If you are traveling to Costa Rica, the most convenient option is to arrive by plane. Many major airlines service the airports in Costa Rica, including the Juan Santamaria International Airport. This is the ideal airport for tourists and visitors that are looking to explore anywhere from the Central Pacific Coast to Monteverde and down to Panama including the entire Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, and it is often referred to as the San Jose International Airport.

The Hub of Costa Rica

If you are planning on visiting Alajuela or San Jose, the Juan Santamaria International Airport is the way to go. This airport is the primary hub in Costa Rica, and is located only about 1 mile away from the city of Alajuela, and just outside of downtown San Jose. Visitors can easily reach the major accommodation sites, including hotels, in the San Jose area by a quick drive, usually less than 30 minutes.

The airport is also very close to several popular and beautiful beach cities. In less than two hours, you could be checked-in at a number of beach hotels, include Doubletree Puntarenas at El Roble and Los Suenos Marriott at Playa Herradura.

Another great thing about this airport in Costa Rica is that in addition to supporting international travel, the flights in and out of its terminals include domestic destinations. If you are heading to another location within the country, you’ll have plenty of choices for travel.

Top international airlines fly into the San Jose airport, including Delta, American Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Air, Southwest, US Airways, Spirit, British Airways, Avianca, Mexicana and many more.

More Than Just an Airport

The San Jose International Airport in Costa Rica is more than just a place to land. It is also a place with a rich history and recent updates; a place where people who are passing through can relax, unwind, shop and eat. This airport was the first airport in Costa Rica to have a runway made of asphalt. It was inaugurated in July of 1955, and prior to that the runways in Costa Rica for airplanes were made out of grass.

Today, the Juan Santamaria International Airport is run by AERIS Holding Costa Rica SA. The company was awarded a 20-year contract to handle the administration and maintenance of the large airport, including the overall care of the many shops, businesses and eateries located on the premises. one of our favorites is the Cafe Britt shop where you can find many of the souvenirs you “forgot” to buy while you were on your vacation.

The airport now offers free Wi-Fi so travelers can stay connected with their personal and business lives. Stress is never a problem for those that fly into or out of the San Jose International Airport either, as they can just head over to the massage parlor and wind down before their flight.

For those that don’t like to sit in the terminal while they wait for their flight, there are many shops to browse for souvenirs, or many menus to choose from at the airport restaurants. For the traveler that is in a hurry, there are also several fast food restaurants that can prepare food to be taken on-the-go. Be on the lookout for free coffee and chocolate samples at the shops!