Costa Rica Domestic Flights: SANSA Airlines Guide

A five-hour drive to the beach or a 45-minute flight: in Costa Rica, a small plane can save you most of a travel day. The catch is a strict weight limit, a cabin with about a dozen seats and the occasional weather delay.

SANSA Airlines is Costa Rica’s main domestic airline, flying single-engine Cessna Grand Caravans from its own terminal at San José’s Juan Santamaría airport (SJO) to about a dozen destinations, including Tamarindo, Liberia, La Fortuna, Nosara, Quepos, Tortuguero, Drake Bay and Puerto Jiménez. One-way domestic flights in Costa Rica typically cost about $90 to $180, take 20 to 50 minutes, and come with a baggage limit of roughly 30 to 40 pounds per person, including your carry-on. Most routes run through San José, so flying between two beach towns usually means a connection.

This guide covers SANSA’s routes and fares, baggage rules, safety, the other domestic airlines and when flying beats driving.

Costa Rica domestic flights	At a glance
Main airline	SANSA, from its domestic terminal at SJO
Other options	Costa Rica Green Airways (limited routes), Aerobell (from Tobías Bolaños airport in Pavas), private charters
Aircraft	Single-engine Cessna Grand Caravans with about a dozen passenger seats
One-way fare	About $90 to $180, depending on route and season
Flight time	About 20 to 50 minutes
Baggage	Roughly 30 to 40 lb (14 to 18 kg) per person, including carry-on, depending on fare
Check-in	At least 1 hour before departure

The airline

SANSA Airlines: What to Know

SANSA (Servicios Aéreos Nacionales) was founded in 1978 as the domestic arm of LACSA, Costa Rica’s former national airline, and later became part of Avianca. In 2019, Avianca sold it to Regional Airlines Holding, a U.S.-based company. It runs scheduled flights on fixed timetables, and it has the largest domestic network in the country.

SANSA destinations

• Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula: Liberia, Tamarindo, Nosara, Tambor and Cóbano, the airstrip for Santa Teresa and Malpaís.
• Central and South Pacific: Quepos, for Manuel Antonio, plus Drake Bay, Puerto Jiménez and Golfito, the gateways to the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado.
• Northern plains: La Fortuna, near Arenal Volcano.
• Caribbean: Tortuguero and Limón.
• International: Bocas del Toro in Panama and Managua in Nicaragua.

The route list and schedules change by season, so check the current timetable before you plan around a flight. You can book directly on the Sansa Airlines website.

SANSA fares

One-way fares typically run about $90 to $180, with short hops like Quepos at the low end and remote strips like Drake Bay and Tortuguero at the high end. Prices rise in high season, especially over Christmas, New Year’s and Easter, when flights sell out.

SANSA sells more than one fare type. The cheaper fares come with a lower baggage allowance and stricter change rules, while the higher fares include more weight and more flexibility. Read the fare details at checkout, because most domestic tickets are nonrefundable.

Baggage

SANSA Baggage Rules and Weight Limits

Small planes have strict weight limits, and baggage rules are the single biggest surprise for first-time flyers.

• The allowance covers everything. Expect roughly 30 to 40 pounds (14 to 18 kg) per person in total, including your carry-on, depending on your fare.
• You and your bags are weighed. Bags are weighed at check-in, and passengers may be weighed too, for the aircraft’s balance.
• Extra weight costs extra. Overweight fees are charged per pound at check-in, often around $1 to $2 a pound, and space is not guaranteed.
• Soft bags travel best. The cargo hold is small, so duffels fit more easily than large hard-shell suitcases.
• Ask first about gear. Surfboards, scuba gear and other oversized items need approval in advance and cost extra.

Safety

Is SANSA Airlines Safe?

SANSA flies on fixed schedules with a single aircraft type, and its last fatal accident on record was in 2001. It has had three fatal crashes in its history: a 1990 accident shortly after takeoff from San José that killed 23 people, a 2000 crash on Arenal Volcano that killed 10 and a 2001 crash near Quepos that killed three.

The deadly crash at Punta Islita on Dec. 31, 2017, which killed 12 people, including 10 U.S. citizens, involved Nature Air, a different airline that shut down afterward.

Small-plane flying in Costa Rica means short runways, mountains and fast-changing weather. Delays and cancellations for weather are part of the system, not a sign of trouble.

The alternatives

Other Domestic Airlines in Costa Rica

• Costa Rica Green Airways: A smaller airline flying from SJO to a few destinations such as Quepos and Tambor. Check its current routes before planning around it.
• Aerobell: Flies scheduled routes and charters from Tobías Bolaños International Airport in Pavas, on the west side of San José, not from SJO. Fares are similar to SANSA’s, and the baggage allowance is slightly higher.
• Private charters: Several operators fly small planes on demand to airstrips the scheduled airlines don’t serve. They make sense for groups, tight connections or remote lodges.

Small carriers come and go, so confirm that any airline you book is still flying your route. Our Costa Rica airport guide covers SJO, Liberia and the smaller airports.

Flying vs. driving

Is a Domestic Flight Worth It?

Route from San José	Flight	By road
Quepos (Manuel Antonio)	About 25 minutes	About 3 hours
Tamarindo	About 45 minutes	About 4.5 to 5 hours
Tortuguero	About 45 minutes	About 5 hours by road and boat
Drake Bay	About 50 minutes	6 hours or more, plus a boat ride

• Fly if: you are going somewhere remote, like Tortuguero, Drake Bay or Puerto Jiménez, you are short on time, or you would rather not drive mountain roads.
• Drive or take a shuttle if: you have a lot of luggage, are traveling as a family of four or more, or are going somewhere with good road access, like La Fortuna. Compare private transfers and the public bus.

On the day

Tips for Flying Domestic in Costa Rica

• Find the right terminal. At SJO, SANSA uses a separate domestic terminal a few minutes’ walk from the international building. In Liberia, domestic counters are inside the main terminal.
• Arrive an hour early. Check-in and security are quick, but the planes leave on time when the weather allows.
• Fly in the morning. Clouds and rain tend to build in the afternoon, especially in the green season, so morning flights are usually smoother and more reliable.
• Leave a buffer. Don’t book a domestic flight that lands just before your international departure. Allow at least three hours, or spend the last night in San José or Liberia.
• Expect a basic airstrip. Many destination airports are a runway and a shed. Arrange your hotel pickup or a taxi in advance.
• Bring motion sickness tablets if you need them. Small planes feel turbulence more.

Good to know

Costa Rica Domestic Flights FAQ