Airport Transfers
Private airport transportation from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela, Costa Rica, to San José, Alajuela, La Fortuna and Arenal, Jacó, Manuel Antonio, Monteverde and the Caribbean coast.
Pre-booked private transportation takes you directly from Juan Santamaría International Airport to your hotel, resort or vacation rental.
After immigration, baggage claim and customs, continue outside the terminal to the meeting area named in your confirmation. Your vehicle is reserved only for the passengers on your reservation: unlike a shared shuttle, it makes no extra hotel stops for other travelers, and the price is per vehicle, not per person.
Our airport transportation in San José Costa Rica starts at Juan Santamaría International Airport and takes you to downtown San José and the Central Valley, Alajuela, the Arenal Volcano area around La Fortuna, the Pacific beaches of Jacó and Manuel Antonio, the cloud forest of Monteverde, or Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast.
Your San José Costa Rica airport transfer begins just outside the exit doors of the Main Terminal, where your driver waits with a sign showing your name once you have cleared immigration and customs. We track your flight, so the pickup follows your actual landing time, and the price for the whole vehicle is fixed when you book, before you fly.
Choose a sedan for a couple, an SUV for a family or a van for a larger group, and go door to door to your hotel in San José, a lodge near Arenal, a beach resort in Manuel Antonio or a vacation rental in Jacó. San José Costa Rica airport transfers run in both directions, so you can book the ride back to SJO on the same reservation.
Our San José Costa Rica airport shuttle is a private van for your party only: it leaves as soon as you are through arrivals, without waiting to fill seats or stopping at other hotels. There is room for suitcases, surfboards and birding or hiking gear, which suits families, groups of friends and travelers heading straight on to the beach, the volcanoes or the cloud forest.
From private sedans to group vans. One fixed price per vehicle, whatever your party size.
Illustrative
Private Sedan
1 to 4 passengers
Private, non-stop transfer. All taxes included.
Illustrative
Luxury SUV
Up to 6 passengers
Comfortable VIP SUV with premium features.
Illustrative
Private Van
Up to 8 passengers
Ideal for families and groups with luggage.
Illustrative
Group Van
Up to 16 passengers
Our largest vehicle. Room for up to 16 passengers and their luggage.
Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is Costa Rica's main international airport. It sits in Alajuela Province, about 20 kilometers northwest of downtown San José, beside Route 1. International flights use the Main Terminal; domestic flights with Sansa and Costa Rica Green Airways use a separate Domestic Terminal about a five-minute walk away.
After landing, follow the signs to immigration, where lines can take an hour or more at busy times. Duty-free shops sit before and near baggage claim, and once you have your bags they go through a quick scan at customs. Then continue through the exit doors of the Main Terminal, where pre-booked drivers wait.
Costa Rica is on UTC−6 all year and does not use daylight saving time.
Passport and onward ticket. You need a valid, machine-readable passport, and officers may ask for proof of a return or onward trip out of Costa Rica, such as a flight or bus ticket. Most visitors fill in no online entry form, and the officer sets how long you can stay.
Unsolicited offers in arrivals. Expect people offering help with rides or bags as you leave the terminal; it usually leads to a sales pitch. Your driver waits outside the exit doors with your name on a sign.
Connecting to a domestic flight. Clear immigration and customs and collect your bags before walking to the Domestic Terminal, and check in at least 30 minutes before departure.
Colones and dollars. The currency is the Costa Rican colón, but US dollars are widely accepted.
Terminal, immigration and customs details for Juan Santamaría International Airport
1
Immigration, baggage claim, then customs. Representatives can't enter those areas.
2
At the meeting point in your confirmation. Check the company name before getting in.
3
No other stops, no other passengers.
At SJO
Meet outside arrivals
Pre-booked drivers wait just outside the exit doors of the Main Terminal holding a sign with your name. Drivers stay in that area, so if you need help with bags, a baggage handler can bring them out.
Don't accept a ride from someone claiming to know your booking.
Check the company name and reservation details before getting in.
One-way arrival
SJO Hotel
From the airport to your hotel, resort or rental.
One-way departure
Hotel SJO
From where you're staying back to Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Round trip
SJO Hotel
Both journeys on one reservation. Give both flights, the return pickup address and the passengers for each. Staying at more than one hotel? Give the full itinerary.
Transportation can also be booked from your hotel, resort or vacation rental to Juan Santamaría International Airport. Your pickup time covers the drive plus check-in, security and border procedures, and your airline's instructions come first. Give the correct departure time and terminal when you book.
2 h
before a domestic flight
3 h
before an international flight
We monitor the arrival of the flight on your reservation, but can't find you on a different one. Tell customer service if any of these change:
About one checked suitcase and one carry-on each; the right vehicle depends on the total volume. Tell us about golf clubs, surfboards, bikes, strollers or extra bags.
Request them when booking, with the child's age and size. Availability and any fee are confirmed on your reservation.
Give the wheelchair's size, weight and whether it folds, so a suitable vehicle is assigned.
Ask for authorization before booking and tell us about the animal and its carrier.
Entry rules
Bring a valid passport and proof of a return or onward trip, since officers may ask for it.
Official taxis
Use the orange airport taxis assigned by the taxi representative and make sure the meter is running.
Currency
The colón is the local currency, but US dollars are widely accepted, including by licensed taxis.
Time zone
Costa Rica stays on UTC−6 all year with no daylight saving time.
Traveling with a large group, planning a destination wedding, or organizing transportation for a corporate retreat or conference? We offer larger vehicles and multi-vehicle coordination for groups of any size, including multiple pickup points and scheduled transfers timed around your event. Contact us with your group size and itinerary and we'll put together transportation that keeps everyone moving together.
“Absolutely fantastic service! My driver was early, courteous, and the car was immaculate.”
Sarah L. · March 2026
“The ride was comfortable and quick. Quality service that's well worth it.”
James H. · February 2026
“I use airporttransportation.com whenever I travel. Consistently reliable, and their drivers are top-notch.”
William C. · February 2026
“Booking was simple and the price was clear. No surprises at the airport. Highly recommended.”
María G. · January 2026
24 h
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup, with a full refund. Later cancellations aren't refundable.
Changes
Contact us to change the flight, hotel or pickup time. Deadlines are in the reservation policies.
No-shows
Waiting time, no-shows and extra stops follow the reservation policies you accept at checkout.
Book your transfer online in a few minutes using the form above. If your plans change, contact us as soon as possible to modify your pickup details or cancel your reservation, response times and any applicable fees depend on how close to your pickup date the change is requested.
Your driver waits just outside the exit doors of the Main Terminal at Juan Santamaría International Airport, holding a sign with your name. Drivers stay in that area, so if you need help with bags, a baggage handler can bring them out to you.
Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is in Alajuela Province, next to the city of Alajuela, about 20 kilometers northwest of downtown San José. It is the main airport for the capital. We pick up there and take you to San José, Alajuela or anywhere else you are staying.
No. SJO is Juan Santamaría International Airport near San José, Costa Rica. San Jose International Airport in California has the code SJC. When you book, check that your flight lands at SJO in Costa Rica.
Yes. We go from SJO to hotels and lodges in La Fortuna and around the Arenal Volcano. Give us your lodge's name and address when you book.
Yes. We drive from the airport to the Pacific beaches of Jacó and Manuel Antonio, door to door to your hotel, resort or vacation rental.
Yes. We take travelers from SJO to the cloud forest around Monteverde and to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast. Tell us where you are staying when you book.
Domestic flights use a separate Domestic Terminal about a five-minute walk from the Main Terminal, so you walk over after clearing customs. If you are flying on to a beach or rainforest town, you can book a private transfer from that town's airport instead.
Yes. We go to hotels, lodges, vacation rentals, family homes and offices around San José, Alajuela, Escazú, Santa Ana and the rest of the Central Valley. Give the full address and any gate or building details when you book.
It is safer to book ahead. People offering unsolicited help with rides or bags in arrivals usually lead to a sales pitch. With a pre-booked transfer, your driver and price are confirmed before you land.
We monitor the flight on your reservation and adjust the pickup to its actual arrival. If you change flights, are rebooked or miss a connection, tell customer service so we can move your pickup.
Immigration lines can take an hour or more at busy times. Your pickup follows your landing time, and your driver waits outside the Main Terminal exit once you have cleared customs.
Yes. Book a one-way departure or a round trip on the same reservation. Your pickup time allows for the drive plus check-in and security; give your departure time and whether you fly from the Main or the Domestic Terminal.
Your transfer is paid when you book, so there is nothing to pay the driver. For other purchases, Costa Rica's currency is the colón, but US dollars are widely accepted.
No. Airport Transportation is a private transfer service that takes travelers between the airport and their hotels and homes; we do not run the airport. For terminals, airlines and arrival details, see our Juan Santamaría International Airport page.
We provide private transportation from any airport to any hotel at the best price, and we are licensed with complete insurance liability.
Airport Transportation provides private transportation only, in vans, luxury SUVs, or semi-buses.
Prices on our website are per vehicle, not per person, based on a range of passengers.
Regular vans carry up to 9 passengers, semi-buses up to 16, and luxury SUVs up to 6 passengers.
Walk all the way out of the airport. You'll see representatives holding boards. Look for the Airport Transportation logo or your name.
Commonly Toyota Hiace, Volkswagen Transporter, Mercedes Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter, Chevrolet Tahoe, and Chevrolet Suburban.
Yes. We carry insurance with complete liability for all passengers while using our services.
Baby seats are provided with prior notice, subject to availability, one seat maximum per vehicle.
You can book any time in advance; we suggest one week to one day ahead. Same-day reservations are available.
PayPal is our main payment method; a cash option is also available when booking through our website. Credit cards are accepted through PayPal.
Yes. For your comfort all our units have air conditioning.
During booking we ask for your airline and flight number so we can track delays and wait for you.
Yes, you can add an extra stop to your service during the booking process.
No. Prices are set per passenger range or per vehicle, not per age.
Yes. Cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before your pick-up and you are refunded in full. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before service are not refundable.
Yes. While their English may not be native-level, drivers have the skills to communicate with passengers.
Tips are not mandatory but are highly recommended; drivers earn them through service quality.
All prices are in USD. Via PayPal you can pay in almost any currency; cash payments accept USD only.
We can transport domestic pets kept in cages that fit in a normal vehicle.
Yes. There is plenty of room for one suitcase and one carry-on per person.
Every private transfer includes a professional, licensed driver; an insured, well-maintained vehicle; real-time flight monitoring; meet-and-greet service at arrivals; and door-to-door service with no hidden fees added after booking. Your fixed price covers the full route to your destination.
Choose the vehicle for your party and luggage, add your flight, and review the full reservation before you pay.
Book a transfer