How long is the flight to Costa Rica?

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.

Which airport should I fly into, San José or Liberia?

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.

Do I need a visa or ESTA to travel to Costa Rica?

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.

When is the cheapest time to fly to Costa Rica?

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.

Should I book flights separately or as a package?

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.

Do you sell flight-only?

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.

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

Flights to Costa Rica from the UK

Q: How much do flights to Costa Rica cost?

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.

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.

Costa Rica holidays with flights included

Every trip includes flights from London and is ATOL protected.

Costa Rica

Tailor-Made

Travel Insurance for Costa Rica

Costa Rica is an adventure destination. Ziplining, white-water rafting, surfing and walking at altitude are part of the appeal, so check that any policy you buy covers the activities you actually plan to do, alongside medical costs and repatriation. If anyone travelling has a pre-existing medical condition, check how the policy treats it before you buy.

Arranging cover as soon as your trip is confirmed, rather than nearer departure, also means you are covered if you have to cancel.

Visit Just Travel Cover

We are not insurance advisers and we do not recommend a particular policy or provider. The link above is to an independent company and we may be paid a commission if you buy through it.

eSIM for Costa Rica

An eSIM gets your phone online as soon as you land. You buy it online and install it at home on wifi. All three work in Costa Rica:

Airalo: the widest choice of plan sizes, usually the cheapest for a set amount of data.
Saily: priced close to Airalo, with no limit on hotspot use. Code TRAVELFAB takes 10 percent off.
Holafly: unlimited data priced by the day. Code TRAVELFAB takes 5 percent off.

Visit Airalo

We may earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It never adds to your price, and it does not change which one we suggest.

Let us plan your Costa Rica holiday

Our specialists choose the flights and the right airport, plan the drives between rainforest, volcanoes and coast and pick the hotels, so your ATOL-protected Costa Rica holiday comes together as one trip.

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Flights to Costa Rica from the UK

Flights to Costa Rica at a glance

Distance

Flight time

Direct flights

Time difference

Airports

Cheapest months

How to fly to Costa Rica from the UK

Non-stop with British Airways

Via Amsterdam with KLM

Via Paris with Air France

Via Madrid with Iberia

Via Bogota with Avianca

Via the US

Via the US to Liberia

How much do flights to Costa Rica cost

When to fly to Costa Rica

Frequently asked questions: flights to Costa Rica

Costa Rica holidays with flights included

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Costa Rica Explorer

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Costa Rica: Coast to Coast

Rainforest & Volcano Trek

Let us plan your Costa Rica holiday