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Deal alert: Fly to Costa Rica for as low as $184 nonstop

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Mike Avila is an Emmy Award-winning TV producer who has worked for NBC, CBS and ABC, to name just a few. He’s author of books such as the recent “Wolverine: Creating Marvel’s Legendary Mutant.” He also was executive producer of the SYFY Originals documentary, “Todd McFarlane: Like Hell I Won’t.”
Dec. 04, 2021
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6 min read
Rio Celeste waterfall, Tenorio volcano national park, Costa Rica
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While the holidays are the time of year when most people plan their vacations, savvy travelers and those people lucky enough to have flexible schedules know that taking off in January is a great way to kick off the new year. And you'll be hard-pressed to find a more perfect place to kick off 2022 than in Costa Rica.

There are some deeply-discounted deals to be had right now on flights to the Central American country, which happens to be one of the most incredible places for vacationers. A big reason for its popularity is the abundance of activities that await you. From beautiful beaches and fishing to lush rainforests that let you indulge your inner adventurer. Costa Rica truly has something for any kind of traveler, so take advantage of this sale.

We came across ticket prices on American, Avianca, and Delta that were as much as 60% off normal prices. These are for Economy class fares, but it's such a good deal, it's hard to pass up.

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We got the heads up about this great deal from our friends Scott's Cheap Flights, who first sent it out to their premium subscribers.

Non-members can find sale prices by using Google Flights to search for desired routes and dates.

Deal basics

Airlines: American, Avianca, Copa, Delta, JetBlue
Routes: CLT/FLL/IAH/JFK/LAX/MIA/MCO/BWI/SFO and other cities to San Jose (SJO) and Liberia (LIR)
Cost: From $184 round-trip
Dates: Limited availability January-February 2022, with some tickets in Fall 2022

Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year); the Citi Prestige® Card for 5x on airfare; the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees)(3x on air travel); Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel); the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2x on travel — which you could redeem for as little as 13,000 points.

The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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Corcovado National Park is located on the Osa Peninsula, Southwestern Costa Rica. (Photo: Arctic-Images for Getty Images)

We found nonstop flights from New York City (JFK) to San Jose (SJO) priced as low as $171 late January-early February. This one is for an Economy ticket from Avianca, which is a Star Alliance member.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

Avianca also had some sharply-reduced fares out of Miami (MIA) to San Jose. To get the best prices, you may have to get creative. We found a $187 nonstop February itinerary with a departure flight on Avianca, and the return flight on American.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

The prices on flights leaving from Miami were changing often, sometimes while I was doing the search! That gives you an idea of how quickly the best offers are being snapped up.

We found a round-trip from Houston (IAH) to San Jose for just $212. Normally this route would cost around $550.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

American had $300 fares from Milwaukee (MKE) to San Jose for an end-of-January trip. The catch is that it has two stops each way. But still, that price is 60% cheaper than usual.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

If that kind of itinerary doesn't work for you and you can wait a while longer to go to Costa Rica, American has some fares out of Milwaukee for just $281 for travel in September.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

You can take off from Baltimore (BWI) to San Jose in January for $269 on American, almost half off what that fare usually costs.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

One of the best bargains we came across was an American Economy ticket from Charlotte (CLT) to Liberia (LIR), a city about 134 miles from the capital, San Jose. Known as "La Ciudad Blanca" (the white city) for the gravel used for the city's roads, Liberia is a great place to visit if you're into outdoor sports activities, due to it being a gateway for the Guanacaste region and its national parks.

The fare we came across in January was less than $300 for a ticket that usually costs nearly $900! If you need to check a bag, it will cost you $60. Well worth it with a ticket this discounted.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

Maximize your purchase

Don’t forget to use a card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, like The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year); the Citi Prestige® Card for 5x on airfare; the Citi Premier® Card (3x on air travel); Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel); the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2x on travel — which you could redeem for as little as 13,000 points.

Bottom Line

As we said above, Costa Rica has something for all travelers. Get yourself a ticket, pack your bags and go experience it for yourself.

Featured image by Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.