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Airport Transportation

Juan Santamaría International Airport

También conocido como: San José Airport, San José Costa Rica Airport, Juan Santamaria Airport, SJO Airport. Antes El Coco International Airport.

SJO · MROC · San José

Datos del aeropuerto

Nombre
Juan Santamaría International Airport
Código IATA
SJO
Código OACI
MROC
Ciudad
San José
País
Costa Rica
Coordenadas
9.9939, -84.2088
Zona horaria
America/Costa_Rica
Terminales
Two terminals: the Main Terminal for international flights and a separate Domestic Terminal

Sobre Juan Santamaría International Airport

Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is the main international airport of Costa Rica, located in Alajuela Province and serving the capital, San José.

About 26 airlines fly here. Avianca, Copa Airlines and Volaris connect the airport with Central America, Mexico, Colombia and other Latin American cities, while American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and Air Canada link it with the United States and Canada. Iberia, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Edelweiss fly to Europe. Sansa and Costa Rica Green Airways operate domestic flights to beach and rainforest towns.

International flights use the Main Terminal, and domestic flights use a separate Domestic Terminal, a short walk away. The airport has one runway of about 3,000 meters.

SJO sits about 20 kilometers northwest of downtown San José, next to Route 1 near the city of Alajuela. From here travelers head to San José and Alajuela, the Arenal Volcano area around La Fortuna, the beaches of Jacó and Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, and the Caribbean coast around Puerto Viejo.

Operador, pistas y tráfico del aeropuerto

Operator

AERIS Holding Costa Rica

Passengers per year

About 6.4 million in 2025

Runways

One asphalt runway (07/25), 3,012 m

Opened

1958

Location

Alajuela, about 20 km northwest of downtown San José

Consejos de llegada a Juan Santamaría International Airport

After landing, follow the signs to immigration, where lines can be long at busy times. Costa Rica has no online entry form for most visitors, but you need a valid passport and may be asked for proof of a return or onward trip.

Duty-free shops sit before and near baggage claim. After you collect your luggage, bags go through a quick scan at customs.

Once outside, pre-booked drivers wait just past the exit doors holding name signs. For a taxi, look for the taxi representative, who directs you to an official orange airport taxi; check that the meter is reset. Rideshare cars cannot pick up at the curb, so you have to walk away from the terminal to meet one. Be wary of people offering unsolicited help with rides or bags, as it often leads to a sales pitch.

Alajuela is mild, with daytime highs around 77°F to 86°F (25°C to 30°C); the dry season runs December to April. Costa Rica is on UTC−6 all year, and the currency is the colón, though US dollars are widely accepted.

Transporte terrestre

Official orange taxis and pre-booked drivers suit most travelers, while the public bus is the budget option for downtown San José.

  • Taxi from SJO airport

    Official orange airport taxis are assigned by a taxi representative outside arrivals and use a meter. They accept colones and US dollars, and the ride to San José takes about as long as the bus, depending on traffic.

  • Private transfer

    Your driver waits outside the exit doors with a name sign. It is the simplest choice for long trips such as La Fortuna, about 2.5 hours from San José, or Manuel Antonio, about 3 hours, though it must be arranged ahead.

  • Bus to San José

    TUASA's red buses stop on the main road beside the airport, a short walk from arrivals, and run to their terminal near Merced Park in downtown San José in about 35 minutes without traffic. Space for large luggage is limited.

  • Rideshare

    Uber works in the area, but standard rideshare cars cannot load at the curb, so you walk a short distance from the terminal. A pilot lets licensed orange taxis take airport rides through the Uber app, though availability varies.

  • Rental car

    Some rental companies have desks before the exit, while others meet you outside and shuttle you to an off-site office. Traffic around San José can be heavy at rush hour.

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Cómo moverse entre terminales

  1. Walk between terminals

    The Domestic Terminal is in a separate building about a five-minute walk from the Main Terminal.

  2. Clear customs first

    If you arrive on an international flight and connect to a domestic one, you pass immigration, collect your bags and clear customs before walking over.

  3. Allow extra time

    Immigration lines can take an hour or more, and domestic check-in asks you to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure, so leave a generous connection.

Terminales

Main Terminal

Handles all international arrivals and departures, with immigration, customs, baggage claim and the official taxi and bus connections outside.

Domestic Terminal

A separate single-level building opened in 2018 for domestic flights within Costa Rica.

Aerolíneas y destinos

The main airlines at Juan Santamaría International Airport.

Aeroméxico Main Terminal

Mexico City

Guía de la aerolínea

Air Canada Main Terminal

Montreal, Toronto

Guía de la aerolínea

Air France Main Terminal

Paris

Guía de la aerolínea

Air Transat Main Terminal

Montreal, Toronto (seasonal)

Guía de la aerolínea

Alaska Airlines Main Terminal

Los Angeles

Guía de la aerolínea

American Airlines Main Terminal

Charlotte, Chicago (seasonal), Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami

Guía de la aerolínea

Arajet Main Terminal

Santo Domingo

Avianca Main Terminal

Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Cartagena, Chicago (seasonal), Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Medellín, Mexico City, Miami, New York, Panama City, Quito, San Pedro Sula (seasonal), San Salvador, Washington

Guía de la aerolínea

Breeze Airways Main Terminal

Tampa

Guía de la aerolínea

Copa Airlines Main Terminal

Guatemala City, Managua, Panama City

Guía de la aerolínea

Costa Rica Green Airways Domestic Terminal

Quepos, Tambor

Delta Air Lines Main Terminal

Atlanta, Los Angeles (seasonal)

Guía de la aerolínea

Edelweiss Main Terminal

Zurich

Guía de la aerolínea

Frontier Airlines Main Terminal

Atlanta (seasonal), Orlando (seasonal)

Guía de la aerolínea

Iberia Main Terminal

Madrid

Guía de la aerolínea

Iberojet Main Terminal

Madrid

Guía de la aerolínea

JetBlue Main Terminal

Fort Lauderdale, New York

Guía de la aerolínea

KLM Main Terminal

Amsterdam

Guía de la aerolínea

LATAM Airlines Main Terminal

Lima

Guía de la aerolínea

Lufthansa Main Terminal

Frankfurt

Guía de la aerolínea

Sansa Domestic Terminal

Drake Bay, Golfito, La Fortuna, Liberia, Limón, Nosara, Puerto Jiménez, Quepos, Tamarindo, Tambor, Tortuguero

Southwest Airlines Main Terminal

Orlando, Denver (seasonal), Nashville (seasonal)

Guía de la aerolínea

United Airlines Main Terminal

Houston, Newark, San Francisco, Chicago (seasonal), Denver (seasonal), Los Angeles (seasonal), Washington (seasonal)

Guía de la aerolínea

Viva Aerobus Main Terminal

Monterrey

Guía de la aerolínea

Volaris Main Terminal

Cancún, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Orlando

Guía de la aerolínea

Wingo Main Terminal

Medellín

Guía de la aerolínea

Preguntas frecuentes

How far is San José airport from downtown San José?

Juan Santamaría International Airport is about 20 kilometers northwest of downtown San José. The public bus takes about 35 minutes without traffic, and a taxi takes roughly the same time, since both use the same roads. Rush-hour traffic in the Central Valley can make the trip noticeably longer.

Is San José airport in San José or Alajuela?

The airport is in Alajuela Province, next to the city of Alajuela, not in San José itself. It is the main airport for the capital and sits beside Route 1, the highway that links Alajuela with San José, about 20 kilometers from downtown San José.

How many terminals does Juan Santamaría Airport have?

Juan Santamaría has two terminals. The Main Terminal handles international flights, with immigration, customs and baggage claim. A separate Domestic Terminal, opened in 2018, handles flights within Costa Rica and is about a five-minute walk from the Main Terminal. There is one runway for both.

Which terminal do domestic flights use at SJO?

Domestic flights with Sansa and Costa Rica Green Airways use the Domestic Terminal, a separate building about a five-minute walk from the Main Terminal. If you connect from an international flight, clear immigration and customs first, then walk over, and arrive at least 30 minutes before your domestic departure.

Which airlines fly to San José, Costa Rica?

About 26 airlines serve Juan Santamaría International Airport. They include Avianca, Copa Airlines, Volaris, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Air Canada, Iberia, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Edelweiss. Sansa and Costa Rica Green Airways fly domestic routes from the separate Domestic Terminal.

How do taxis work at San José airport?

After customs, go to the taxi representative outside arrivals, who assigns you an official orange airport taxi. Check that the meter is reset at the start of the ride. Licensed taxis accept Costa Rican colones and US dollars but no other currencies, so change other money before you need a ride.

Is there a bus from SJO airport to San José?

Yes. TUASA's red buses stop on the main road beside the airport, a short walk from arrivals, and run to a terminal near Merced Park in downtown San José. The trip takes about 35 minutes without traffic, and buses run frequently during the day. Large luggage can be awkward on board.

Can I use Uber at San José airport?

Uber operates in the San José area, but standard rideshare cars are not allowed to pick up at the terminal curb, so you have to walk a short distance away from the building. A pilot program lets licensed orange airport taxis accept rides through the Uber app, but availability varies by time of day.

What do I need to enter Costa Rica at SJO?

You need a valid, machine-readable passport, and officers may ask for proof of a return or onward trip, such as a flight or bus ticket out of the country. There is no online entry form for most visitors. The officer sets how long you can stay, up to 180 days for some nationalities.

How long does it take to get from SJO to La Fortuna or Manuel Antonio?

From San José, the drive to La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area takes about 2.5 hours, Manuel Antonio about 3 hours, Jacó about 2 hours and Monteverde about 3.5 hours. Times vary with traffic, weather and road conditions. Sansa also flies from SJO to La Fortuna and Quepos, near Manuel Antonio.

What is the weather like at San José airport?

The airport area has mild weather all year, with daytime highs of about 77°F to 86°F (25°C to 30°C) and nights around 63°F to 66°F. The dry season runs from December to April, and the rainy season from May to November brings sunny mornings and afternoon showers.

What time zone and currency does Costa Rica use?

Costa Rica is on UTC−6 all year and does not use daylight saving time, so it matches US Central Standard Time in winter. The currency is the Costa Rican colón, but US dollars are widely accepted, including by licensed airport taxis, which take only colones or dollars.

Who operates Juan Santamaría International Airport?

The airport is operated by AERIS Holding Costa Rica under a concession from the government. It handled 6,403,220 passengers in 2025, a 3 percent increase over the previous year, and AERIS is expanding the western side of the terminal under the airport's master plan.

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¿Cuántas personas caben en una van?

Las vans normales llevan hasta 9 pasajeros, los minibuses hasta 16 y los SUV de lujo hasta 6 pasajeros.

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Habitualmente Toyota Hiace, Volkswagen Transporter, Mercedes Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter, Chevrolet Tahoe y Chevrolet Suburban.

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Sí: para tu comodidad, todas nuestras unidades cuentan con aire acondicionado.

¿Qué pasa si mi vuelo se retrasa?

Durante la reserva te pedimos tu aerolínea y número de vuelo para poder rastrear los retrasos y esperarte.

¿Puedo hacer paradas durante el trayecto?

Sí, puedes añadir una parada adicional a tu servicio durante el proceso de reserva.

¿Los niños pagan distinto que los adultos?

No: los precios se fijan por rango de pasajeros o por vehículo, no por edad.

¿Mi reserva es reembolsable?

Sí. Cancela sin coste hasta 24 horas antes de tu recogida y se te reembolsa el importe completo. Las cancelaciones con menos de 24 horas de antelación no son reembolsables.

¿Los conductores hablan inglés?

Sí: aunque su inglés puede no ser de nivel nativo, los conductores tienen la capacidad de comunicarse con los pasajeros.

¿Las propinas son obligatorias?

Las propinas no son obligatorias, pero sí muy recomendables; los conductores las ganan gracias a la calidad de su servicio.

¿Qué monedas se aceptan?

Todos los precios están en USD. A través de PayPal puedes pagar en casi cualquier moneda; los pagos en efectivo se aceptan solo en USD.

¿Se permiten mascotas?

Podemos transportar mascotas domésticas dentro de transportines que quepan en un vehículo normal.

¿Hay espacio para el equipaje?

Sí: hay espacio de sobra para una maleta y un equipaje de mano por persona.

¿Qué incluye el precio?

Todo traslado privado incluye un conductor profesional con licencia; un vehículo asegurado y en buen estado; seguimiento del vuelo en tiempo real; servicio de recepción a la llegada; y servicio puerta a puerta sin cargos ocultos añadidos después de reservar. Tu precio fijo cubre la ruta completa hasta tu destino.

Reserva un traslado desde SJO