Deal Alert: US to Costa Rica From $252 Round-Trip On Mainline Carriers
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
The time is now to book your next vacation to Costa Rica. You can fly from Orlando (MCO), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Miami (MIA), Boston (BOS), Baltimore (BWI), Raleigh (RDU), Cleveland (CLE), Jacksonville (JAX), Chicago (ORD), San Francisco (SFO) and Denver (DEN) to San José (SJO) from just $252 round-trip. While all flights are on full-service carriers, a majority of these bookings are in basic economy — which means you'll still have to pay extra fees for checked bags and seat selection but you'll still earn miles on the flights. Using an airline's co-branded credit card can help beat some of the pitfalls of basic economy.
If you’re looking for something to do while you're exploring Central America, check out Get Your Guide’s list of the best activities to do in Costa Rica. Also, considering staying at the Andaz Costa Rica, a beautiful resort that's a great place to redeem Hyatt points.
To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or through an OTA like Priceline or Expedia.
Airlines: JetBlue, Avianca, United, Delta, COPA
Routes: MCO/FLL/MIA/BOS/BWI/RDU/CLE/JAX/DEN/ORD/SFO to SJO
Cost: $252+ round-trip in basic economy
Travel Dates: January – June 2019, September – November 2019
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Prestige Card (3x on airfare plus excellent trip delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Orlando (MCO) to San José (SJO) for $252 round-trip nonstop on JetBlue:
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to San José (SJO) for $285 round-trip on JetBlue:
Boston (BOS) to San José (SJO) for $296 round-trip on United:
Baltimore (BWI) to San José (SJO) for $298 round-trip on Delta:
Miami (MIA) to San José (SJO) for $306 round-trip on COPA via Priceline:
Raleigh (RDU) to San José (SJO) for $312 round-trip on United:
Cleveland (CLE) to San José (SJO) for $314 round-trip on United:
Jacksonville (JAX) to San José (SJO) for $328 round-trip on Delta:
Denver (DEN) to San José (SJO) for $334 round-trip on United:
Chicago (ORD) to San José (SJO) for $339 round-trip on Avianca via Priceline:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card, Citi Prestige Card (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
H/T: Thrifty Traveler
