There are 6 ways to get from Iowa to Costa Rica by plane, bus (Greyhound), 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 Des Moines
best- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane DSM - SJO
7h 50m$259–1,123Fly from Quad City International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Quad City International Airport (MLI) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane MLI - SJO
10h 36m$143–604Bus via San Salvador
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Kansas Citybus
- Take the bus from Kansas City Bus Station to Dallas Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Dallas, TX to Hyatt Regency Houstonbus
- Take the bus from Houston to San Salvadorbus
- Take the bus from San Salvador to San Josébus
5d$502–881Drive 4,933.5 km
- Drive from Des Moines to San Josécar 4,933.5 km
2d 14h$662–956Fly from Waterloo Municipal Airport
- Fly from Waterloo Municipal Airport (ALO) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane ALO - SJO
12h 32m$170–674Bus
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Kansas Citybus
- Take the bus from Kansas City to Texarkanabus
- Take the bus from Texarkana to Houston Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Houston to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal Tica Busbus
5d 10h$408–902
Des Moines (DSM) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Iowa to Costa Rica is to fly which costs $140 - $650 and takes 10h 36m.
The fastest way to get from Iowa to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 7h 50m and costs $250 - $1,200.
The distance between Iowa and Costa Rica is 3642 km. The road distance is 4933.5 km.
The best way to get from Iowa to Costa Rica without a car is to bus which takes 5 days 10h and costs $400 - $900.
It takes approximately 7h 50m to get from Iowa to Costa Rica, including transfers.
The best way to get from Iowa to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 7h 50m and costs $250 - $1,200. Alternatively, you can bus via San Salvador, which costs $500 - $900 and takes 5 days 0h.
Yes, the driving distance between Iowa to Costa Rica is 4934 km. It takes approximately 2 days 14h to drive from Iowa to Costa Rica.
There are 772+ hotels available in Costa Rica.
What companies run services between Iowa, USA and Costa Rica?
Delta, American Airlines, and three other airlines fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Des Moines to San José via Des Moines, Kansas City Bus Station, Dallas Bus Station, Dallas, TX, Hyatt Regency Houston, Smith St @ Dallas St, West Bellfort Park & Ride, Houston, San Salvador, and San Salvador in around 5d.
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Waterloo Municipal Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–650
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 9m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
- Website
- flysansa.com
Flights from Waterloo Municipal Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Chicago O'Hare, Liberia
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 3m
- When
- Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 6m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 14m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $180–750
- Website
- worldticket.com
Flights from Waterloo Municipal Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Chicago O'Hare, Liberia
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 30m
- When
- Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston Hobby Apt
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 45m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Des Moines to Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $18–90
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Kansas City to Texarkana
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 5m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $40–170
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Kansas City Bus Station to Dallas Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 15m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $60–130
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Texarkana to Houston Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $60–170
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 844-866-5263
- inquiries@vonlane.com
- Website
- vonlane.com
Bus from Dallas, TX to Hyatt Regency Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $137–147
- Website
- https://vonlane.com
- low
- $137
- high
- $147
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- info@boletosdebus.com
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Houston to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 3d
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $180–390
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Houston to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 1h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $230–390
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
- Phone
- +503 7841 5688
- info@transportedelsol.com
- Website
- transportedelsol.com
Bus from San Salvador to San José
- Ave. Duration
- 23h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $80
- Schedules at
- transportedelsol.com
- Phone
- +52 962 625 2435
- info@ticabus.com
- Website
- ticabus.com
Bus from Managua to Terminal Tica Bus
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $30–45
- Website
- https://www.ticabus.com/en/
Want to know more about travelling around Costa Rica
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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