# San José (SJO) or Liberia (LIR)? Choosing your Costa Rica airport > Fly into Liberia (LIR) if your trip is mostly Guanacaste and the northern Nicoya beaches; it's about 1¼ hours from Tamarindo. Fly into San José (SJO) for everything else: Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, the Caribbean and the south. For a route that ends on the beach, fly into SJO and home from LIR. Source: https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-airports-sjo-or-liberia/ Last checked: 2026-10-20 SJO: Juan Santamaría International Airport, Alajuela, about 20 km from downtown San José; the country's busiest airport LIR: Guanacaste Airport (Daniel Oduber Quirós), about 11 km from Liberia Best for LIR: Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, Flamingo, Conchal, Rincón de la Vieja Best for SJO: Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, the Caribbean coast, the Osa Peninsula Domestic flights: Sansa connects San José, Liberia and about a dozen smaller airstrips Costa Rica has 2 main international airports, and choosing the right one can save you most of a day of driving. The short answer: Liberia for the northwest beaches, San José for nearly everything else, and both if your route runs from the mountains to the coast. ## The 2 airports ### Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) Costa Rica's biggest and busiest airport sits in Alajuela, about 20 km northwest of downtown San José. It handled about 6.7 million passengers in 2025, and it has the widest choice of flights, including from the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe. It's in the middle of the country, which makes it the natural gateway to the Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, the Caribbean coast and the South Pacific. Most of Sansa's domestic flights also start in San José, so it's where you'll connect to Tortuguero or the Osa Peninsula. ### Guanacaste Airport (LIR) Officially Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, renamed Guanacaste Airport in 2021, it sits about 11 km west-southwest of Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste. Its terminal opened in 2012, and it served about 1.9 million passengers in 2024. Most flights come from the United States and Canada, some only in the dry season, and there are seasonal flights from Europe, such as Edelweiss from Zurich. LIR is the closest airport to the beaches of the northwest. Wikivoyage puts the taxi from the airport to Tamarindo at about 1¼ hours. ## Which airport for which region | Where you're going | Fly into | Why | |---|---|---| | Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, Flamingo, Conchal | LIR | Short transfer to the beach | | Rincón de la Vieja, Liberia | LIR | Close by | | Nosara and Sámara | Either, or LIR | Closer to LIR; Sansa also flies to Nosara | | Santa Teresa, Montezuma | SJO, or fly on to the local airstrip | Ferry from Puntarenas, or a Sansa flight | | Arenal and La Fortuna | SJO (LIR also works) | About 3½ hours' drive from SJO | | Monteverde | SJO | Mountain roads either way | | Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific | SJO | Much closer to SJO | | Uvita, Dominical, Ojochal | SJO | South of San José | | Osa Peninsula | SJO, then Sansa | Flights to Drake Bay and Puerto Jiménez | | Caribbean coast and Tortuguero | SJO | East of San José | ## The open-jaw trick If your trip runs from the mountains to the northwest beaches, fly into one airport and home from the other. A typical route lands in San José, heads to Arenal and Monteverde, and finishes with beach days in Guanacaste before flying home from Liberia. You never have to drive back to the capital. Our [7-day itinerary](/costa-rica-itinerary-7-days/) follows this pattern. If you're renting a car, ask about one-way drop-off before you book. ## Guanacaste beach trips For a beach-focused trip in the northwest, LIR is the obvious choice. You can be in the sea the same afternoon, then add a day at [Rincón de la Vieja National Park](/rincon-de-la-vieja-national-park/) or a dive trip from Playa Flamingo with [Rocket Frog Divers](/rocket-frog-divers/). Read our [Guanacaste guide](/guanacaste/). ## Classic routes and the south For the classic loop through [Arenal Volcano National Park](/arenal-volcano-national-park/), Monteverde and [Manuel Antonio National Park](/manuel-antonio-national-park/), fly in and out of San José. It's also the right choice for the Caribbean, [Tortuguero](/tortuguero-national-park/) and the Osa Peninsula, where you can connect to a Sansa flight for [Corcovado National Park](/corcovado-national-park/). See our [10-day](/costa-rica-itinerary-10-days/) and [2-week](/costa-rica-itinerary-2-weeks/) itineraries. ## Domestic airports Sansa flies small planes from San José to Liberia, Tamarindo, Nosara, the Santa Teresa and Mal País area, Quepos, La Fortuna, Drake Bay, Puerto Jiménez, Golfito, Tortuguero and Limón. Wikivoyage notes that San José also has a smaller airport, Tobías Bolaños (SYQ) in Pavas, used mainly for domestic flights. Check which San José airport your domestic flight uses. Baggage rules on small planes are strict. Sansa allows 4.5 kg of free carry-on, and checked allowance depends on your fare. ## Arrival tips - **Plan your first night near the airport.** Many international flights land in the afternoon or evening. Rather than drive mountain roads in the dark, stay near SJO in Alajuela, or near LIR, and set off in the morning. - **Entry rules:** check your own government's advice. The UK government, for example, says British visitors can stay without a visa for up to 180 days, decided by the immigration officer on arrival, and need a passport valid for at least 1 day beyond their departure date. - **Departure tax:** there's a departure tax for leaving by air, but most airlines include it in the ticket. Check your booking. - **Getting out of the airport:** pre-book a shuttle or transfer, or use an official taxi. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is it better to fly into San José or Liberia? It depends on where you're going. Liberia is best for Guanacaste's beaches; San José is best for Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, the Caribbean and the south. ### How far is Liberia airport from Tamarindo? Wikivoyage puts the taxi ride at about 1¼ hours. ### Can I fly into one airport and out of the other? Yes, and it often makes sense. Fly into San José and home from Liberia if your trip ends on the Guanacaste coast. ### Can I get to Arenal from Liberia? Yes. Arenal sits between the 2 airports, so either works. From San José, Wikivoyage puts the drive at about 3½ hours. ### Do I need to pay a departure tax? There is one for leaving by air, but most airlines include it in the ticket price. Check your booking to be sure.