Vacation Express Airfare - These are Vacation Express fares which allow you
to book your trip while paying a minimal deposit at time of booking.
Instant Purchase/Published Airfare - These are fares that airlines
have published which require payment in full at time of purchase. In some cases,
these fares may be displayed as Vacation Express Airfare with Instant Purchase Requirement.
To find the lowest available airfare, select "All Fares" and you will get results for
both kinds of airfare.
Each of these fare types has its own set of restrictions which cover changes, cancellations,
fuel surcharges, etc.
Please refer to our terms and conditions for full details.
Connections
Connections
Best Value - A maximum of ONE connection with a lay-over of no more than a 4.5 hours in either direction.
Best Price - A maximum of THREE connections, with each lay-over of no more than 6 hours in either direction.
Non-Stop - A single flight in each direction with NO connecting flights and NO lay overs.
For a small country, Costa Rica has a whole lot of weather going on. The highlands are cold, the cloud forest is misty and cool, San Jose and the Central Valley enjoy an ‘eternal spring’ and both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts are pretty much tropical and warm to hot year-round.
Generally, the best time to visit Costa Rica is the dry season from December through April, which locals refer to as verano (summer). Dry season does not mean it does not rain; it just rains less (so perhaps should be called the ‘drier season’). Costa Rican schools are closed from December to February, and consequently the beach towns are busy, especially on weekends. And hotels during Easter are usually booked months ahead.
The rainy season, or invierno (winter) as it’s known locally, begins in May. This is also known as Costa Rica’s “green season”. The early months of the rainy season are actually a wonderful time to travel to Costa Rica as you can avoid the tourist bustle and hotel rates are slightly less expensive. During this time, however, rivers start to swell and dirt roads get muddy, making travel a bit more challenging. Some more remote roads may not be accessible to public transportation, so always ask locally before setting out. Bring your umbrella and a little patience.
Because of the number of North American and European tourists, some Costa Rican towns experience a mini–high season in June and July, the popular northern summer holiday period. Expect to pay high-season prices in some towns at this time.
If you’re into specific activities, you’ll find most of the popular tourist attractions and activities are offered year-round – no problem. For surfers the travel seasons vary slightly. For the most part, the Pacific coast sees increased swells and bigger, faster waves during the rainy season, starting in late June and peaking in the wettest months of September and October. Birders will be overwhelmed by feathered friends any time of year, but the best season to spot the resplendent quetzal is between November and April. Spring (March through May) and autumn (September through November) are good times to watch the migratory flocks. Fishing is good year-round.
Bottom line – Costa Rica is still a year-round tropical destination with a multitude of diverse eco-activities that are guaranteed to please everyone any time of the year.
