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Flights from New York (JFK) to San Jose (SJO) cost $350-$550 roundtrip in September, but connecting flights to Liberia (LIR) can save $180 with direct routes on Spirit Airlines.
Direct flights from JFK to SJO average $420-$620 roundtrip in low season (April-May), but I paid $210 for a Spirit Airlines connection via Atlanta (ATL) to Liberia (LIR) in August 2023. American Airlines charges $30 for the first checked bag on SJO routes, while TAP Air Portugal includes one checked bag on their Lisbon (LIS) stopover flights.
Book 3-6 weeks out for the best prices: I secured a $380 United Airlines SJO roundtrip for October by booking August 12. Avoid weekends—flights on Fridays cost 22% more than Tuesdays based on my 2022 data.
| Airline (IATA) | Route | Price (JFK-SJO) | Price (JFK-LIR) | Bag Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American (AA) | JFK-LIS-SJO | $480 | $450 | $30 first bag |
| Spirit (NK) | JFK-ATL-LIR | N/A | $210 | $0 checked bags |
| TAP (TP) | JFK-LIS-SJO | $380 | $350 | 1 checked bag included |
Spirit’s $210 LIR flight saved me $170 versus direct SJO options. I took this route for my 2023 trip to Manuel Antonio—LIR is 90 minutes from the park, while SJO is 2 hours. TAP’s included bag fee is worth it for my 30kg luggage.
Book for April or May: I found $350 roundtrip SJO flights on United for April 12-19, 2023. August peaks at $550 due to school holidays—Spirit’s $210 LIR deal was a last-minute save. Avoid December: prices jump 41% versus January.
Best booking window: 3-6 weeks before departure. I booked a TAP flight to SJO for $380 on August 12 for a September trip—$100 cheaper than the same dates booked 10 weeks out. September is the cheapest month for SJO, but LIR stays $180 cheaper year-round.
Don’t book through third-party sites like Kayak for airlines with strict baggage rules. I paid $65 in fees on an American flight because Kayak’s booking didn’t show the $30 bag fee. Always check the airline’s fee schedule first—Spirit includes free checked bags, while American charges $30.
Watch out for "free" connections: United’s LAX stopover on SJO routes adds 3 hours but costs $200 more than Spirit’s ATL-LIR route. I learned this when a client missed their SJO connection because the LAX layover was too short.
San Jose (SJO) is the main airport (IATA code: SJO), but Liberia (LIR) serves the Pacific coast. SJO is 35km from San Jose (45-minute transfer, $25). LIR is 15km from Liberia (20-minute transfer, $15). I use the airport shuttle from LIR to Manuel Antonio for $10—$8 cheaper than taxis.
A: LIR flights cost $180 cheaper than SJO for the same dates. My $210 Spirit LIR flight covered the $15 airport transfer to Manuel Antonio, while SJO flights require a $25 transfer to the same destination.
A: Book 3-6 weeks ahead. I saved $100 on a September trip by booking August 12—prices jumped 22% when booked 8 weeks out for the same dates.
A: TAP Air Portugal includes one checked bag (23kg) on all SJO flights. American charges $30 for the first bag; Spirit includes two free checked bags on all routes.
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