If
you are visiting several regions of the country, flying
into San José's Juan Santamaria Airport, in the center
of the country, is the best option. Flying into Liberia's
Daniel Oduber Airport makes sense if you are planning to
spend your vacation in Guanacaste. Bus travel time between
the Liberia airport and most of the resorts is less than
two hours.
Most travelers
fly into the larger San José airport, the transportation
hub to nearly every point in the country. Rarely does an
international flight get into San José early enough
to make a domestic connection, as the weather for flying
is typically clear until about noon only. So you'll likely
end up spending your first night in or near the city, and
leave for your domestic destination the next morning out
of the SANSA terminal next to the international airport
or via NatureAir out of tiny Tobias Bolaños Airport.
Heavy rains
in the afternoons and evenings during the May-to-November
rainy season sometimes cause flights coming into San José
to be rerouted to Panama City, where you may be forced to
spend the night. In the rainy season, always book a flight
with the earliest arrival time available.
Once in Costa
Rica, some airlines recommend calling the San José
office about three days before your return flight to reconfirm;
others, such as TACA, explicitly say it's not necessary.
It's always a good idea to call the local office the day
before you are scheduled to return home to make sure your
flight time hasn't changed.
From the United
States: Miami has the highest number of direct flights,
but nonstop flights are also available from New York, Houston,
Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., Charlotte,
and Los Angeles. Continental, American, America West, Delta,
US Airways, and United are the major U.S. carriers with
nonstop service to Costa Rica. Martinair has nonstop flights
from Orlando and Miami. From New York, flights to San José
are 5½ hours nonstop or 6 to 7 hours via Miami. From
Los Angeles, flights are about 6 to 7 hours nonstop or 8½
hours via Mexico; from Houston, 3½ hours nonstop;
from Miami, 3 hours; from Charlotte, 4 hours; and from Chicago,
5½ hours. In general, nonstop flights aren't that
much more expensive.
Other than
obvious considerations such as price and scheduling, a regional
airline like Mexicana and TACA (a Central American airline)
is a good choice if you're visiting more than one Central
American country; major U.S. airlines don't serve routes
such as Costa Rica-Honduras.
Major Airlines
Air Canada ( PHONE: 888/247-2262 in Canada; 506/243-1860
in Costa Rica, www.aircanada.com). America West ( PHONE:
800/327-7810 in U.S.; 0800-011-0888 in Costa Rica, www.americawest.com).
American Airlines ( PHONE: 800/433-7300 in U.S.; 506/257-1266
in Costa Rica, www.aa.com). Continental ( PHONE: 800/231-0856
in U.S. and Canada; 0800/044-0005 in Costa Rica, www.continental.com).
Delta ( PHONE: 800/241-4141 in U.S. and Canada; 506/257-4141
in Costa Rica). Iberia ( PHONE: 0845/850-9000 in U.K., www.iberia.com).
MartinAir ( PHONE: 800/627-8462 in U.S.; 506/232-3246 in
Costa Rica, www.martinairusa.com). US Airways ( PHONE: 800/622-1015
in U.S. and Canada; 430-6690 in Costa Rica, www.usairways.com).
United Airlines
( PHONE: 800/241-6522 in U.S.).
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