There are 7 ways to get from California to Costa Rica by plane, bus, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from John Wayne Airport Orange County
best- Fly from John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SNA - SJO
9h 32m$212–712Fly from San Diego International Airport
cheapest- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SAN - SJO
10h 14m$132–555Bus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBusbus
4d 15h$369–440Drive 5,334.1 km
- Drive from Los Angeles to San Josécar 5,334.1 km
2d 18h$716–1,034Fly from Los Angeles International Airport
- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane LAX - SJO
8h 42m$308–613Fly from San Francisco International Airport
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SFO - SJO
9h 33m$431–963Fly from Tijuana International Airport
- Fly from Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane TIJ - SJO
12h 6m$284–1,423
John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from California to Costa Rica is to fly which costs $130 - $600 and takes 10h 14m.
The fastest way to get from California to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 8h 42m and costs $300 - $650.
No, there is no direct bus from California to Costa Rica. However, there are services departing from Spring / 1st and arriving at Terminal NicaBus via Los Angeles and Managua. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4 days 15h.
The distance between California and Costa Rica is 4348 km. The road distance is 5334.1 km.
The best way to get from California to Costa Rica without a car is to bus which takes 4 days 15h and costs $360 - $440.
It takes approximately 9h 32m to get from California to Costa Rica, including transfers.
California to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Buses USA Tours, depart from Los Angeles station.
The best way to get from California to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 9h 32m and costs $210 - $750. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $360 - $440 and takes 4 days 15h.
California to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Buses USA Tours, arrive at Managua station.
Costa Rica is 1h ahead of California. It is currently 2:48 PM in California and 3:48 PM in Costa Rica.
What companies run services between California, USA and Costa Rica?
United Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and two other airlines fly from John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) 3 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Spring / 1st to Terminal NicaBus via Los Angeles and Managua in around 4d 15h.
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–470
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guatemala City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–470
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–850
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guatemala City
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 55m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–850
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–650
- Website
- united.com
Flights from John Wayne Airport Orange County to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 52m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from John Wayne Airport Orange County to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 43m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $120–500
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–500
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–650
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from John Wayne Airport Orange County to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–900
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–600
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from John Wayne Airport Orange County to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 50m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston Hobby Apt
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
- Website
- volaris.com
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 44m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–650
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–650
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from John Wayne Airport Orange County to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 21m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $220–600
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–900
- Website
- copaair.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Panama City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 49m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
- Website
- vivaaerobus.com
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Monterrey
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 42m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- info@boletosdebus.com
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Los Angeles to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 6h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $330–400
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
- Phone
- +505 2222 2276
- Nicabusinternacionalsa@gmail.com
- Website
- Nica Bus
Bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBus
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $37–38
- Website
- Nica Bus
Want to know more about travelling around the world?
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Read our range of informative guides on popular transport routes and companies - including Why you should take the train in the US, Getting to Rome from the airport, and 4 of the smartest ways to explore Australia - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between California to Costa Rica is 5334 km. It takes approximately 2 days 18h to drive from California to Costa Rica.
There are 756+ hotels available in Costa Rica.


