Which Airport in Costa Rica do I fly into?

San Jose (SJO) or Liberia(LIR)

Asking yourself which airport in Costa Rica do I fly into, you need to know that there is a big difference. While Costa Rica is a small country, it is not like trying to pick between JFK or La Guardia.

Here are some of the differences that will hopefully help you decide. Hopefully, it will help make the decision easy and get you ready for your adventure.

Airports

Costa Rica has many domestic airports but only two international airports. The first is located in San Jose (SJO) ‘s capital city, not to be confused with San Jose, CA – California.  I have seen someone mistake for San Jose, CA – Central America.

The second airport is Liberia. Liberia is one of the larger towns outside of the metropolitan area of Costa Rica.

Location

This is a principal deciding factor for most when answering which airport in Costa Rica I fly into?

The San Jose (SJO) airport is located in the center of the country in what we refer to as the Central Valley, made up of Heredia, Alajuela, and San Jose. The actual airport is located in Alajuela, about 20 miles from San Jose.

The San Jose airport’s benefit is that you are not close to any of the great tourist attractions. There are a few waterfalls and volcanos nearby. So why is that a benefit. Well, you are neither far from anywhere in the country because you in the center. So it allows reasonable access to everywhere,

The Liberia (LIR) airport is located on the northern pacific side of Costa Rica near Nicaragua. This airport was built with the main purpose of allowing tourists and foreign residents easy access to the beaches of Guanacaste. This is anywhere between 40 minutes to 2 hours, depending on which beach you are going to.

The two airports without traffic are around 3 hours from each other driving.

Because of San Jose’s (SJO) location, you certainly have options to be more versatile than the Liberia (LIR) airport. Still, if you are thinking of Guanacaste beaches, then Liberia (LIR) is your spot.

Size

The San Jose Airport (SJO) is always expanding and just recently added a couple of hundred yards to the runway. This has me wondering after flying in all these years on a short-runway if it was safe? Well, I’m still here so I guess it was safe enough.  The number of gates is many more than the Liberia airport.

Both airports service larger planes and most commercial carriers. 

Liberia Airport (LIR) has more land as it is more situated in a rural farmland area which San Jose Airport (SJO) is located in the city. 

Flight Availability

You will find more options to fly into the San Jose Airport. The San Jose services many more incoming and departing flights and a hub for domestic airlines and a few Central American airlines.

Both airports offer direct flights from certain cities in the US.

You can probably guess that Liberia Airport (LIR) has fewer crowds. The San Jose Airport (SJO) can feel like it is busting at the seems at times.

Price

I would say nine times out of ten; you will find cheaper flights coming into San Jose. Some people even fly into San Jose and do the extra 3-hour drive when the savings make it worth it.

When asking yourself which airport I fly into in Costa Rica, remember other prices involved other than the flight. Take into account how far you might be from your destination. Another factor might be if you arrive a day early for cheaper airfare but have to pay for hotel and food.

Share :

Twitter
Telegram
WhatsApp

Join The Ride

Subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter with stories from our latest adventures and the best travel tips

More Adventures

Want to plan Your Custom Itinerary

Contact Us Today And Get The Perfect Itinerary For You, Your Friends Or Family!

Contact Us Today
Previous
Next

POC Camp

The POC camp is an extension of the POC lodge and while the POC Lodge is located with vast views of the Pacuare River Canyon the POC Camp is down on the river’s edge. While it might not have the view of the POC Lodge it sits on one of the calmest sections of the river making the POC Camp home to one of the river Pacuare’s best spots for taking a swim and relaxing on the river’s edge.

POCsito is a favorite among so many of our guests. It is a glamping experience with some of the important comforts of home.

POC Lodge

Started in 2011 is the POC lodge. If you haven’t figured it out by now POC lodge is our own lodge and what we like to call the “baby” of the P.O.C. Adventure Company. We wanted a lodge on our favorite part of Costa Rica which is the Pacuare River and with the help of locally harvested supplies and labor, the POC Lodge was born.

 

This is a 180-acre property that runs over 1 mile of the Pacuare River. Our goal has always been to offer as much comfort as possible without steering too far away from our roots of just roughing it on the river’s edge. Our lodge has hot water, a splash of luxury in the rooms, and 5-Star service and attention to our guests.

Our favorite part about the lodge is that we built a short hike up from the river’s edge. We know we have the best views of the Pacuare River canyon and unfortunately pictures don’t even do it justice.

Arenal Paraiso, Arenal

Have you ever wanted to stay the night at the base of an active volcano? Well here is your chance. The Arenal Paraiso is located at the base of the Arenal Volcano with breath-taking views of the perfectly cone-shaped volcano.

Here at Arenal Paraiso’s, you will enjoy the beautiful property which offers much more than just a view. The property has numerous bungalows that offer a splash of luxury while surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. After a day of adventure, you will love making your way back to relax or hang out in the pool at Arenal Paraiso.

Shawandha, Caribbean 

Located at the edge of the white sandy beaches of Costa Rica sits the Shawandha lodge.  A perfect blend of eco-style luxury along with the sounds of the ocean and vibrant ambiance of the rainforest.

Shawandha lodge is set up with individual bungalows made out of local wood. You will be sure to wake up to the sound of the local residents such as the howler monkeys and green macaws. After your day of adventure, you will have a chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful swimming pool at the Shawandha Lodge.

Hotel Villa Florencia, Turrialba

Located in the valley of Turrialba surrounded by sugar-cane plantations and views of the smoking Turrialba Volcano sits an old plantation home that has been renovated into a beautiful small hotel named Villa Florencia.

This is a great hotel with a beautiful pool and plenty of space to take long morning or afternoon hikes. The Villa Florencia hotel is a chance to enjoy luxury while feeling like you stook back in time. While you are in the valley don’t forget to look up as the Turrialba Volcano can often be seen doing small eruptions from across the valley.

Casa Turire, Turrialba

Casa Turire has been one of our favorites since we started. The grounds are some of the lushest you will find anywhere in Costa Rica. Casa Turire sits in the valley of Turrialba surrounded by mountains and the beautiful Turrialba Volcano. The most amazing part about Casa Turire other than its great restaurant and home-made sugar cane ice cream is that it sits on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Angostura offering great morning hikes, birding, or SUPing around the lake.