Cheap flights from Chicago to San José from £190

Cheap flights from Chicago to San José from £190

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1 stop
Tue, Sep 1
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£190
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1 stop
Tue, Sep 1
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£203
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1 stop
Wed, Sep 2
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£204
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1 stop
Wed, Sep 2
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£222
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1 stop
Thu, Sep 3
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£223
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1 stop
Tue, Sep 1
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£223
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1 stop
Tue, Sep 1 – Fri, Sep 4
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£439
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1 stop
Tue, Sep 1 – Thu, Sep 3
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£446
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1 stop
Tue, Sep 1 – Sat, Sep 5
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£447
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1 stop
Wed, Sep 2 – Sat, Sep 5
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£449
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1 stop
Tue, Sep 1 – Fri, Sep 4
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£450
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1 stop
Wed, Sep 2 – Fri, Sep 4
Chicago ORDSan José SJO
£451
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How much do flights to San José cost?

Cheapest one-way trip

£190

Cheapest round-trip

£439

Average round-trip

£548

Includes rare itinerary

Travel hack

Nonstop flights in August

£355 – £355

Getting from San José's airport to the city center

The fastest option is taxi or ride-hailing, while budget travelers often choose public buses.

San José, the capital of Costa Rica, is served by Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), located approximately 17 km northwest of the city center. This is the country's main international gateway, handling the majority of international flights. For travelers seeking airport transfers to city center destinations, options include official airport taxis, ride-hailing services, public buses, shared shuttles, private transfers, and rental cars. Journey times vary depending on traffic conditions, which can be heavy during rush hours on the main highway connecting the airport to downtown San José.

Transport Option

Typical Time

Typical Cost

Frequency

Best For

20-45 min

₡15,000 – ₡25,000; CRC 15,000–25,000 (~$28–47 USD); fixed zone rates

on-demand 24/7 (traffic dependent)

door-to-door convenience

20-45 min

₡8,000 – ₡18,000; CRC 8,000–18,000 (~$15–34 USD); surge pricing applies

on-demand 24/7 (traffic dependent)

app-based booking

30-60 min

CRC 700–900 (~$1.30–1.70 USD)

every 10–15 min (traffic dependent)

budget travelers

30-60 min

₡10,000 – ₡15,000; CRC 10,000–15,000 (~$19–28 USD); per person

scheduled departures (traffic dependent)

solo travelers on budget

20-45 min

₡25,000 – ₡45,000; CRC 25,000–45,000 (~$47–85 USD); pre-booked

pre-booked (traffic dependent)

groups and families

20-45 min

₡20,000 – ₡50,000; CRC 20,000–50,000 (~$38–95 USD); per day

on-demand (traffic dependent)

flexibility and onward travel

Notes:

  • Prices in CRC (Costa Rican Colón); table created in 2025 and subject to change.
  • Official orange airport taxis operate with fixed zone-based rates and are the only taxis authorized to pick up at the terminal.
  • Ride-hailing apps like Uber and DiDi operate in Costa Rica; pickup is from designated areas outside the terminal.
  • Public buses (TUASA) depart from outside the terminal and stop at Alajuela and San José city center.
  • Traffic on the General Cañas Highway can significantly increase travel times during rush hours (7–9 AM and 5–7 PM).
  • We recommend checking official transport websites for your travel planning.

Updated: December 2025

Key info about flying to San José

Depart from
O Hare International
Arrive to
Juan Santamaría International
Average flights per week
400
Flight distance
3578 km
Worth visiting
Bosque Nuboso Monteverde - Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio

Weekly direct flights

Discover the top airlines offering direct flights from Chicago to San José in the next month. You’ll find the number of daily direct flights per airline in the chart.

AirlineMon 17.08Tue 18.08Wed 19.08Thu 20.08Fri 21.08Sat 22.08Sun 23.08
United Airlines
---------------------
Weekly flights: 0 totalDaily flights: 0 averageMost flights: 0 flights
AirlineMon 24.08Tue 25.08Wed 26.08Thu 27.08Fri 28.08Sat 29.08Sun 30.08
United Airlines
---------------------
Weekly flights: 0 totalDaily flights: 0 averageMost flights: 0 flights
AirlineMon 31.08Tue 01.09Wed 02.09Thu 03.09Fri 04.09Sat 05.09Sun 06.09
United Airlines
---------------------
Weekly flights: 0 totalDaily flights: 0 averageMost flights: 0 flights
AirlineMon 07.09Tue 08.09Wed 09.09Thu 10.09Fri 11.09Sat 12.09Sun 13.09
United Airlines
---------------------
Weekly flights: 0 totalDaily flights: 0 averageMost flights: 0 flights

Check-in for a flight from Chicago to San José

NameCarrier codeIATA CodePassport needed during booking
VolarisVOIY4No
AviancaAVAAVNo
Frontier AirlinesFFTF9No
Copa AirlinesCMPCMYes
AeroMexicoAMXAMYes

Online check-in is not available for these airlines.

Weather in San José

Average Weather

MonthAverage monthly max temperatureAverage monthly min temperature
January24°C14°C
February26°C14°C
March27°C15°C
April26°C16°C
May25°C16°C
June24°C16°C
July24°C16°C
August24°C15°C
September24°C15°C
October23°C15°C
November23°C15°C
December23°C14°C
Hottest Month
27°C
March
Coldest month
14°C
January
Sunny days
181
days per year

14 day forecast

Saturday
15 Aug
85%
25°C16°C
22 Aug
86%
24°C16°C
Sunday
16 Aug
90%
21°C16°C
23 Aug
80%
24°C15°C
Monday
17 Aug
85%
20°C15°C
24 Aug
88%
24°C15°C
Tuesday
18 Aug
88%
25°C16°C
25 Aug
90%
23°C16°C
Wednesday
19 Aug
93%
22°C18°C
26 Aug
90%
22°C16°C
Thursday
20 Aug
92%
23°C17°C
27 Aug
87%
24°C15°C
Friday
21 Aug
80%
21°C16°C
28 Aug
88%
24°C14°C
Travelers usually depart from O Hare International, Chicago Midway International, or Chicago Rockford International when they travel from Chicago to San José. The distance between Chicago and San José is 3578 km. The most popular airlines for this route are Volaris, Avianca, Frontier Airlines, Copa Airlines, and AeroMexico. Chicago and San José have 400 direct flights per week. When you arrive at San José, consider visiting Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, and Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to travel from Chicago to San José?

A one-way nonstop (direct) flight between Chicago and San José takes around 5.3 hours.

What is the flight distance between Chicago and San José?

The flight distance between Chicago and San José is 3578 km.

What airlines offer nonstop (direct) flights between Chicago and San José?

Several carriers operate flights between Chicago and San José. Airlines offering nonstop (direct) flights include United Airlines.

What are the most popular routes to and from Chicago?

Travelers frequently search for route combinations, such as Chicago and Mexico City, London, Guadalajara, Morelia, New York, Orlando, León, Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Monterrey, Miami, Denver, Cancún, Istanbul, Atlanta, Calgary.

What are the most popular routes to and from San José?

Travelers frequently search for route combinations, such as San José and London, Cancún, Los Angeles, Toronto, Panama, New York, Glasgow, Guatemala City, Bogotá, Medellín, Atlanta, Vancouver, Mexico City, Montreal, Boston, San Francisco, Denver, Charlotte, Manchester, Aberdeen.

Which airports are there in Chicago?

Chicago is mainly served by O Hare International. But there are other airports nearby, including Chicago Midway International, Chicago Rockford International.

What airports are near Chicago?

The main airport in Chicago is O Hare International. It is also served by Gerald R. Ford International, South Bend International, Dane County Regional, General Mitchell International, General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International, Fort Wayne International, Quad City International, Central Illinois Regional, Muskegon County, University of Illinois Willard.

What airports are near San José?

The main airport in San José is Juan Santamaría International. It is also served by Daniel Oduber Quirós International, Limón International, Quepos La Managua, Fortuna Arenal, Tortuguero.

Which airlines fly between Chicago and San José?

Currently, you can fly between Chicago and San José with Volaris, Avianca, Frontier Airlines, Copa Airlines, AeroMexico.

When’s the best time to travel between Chicago and San José?

What flights operate between Chicago and San José?

How many airports are there near Chicago?

How many airports are there near San José?

What time do nonstop (direct) flights between Chicago and San José depart?

What time do nonstop (direct) flights between Chicago and San José arrive?

What time do flights between Chicago and San José depart?

What time do flights between Chicago and San José arrive?

Planning a trip? Thanks to our Virtual Interlining algorithm, we offer billions of route combinations between any origin and destination in the world by plane. Find the cheapest routes and best deals, as well as the best dates to travel.

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