San Jose Costa Rica Airport (SJO)

The terminals at San Jose Costa Rica Airport

Juan Santamaria International Airport has an international terminal and a separate domestic terminal.

The domestic terminal is a different building, a short walk from the international one, and it is not connected to it. To go from an international flight to a domestic one, you come through arrivals and walk outside, so leave time for that walk.

Getting to and from San Jose Costa Rica Airport

The airport is in Alajuela, about 20 km west of San Jose.

A new arrivals area came into service on 21 May 2026, with 3,800 square metres of new space: enlarged zones for baggage inspection, areas for the car rental companies, and a meeting plaza for families and passengers.

What happens when you arrive at SJO

After you leave the plane, follow the signs to immigration. Then collect your bags and pass through customs, and the exit is a short walk from the hall.

Keep your passport and any form you filled in on the plane with you the whole way, from the aircraft door to the exit.

San Jose Costa Rica Airport with children

Keep water and a snack within reach for the wait at immigration and customs, and keep something over the stroller for the sun or the rain if you wait outside.

If you are catching a domestic flight after an international one, remember that the domestic terminal is a separate building: you come back out through arrivals and walk across, with the children and the bags.

Plan your stop at San Jose Costa Rica Airport

Check with the airline and the airport's own site before you travel: terminals, airlines and arrival procedures change. And check with the embassy or consulate about the documents your family needs for the entry rules of every country on your route.

Sources

• Official site of the Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría, in Alajuela, Costa Rica, with the flight information, the terminal services and the official flight boards. — sjoairport.com (checked 21 October 2026)
• Official page of the same airport on its domestic terminal, a separate building from the international terminal, with the airlines that use it. — sjoairport.com (checked 21 October 2026)
• Official news release of AERIS, the operator of Juan Santamaría, on the new arrivals area of the international terminal, dated 21 May 2026: the new arrivals area has 3,800 square metres and came into service on 21 May 2026, as part of the expansion of the international terminal, a project that once finished will add more than 10,000 square metres towards the west side of the terminal. The improvements include enlarged spaces for baggage inspection and for the processes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and Customs, new areas for the car rental companies, a business centre and a meeting plaza for families and passengers. The release quotes Ricardo Hernández, executive director of AERIS. — aeris.cr (checked 21 October 2026)