San Jose Airport (Costa Rica)

San Jose Airport (Costa Rica) (SJO)

The airport of the Costa Rican capital is 17 kilometers northwest of San José, by the city Alajuela. The airport is officially called Juan Santamaría after the soldier who was killed in the fight against the Americans in 1856 (Battle of Rivas). The airport was recently privatized. The new owner – Alterra – is starting with expanding and renovating the airport.

The local currency is the colon (CRC), but in Costa Rican you can also frequently pay with American dollars. You receive the change in colons. CRC 100 = € 0.14, CRC 700 = € 1.00 (December 2006).

You must pay a tax of $26.00 when you leave Costa Rica. This amount is not included in your ticket.

Local transport

Train

There is no train connection with the airport.

Car and bus

The airport is along the Autopista General Cañas that leads to San José. Outside the Arrivals Hall busses from the company TUASA (tel: +506(0)442 6900) leave to San José. Sometimes you have to transfer when going to the centre of the city. All busses from San José to Alajuela and vice versa pass by the airport, but you must tell the driver that you would like to get out. That also applies for the long distance busses over the Pan-American Highway (from Liberia and Monteverde).

Car rental San Jose Airport

At the San Jose Airport you can find rental counters from eight car rental companies among which are a number of local companies, but also the well known international companies such as Alamo, Europcar and Budget. You can also reserve a rental car in advance using the service EasyTerra provides. They compare the rates of several providers in a single quote.

Taxi

The official airport taxis have an orange color. You can purchase a ticket at the kiosk in the Arrivals Hall for these taxis. Other official taxis (red with yellow triangles) have a meter (maría) and their prices are lower. A ride to San José costs between $12.00 and $15.00. Avoid the collectivos (mini busses) that frequently transport as many people as possible to several hotels, so that you not only have to sit in a tight space, but you are also in transit for a long time. Unofficial taxi drivers sometimes charge less, but often charge more than the current prices.

You can best purchase a ticket at one of the kiosks in the Arrivals Hall.

Airport Parking

There is no information available.

Services

Hotels

There are no hotels at the airport. Between the airport and San José there are several hotels including the Marriott (3 km, tel: +506 298 0000), Hampton Inn & Suites (1 km, tel: +506(0)436 0000), Hotel Aeropuerto (tel: +506(0)442 0354) and Los Volcanes Bed & Breakfast (tel: +506(0)441 0525).

Shops and restaurants

There is a limited offering of shops, the majority being souvenir shops. For eating and drinking you are referred to one of the fast-food chains (Burger King, Church's Chicken and Papa John's) that have quite high prices.

Baggage

The baggage handling is not very efficient. You often have to wait a half hour or longer for the first suitcases to appear on the baggage band, especially if your airplane arrives after 18:00. There is a counter for lost and found items in the Arrivals Hall. You can not store baggage.

For flights with the small planes of the Costa Rican companies Nature Air and Sansa count on strict baggage limits. You may only bring 11 kilo per person. This weight is including your hand baggage. Heavy baggage is simply refused.

Information

In the Arrivals Hall you can find a general information counter and several windows from travel agencies and tour operators.

Business

There are no business facilities. The owner Alterra has a plan to build a business lounge with limited business facilities.

Handicapped persons

The terminal is reasonably accessible for handicapped persons. There are adapted restrooms and elevators. In the new terminal there will be more services for handicapped travelers.

Other services

There are three cash machines in the terminal: one by Boarding Room 4, one in the International Arrivals Hall and one by the exit (on the exterior of the building). Exchange only a small amount of money at the money exchange office in the Arrivals Hall. The exchange rate at the airport is very unfavorable compared to the banks in the city. Ask for smaller denominations (up to 20 dollars) because larger amounts are often not accepted.

Contact

Address

Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría
PO Box 5026-1000
San Jose
Alajuela
Costa Rica

Telephone, fax, email

Telephone: +506(0)443 0840
Fax: +506(0)443 1244
E-mail: through the contact form

Airport codes

IATA airport code: SJO
ICAO airport code: MROC

Websites

Website San Jose Airport (Spanish)
Arrival and Departure times (Spanish, only scheduled times)