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A three-toed sloth hanging from a branch in the Costa Rican rainforest

Flights to Costa Rica from the UK

Routes, airlines, flight times and the best months to fly in 2026, with tailor-made Costa Rica holidays built around you.

You can fly to Costa Rica from the UK without a change. British Airways flies non-stop from London Heathrow to San José in about 11 and a half hours. With one change, KLM via Amsterdam, Air France via Paris and Iberia via Madrid take about 15 to 16 hours, and the fare is usually lower.

San José is the gateway for most trips, with Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and the Caribbean coast all a drive away. Liberia, in the north-west, is closer to the Guanacaste beaches, but from the UK every route there changes in the US or Canada. We book the flights with the rest of the trip and pick the airport that suits your route. Flights are included in every Costa Rica holiday we sell, so the whole trip is ATOL protected.

Flights to Costa Rica at a glance

  • Distance

    About 5,400 miles

    London Heathrow to San José is 5,411 miles (8,708 km) in a straight line. Liberia is 5,437 miles (8,749 km).

  • Flight time

    About 11 and a half hours non-stop

    That is the British Airways flight from Heathrow. With one change in Europe it is about 15 to 16 hours, and via the US about 16 to 18.

  • Direct flights

    Yes, British Airways from Heathrow

    British Airways flies non-stop from Heathrow to San José all year, on set days of the week. It usually costs more than a fare with one change.

  • Time difference

    6 hours behind the UK

    Costa Rica is on UTC minus 6 all year: 6 hours behind in the UK winter and 7 in summer.

  • Airports

    San José (SJO) and Liberia (LIR)

    San José for the Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and the Caribbean coast. Liberia for the Guanacaste beaches in the north-west. Liberia here is the city in Guanacaste, airport code LIR. It is not the West African country of Liberia (country code LBR), whose main airport is Roberts International near Monrovia (ROB), so always search for LIR.

  • Cheapest months

    November, February, May and June

    When we checked fares on 9 October 2026, returns from London in those months started at about £670 to £690. Christmas and August are the dearest. There is a fare guide below.

How to fly to Costa Rica from the UK

As of 2026 there is one non-stop flight from the UK and several routes with one change. The times are from Heathrow and include the connection. Swiss and Edelweiss via Zurich and Lufthansa via Frankfurt fly to San José too.

  • Non-stop with British Airways

    About 11 and a half hours

    London Heathrow to San José, all year on set days of the week. The quickest way, and usually the dearest.

  • Via Amsterdam with KLM

    About 15 hours in total

    Just over an hour to Amsterdam, then the long flight to San José, with connections from Heathrow and other UK airports.

  • Via Paris with Air France

    15 to 16 hours in total

    About an hour and a quarter from London to Paris Charles de Gaulle, then on to San José.

  • Via Madrid with Iberia

    15 to 16 hours in total

    About two and a half hours from London to Madrid, then on to San José. Iberia flies to San José only, not Liberia.

  • Via Bogota with Avianca

    About 17 to 18 hours in total

    Non-stop from London Heathrow to Bogota, then a short hop to San José. Often one of the lower fares.

  • Via the US

    16 to 18 hours in total

    American through Miami or Dallas, United through Houston or Newark, or Delta through Atlanta, to San José or Liberia. You need a US ESTA even to change planes.

  • Via the US to Liberia

    22 hours or more

    Liberia here is LIR in Costa Rica, not the country of Liberia (Monrovia, ROB). When we checked, every route from the UK to LIR changed in the US or Canada, often with a long wait. Liberia can still save the drive back at the end of a trip on the Guanacaste coast.

How much do flights to Costa Rica cost

As a 2026 guide, return economy fares from London to San José with one change run roughly £670 to £800 for most of the year, Easter included, about £950 or more in the summer holidays and £900 to £1,400 or more over Christmas. The British Airways non-stop costs more: about £820 to £1,200 for most of the year and well above that in August and at Christmas. Our Costa Rica holidays are priced with the flights in, so you see one figure.

When to fly to Costa Rica

The dry season on the Pacific side and in the Central Valley runs from December to April, which is the busiest time. The green season, May to November, brings afternoon rain, greener forest and fewer people, and on the Caribbean coast September and October are often the driest months. Fares from the UK are lowest in November, February, May and June. For what is on each month, read the best time to visit Costa Rica.

Before you go: UK passport holders can currently visit Costa Rica for tourism without a visa. The stay can be up to 180 days, and the officer on arrival decides how long. Always check the UK government travel advice for Costa Rica before you book.

Vaccinations: TravelHealthPro, the UK travel health service, lists what it recommends for Costa Rica, and our Costa Rica guide sums it up. Costa Rica asks for a yellow fever certificate only if you arrive from a country with yellow fever, such as Colombia. Changing planes in Bogota without leaving the airport does not count, and nor does a change in Europe or the US. See your GP or a travel nurse 4 to 6 weeks before you go.

Frequently asked questions: flights to Costa Rica

Yes. British Airways flies non-stop from London Heathrow to San José in about 11 and a half hours, all year on set days of the week. On other days, or for a lower fare, you change once in Europe or the US.

About 11 and a half hours non-stop with British Airways. With one change in Amsterdam, Paris or Madrid it is about 15 to 16 hours in total, and via the US about 16 to 18 hours.

San José (SJO) for the Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and the Caribbean coast. Liberia (LIR) is closer to the Guanacaste beaches, but from the UK every route there changes in the US or Canada and the journey takes 22 hours or more. Liberia here is the city in Guanacaste, airport code LIR. It is not the West African country of Liberia (country code LBR), whose main airport is Roberts International near Monrovia (ROB), so always search for LIR.

UK passport holders can currently enter Costa Rica for tourism without a visa, for up to 180 days; the officer on arrival decides how long. If your flights connect through the US you need an ESTA, even just to change planes. The British Airways non-stop and the routes via Europe do not need one. Always check the latest UK government travel advice before you travel.

As a 2026 guide, a return economy fare from London to San José with one change is roughly £670 to £800 for most of the year, about £950 or more in the summer holidays and £900 to £1,400 or more over Christmas. The British Airways non-stop costs more. We include flights in our Costa Rica holidays, so you see one price.

When we checked on 9 October 2026, returns from London in November, February, May and June started at about £670 to £690. Christmas and the August school holidays are the most expensive.

A tailor-made package gives you ATOL protection on the whole trip, flights that match the airport your route starts and ends at, and one contact if anything changes. That is why our Costa Rica holidays always include the flights.

No. We are a tailor-made holiday specialist. We build complete, ATOL-protected Costa Rica holidays with flights, hotels, transfers and experiences in one package.

Costa Rica holidays with flights included

Every trip includes flights from London and is ATOL protected.

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