic flight.
Depending on where you’re flying from, you may not be able to catch any direct flights from one place to another. Some domestic flights, depending on the domestic airlines, may have a layover. For example, if you are flying from Drake Bay to Liberia, you may have a layover in SJO, since it’s in the center of Costa Rica and it has a connection to LIR.
The domestic planes in most of the domestic airports in Costa Rica usually use a plane that holds under 20 passengers with luggage limits ranging from 30-40 lbs per person depending on the airline you choose to book. There are cheaper flights you can utilize, which may change the luggage limits and the plane that you fly with.
Here is a full list of all International Airports with International Flights and Domestic Airports with Domestic Flights in Costa Rica:
International Airports in Costa Rica
- Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport – Liberia City – Guanacaste Province – LIR
- Juan Santamaría International Airport – San José City – Alajuela Province – SJO
- Tobías Bolaños International Airport – San José City – San José Province – SYQ
- Limón International Airport – Limón City – Limón Province – LIO
Domestic Airports in Costa Rica
- Playa Sámara – Carrillo Airport – Carrilo City – Guanacaste Province – PLD
- Coto 47 Airport – Coto 47 City – Puntarenas Province – OTR
- Drake Bay Airport – Drake Bay City – Puntarenas Province – DRK
- Golfito Airport – Golfito City – Puntarenas Province – GLF
- Guápiles Airport – Guápiles, Pococí City – Limón City – GPL
- Arenal Airport – La Fortuna City – Alajuela Province – FON
- Los Chiles Airport – Los Chiles City – Alajuela Province – LSL
- Nosara Airport – Nosara City – Guanacaste Province – NOB
- Palmar Sur Airport – Palmar Sur City – Puntarenas Province – PMZ
- Puerto Jiménez Airport – Puerto Jiménez City – Puntarenas Province – PJM
- Punta Islita Airport – Punta Islita City – Guanacaste Province – PBP
- Quepos La Managua Airport – Quepos City – Puntarenas Province – XQP
- San Isidro de El General Airport – San Isidro de El General City – San José Province
- Tamarindo Airport – Tamarindo City – Guanacaste Province – TNO
- Tambor Airport – Tambor City – Puntarenas Province – TMU
- Tortuguero Airport – Tortuguero City – Limón Province – TTQ
- Upala Airport – Upala City – Alajuela Province – UPL
Looking for more on Costa Rica from a Costa Rican local? Feel free to browse through our Places and other blog posts to learn even more about Costa Rica, and everything you can do when visiting!
