Flying from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO): What you need to know
Planning your trip starts with working out where you'll fly out of in Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is the city's main airport, so check out your options for booking a flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) taking off from here.
7 hours 25 minutes is the average duration of a direct Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport flight.
San Jose is three hours behind Sao Paulo. Juan Santamaria International Airport is located in San Jose, which operates on the UTC-6 timezone.
Arriving two hours before an international flight and one hour ahead of a domestic departure are golden rules for stress-free travel. Show up at the airport on time to catch your flight from Sao Paulo to SJO.
During popular months like July, you'll want to get to the airport well in advance. Plan to arrive two hours before domestic departures and four hours ahead of an international flight when you fly during peak periods in general.
Airports in Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)
You can book a direct flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) out of Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU).
When jetting out of GRU, you can catch a direct flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport with Gol.
The majority of passengers prefer to book seats with GOL Linhas Aéreas between GRU and SJO.
The carrier with the most reliable on-time arrival rate on this route is GOL Linhas Aéreas.
We make it a piece of cake to find cheap flights from Sao Paulo to SJO that include a stopover. To explore the options leaving from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), deselect 'Direct flights only.' Then, simply choose a flight that has a stop long enough to tour your chosen city. Popular stopovers between GRU and SJO include:
Bogota El Dorado International Airport (BOG)
Panama City Tocumen International Airport (PTY)
Santo Domingo Las Americas International Airport (SDQ)
GRU is around 26 kilometres from central Sao Paulo. If you're catching a taxi, driving or ride-sharing from the centre, it'll take you 45 minutes or so to get there, depending on the traffic. If you're taking public transport, expect the journey time to be around 1 hour 10 minutes.
Searching for a comfortable hotel near Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport? If you're catching an early flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport, these accommodation options will have you sleeping moments from check-in:
71% of flights that take off from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport make it to their destination on time.
Sao Paulo Congonhas Airport (CGH)
CGH is around 10 kilometres from central Sao Paulo. It'll take 25 minutes or so to get to the airport in a car from the city centre. Public transport takes approximately 50 minutes.
Get your holiday started early with an additional night away from home. Before 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 75%.
Viracopos-Campinas International Airport (VCP)
From the centre of Sao Paulo, VCP is around 97 kilometres away. It'll take you roughly 1 hour 30 minutes to reach the airport by car and 2 hours 20 minutes or so on public transport.
Set yourself up for a smooth departure — stay near Viracopos-Campinas International Airport and know you'll reach your gate with time to spare. Get comfy at one of these hotels the day before if you've booked an early Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport flight:
Flights that take off from VCP touch down at their destination within the expected time frame 74% of the time.
About Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
Have a late flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport? Don't let it leave you bleary-eyed. Stay at one of these hotels near SJO and hit the lights earlier:
Booking your vehicle around three weeks ahead of your Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport flight can help you secure the lowest rate.
Getting from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to central San Jose
From Juan Santamaria International Airport, central San Jose is around 18 kilometres away. It takes about 25 minutes to reach the city centre by car.
Travelling on public transport will take you roughly 1 hour.
How to find the cheapest flights from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
The lowest price we've found for a one-way ticket from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport is R 3,050. For a return flight on this route, the best price is R 6,655. Depending on the availability and when you book, these fares may change.
Get cheap flights from Sao Paulo to SJO by booking five months ahead. Based on our research, that's the ideal time frame for finding the biggest deals.
October is when you're most likely to land a bargain on a Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport ticket. If you're looking to travel at a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will give you the lowest prices for each month.
Finding a cheap plane ticket from Sao Paulo to SJO is a piece of cake with Price Alerts. All you need to do is set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll notify you when the price has dropped.
Find an affordable flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport by using filters. Select your preferred duration, departure time and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.
The best time to fly from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
December is the quietest month for flights from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), while January is the most popular. Choose the best time to visit San Jose based on whether you like a laid-back vibe or a lively atmosphere.
When booking your Sao Paulo to SJO plane ticket, consider the kind of weather forecast you're hoping for. March is the warmest month in San Jose, with temperatures ranging from 12ºC (54ºF) to 29ºC (84ºF).
Search for cheap tickets from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport in January if you'd rather travel when it's cooler. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 11ºC (52ºF) and 26ºC (79ºF).
More about San Jose
Once you've booked your flight from Sao Paulo to Juan Santamaria International Airport, find a hotel that's got location and comfort covered. Make one of these options your base for exploring San Jose:
There are loads of awesome things to do in San Jose when you're in the mood to sightsee. Kick things off at National Park (Parque Nacional) followed by Central Park (Parque Central) and Precolumbian Gold Museum.
Explore more of Costa Rica
You've seen San Jose, now it's time to discover more of Costa Rica. Journey about 129 kilometres east to Limon to check off its leading sights. From Veragua Rainforest Park to Playa Bonita and Playa Los Baños, your itinerary will be busy.
Around 153 kilometres northwest of San Jose, Liberia is another favourite stop in Costa Rica. Get a taste of what this destination has to offer at Museo de Guanacaste, Mirador de Liberia and Catarata oropendola.