Is San Jose the best airport to fly into? I have noticed that I also get the option of Liberia. I know sometimes it is cheaper to go to a smaller airport, but you may also be flying in a sardine can Also, any recommendations on airlines?
Thanks
~Ansley
-- Edited by Ansley on Sunday 29th of November 2020 04:51:29 PM
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I have only been through the San José airport, which is actually in Alajuela. A friend that has used the airport in Liberia says it's small, but very easy. He prefers going though Liberia if he can. I would check out options for flying to Liberia if I were going to Guanacaste or the Nicoya peninsula.
Thank you so much Ross! I grew up in a small town in Georgia that has a tiny airport but we have one Delta "puddle jumper". So I am used to a small plane.
~Ansley
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"...apparently riding the dog like its a small horse is frowned upon in this establishment!..." :-)
Ross' friend is correct, Liberia is much smaller but WAY out of the way, unless you will be in that area. If you are going anywhere south of San Jose, choose the main Airport in San Jose (SJO).
You can fly from SJO to Quepos, (small puddle jumper) but they have limits on baggage.
In Costa Rica...you really only have 2 choices for main airports.
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Life is short...so get out of the Rat Race and Enjoy Paradise in Costa Rica.
I always fly into San Jose. I fly Delta because it’s nonstop from Los Angeles. Try to get a nonstop flight that way you won’t be all worn out when you arrive. If you’ve never been to CR you are in for a real treat!
We live on the tip of Nicoya Penninsula and always fly into Liberia. We usually fly direct out of Calgary, Canada. We actually live a 10 hour drive north. We fly from home and thru Calgary it only takes 12 hours total on Westjet Airline. From Liberia we rent a vehicle and drive 3.5 hours to our house. Liberia airport has been upgraded a few years ago and is way nicer to go thru that San Jose. I have flown into SJ a few times and you are normally flying in at odd hours and have to overnight in SJ. We fly into Liberia from Calgary or Toronto during the day and can get to our house that day.
I am new to the forum. My daughter and I are thinking about moving to CR but we have never been there so we are wanting to visit this coming May. As first timers, we're looking for information about best places to stay for about a week. It sounds like flying into San Jose is the best airport. We are considering using Expedia for a bundle with hotel but do not know what area to stay. Any suggestions would be helpful.
I always like to research areas online to see what I may be interested in. It’s hard to tell you where you should stay. I always fly into San Jose, it’s more centrally located. You could go to the Central Valley. There are a lot of nice towns in that area. You can then go to the Lake Arenal area. Very nice there as well. I cannot stress enough the importance of research. I researched several different countries before deciding on Costa Rica, then spent time driving around and staying in different areas during five trips since 2013. We will be moving there permanently later this year. Hope this helps. Good luck.
I am new to the forum. My daughter and I are thinking about moving to CR but we have never been there so we are wanting to visit this coming May. As first timers, we're looking for information about best places to stay for about a week. It sounds like flying into San Jose is the best airport. We are considering using Expedia for a bundle with hotel but do not know what area to stay. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Hey Jackie,
Unless you like the city, I would suggest flying into San Jose, then renting a vehicle and going to San Isidro. It is located in an area where you will NOT have any problems buying what you need or finding an AirBnB. Close enough to drive to the beach (one hour away) and close to the mountains so you can check out waterfalls, or places to live in the mountains if you are considering that.
I would NOT suggest getting a hotel, unless you don't mind spending a LOT of extra money. You can save a huge bundle by looking for an AirBnB.
Hopefully that helps, but as Johnney suggested, research will help you narrow down where you want to go depending on what you like.
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Life is short...so get out of the Rat Race and Enjoy Paradise in Costa Rica.
Also, any recommendations on airlines? 
