Travelling from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO): What you need to know
There are a couple of main airports to jet off from in Sao Paulo. Check out your options departing from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) or Viracopos Airport (VCP) when booking your flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO).
Hop on a direct Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport flight and you'll be travelling for around 7 hours 30 minutes.
San Jose is three hours behind Sao Paulo. Juan Santamaria International Airport is located in San Jose, which operates on the UTC-6 timezone.
Choose from 3 direct services every week between Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). This is the most popular route, with Gol offering a 1:55pm departure from GRU to SJO.
Your flight from Sao Paulo to SJO won't wait if you're late, so get to the airport with time to spare. Arrive up to one hour in advance for domestic flights and two hours ahead for international travel.
In high season, expect extended wait times and show up earlier. Aim for at least two hours ahead for domestic flights and up to four hours for international journeys.
Airports in Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)
You can find a direct flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) departing from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU).
When taking off from GRU, you can catch a direct flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport with Gol.
The airline with the highest booking numbers between GRU and SJO is Gol.
A stopover is the ideal opportunity to take a travel break and possibly even explore a different city. When searching for cheap flights from Sao Paulo to SJO departing from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), uncheck the 'Direct flights only' box to find all potential stops. Top options include:
El Dorado International Airport (BOG)
Tocumen International Airport (PTY)
Las Americas International Airport (SDQ)
Travelling from central Sao Paulo to GRU takes around 1 hour 20 minutes by public transport. If you ride-share, drive or take a cab, you'll cover the 26 kilometres in 30 minutes or so, depending on traffic conditions.
Searching for a convenient hotel close to Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport? If you're catching an early flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport, these stays will put you moments from check-in:
75.54% of flights taking off from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport touch down at their destination on schedule.
Sao Paulo/Congonhas Airport (CGH)
You can reach CGH from the centre of Sao Paulo in about 15 minutes by car (depending on traffic). The ride by public transport takes roughly 35 minutes to cover the 10 kilometres or so.
Get a head start on your holiday with an extra night away from home. Before catching your Sao Paulo to SJO flight, stay in one of these hotels near Sao Paulo/Congonhas Airport:
When it comes to keeping flights punctual, Sao Paulo/Congonhas Airport has an on-time arrival performance of 73.8%.
Viracopos Airport (VCP)
From central Sao Paulo, VCP is around 97 kilometres away. It takes roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to get to the airport by car and 3 hours 25 minutes or so if you take public transport.
Skip the rush on your departure day — stay close to Viracopos Airport and know you'll get to your boarding gate with time to spare. Get settled at one of these hotels the day before if you're catching an early Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport flight:
Flights departing from VCP touch down at their destination as scheduled 75.02% of the time.
About Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
The last thing you want is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport. Stay at one of these accommodation options near SJO instead:
Follow your own route with a Juan Santamaria International Airport rental car. Pick up a set of wheels from NextCar, Europcar or Dollar and experience more of San Jose and beyond.
Secure the lowest price by reserving your ride around three weeks ahead of your Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport flight.
Getting from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to central San Jose
Juan Santamaria International Airport is about 14 kilometres from central San Jose. How long it'll take to get there in a car hire or cab depends on the time of day. Do some research before your trip.
Travelling by public transport takes about 2 hours 20 minutes.
How to find the cheapest flights from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
At the moment, R 2,830 is the best price we've found for a one-way ticket from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport. The cheapest price for a return flight is R 5,785. Keep in mind fares may change due to availability at the time of booking.
To snag cheap flights from Sao Paulo to SJO, book your ticket five months ahead of your departure date.
Schedule your trip for October. That's the best month for landing an awesome deal on Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport tickets. If you're flexible with your dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across each month.
Be the first to know about deals for plane tickets from Sao Paulo to SJO by setting up a Price Alert. We'll send you an email or push notification on the app when fares go down.
Filters make it easier to dig up a deal for your flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport. Choose the airlines, flight times and number of stops that match your plans. Then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to find the most affordable option fast.
The best time to fly from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
It's time to figure out your travel dates for your flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). July is the busiest month to travel to San Jose. If you prefer a quieter vibe, head there in May.
Lock in a Sao Paulo to SJO plane ticket departing in March if you're eager to visit the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in San Jose to range from 12ºC (54ºF) to 29ºC (84ºF).
If you like travelling in cooler conditions, search for a cheap ticket from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport in January when temperatures are between 12ºC (54ºF) and 26ºC (79ºF).
More about San Jose
When it comes to looking for somewhere to lay your head, you'll find the top stays in San Jose right here. Explore these hotels as soon as you've locked in your flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport:
National Park (Parque Nacional) and Jurassic World are a couple of leading attractions to add to your San Jose to-do list. Keep the momentum going by heading to Central Park (Parque Central).
Explore more of Costa Rica
You've done San Jose, now it's time to explore other parts of Costa Rica. Travel about 129 kilometres east to Limon to check off its leading sights. From Veragua Rainforest Park to Playa Bonita and Playa Los Baños, you've got a jam-packed schedule ahead.
If there's time to check out another corner of Costa Rica, head for Liberia, roughly 153 kilometres north-west of San Jose. Ponderosa Adventure Park, Ecologico Park and Museo de Guanacaste are key highlights.
