Flying from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO): what you need to know
Around 11 hours 45 minutes is how long you'll be travelling on a direct flight from London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport.
San Jose is six hours behind London and observes the UTC-6 timezone.
To ensure you catch your LGW to SJO flight, allow plenty of time for things like check-in and baggage drop. Turning up two hours before international departures and an hour before domestic flights is the general travel rule.
You'll likely experience longer lines during popular months such as August. Arriving up to four hours in advance for international flights and two hours for domestic departures is a smart move.
British Airways has direct flights from London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport. Book with this popular carrier, then get ready to see the sights in San Jose — and maybe even more of Costa Rica if your schedule allows.
The airline most travellers prefer to fly with on this route is British Airways.
Among carriers operating LGW to SJO flights, British Airways leads the way for on-time arrivals.
We make it easy to book a flight with a stopover. To see your options for tickets from London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport, uncheck 'Direct flights only.' Then, pick a flight that has a stop long enough to explore the city of your choice. Top stopovers between LGW and SJO include:
Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
The cheapest price we've seen for a one-way London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport flight is ج.م. 17,088. A round-trip ticket right now is ج.م. 28,962. Depending on the availability and when you book, these fares may change.
Book six months before flying. After looking at the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you'll want to book ahead to find cheap tickets from LGW to SJO.
Schedule your trip for May. That's the cheapest month for flights from London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport. If your travel dates are flexible, try out the 'Whole month' tool to see the cheapest airfare across each month.
Snapping up cheap flights from LGW to SJO is a breeze with Price Alerts. Simply set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll let you know when a new discounted fare appears.
Tailor your trip with filters. Pick your arrival and departure times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort the results by 'Fastest,' 'Best' or 'Cheapest' flights from London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport.
Handy information about London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
69.26% of flights taking off from London Gatwick Airport touch down at their destination on time.
To get to London Gatwick Airport from central London, it takes around 1 hour 20 minutes by car. This depends on traffic, however. It's approximately 80 kilometres from the airport to the city centre.
The journey on public transport takes about 1 hour 25 minutes.
Booked an early flight from London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport? Avoid rushing to the airport (and get some extra shut-eye) by picking one of these hotels close to LGW:
Arriving at Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
The last thing you need is a lengthy trip to your hotel if you're arriving on a late London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport flight. Book one of these accommodation options near SJO instead:
Travel at your own speed with a Juan Santamaria International Airport rental car. Book your wheels from NextCar, Europcar or Dollar and venture far and wide through San Jose and beyond.
Booking your vehicle from Juan Santamaria International Airport around three weeks ahead boosts your odds of scoring a great price.
Getting from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to central San Jose
Juan Santamaria International Airport to central San Jose has a drive time of around 20 minutes. It's approximately 18 kilometres away.
If you're travelling on public transport, expect a journey time of around 2 hours 20 minutes.
When to fly to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)
July is the most popular month for flights from London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport. For smaller crowds, visit San Jose in May.
When booking your flight from London Gatwick Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport, think about the kind of weather you like. March is the warmest month in San Jose, with temperatures ranging from 12ºC to 29ºC.
January has average temperatures of between 12ºC and 26ºC. Search for cheap tickets from LGW to SJO sometime around then if you like cooler conditions.
Explore more of Costa Rica
Limon is just one of the many cities in Costa Rica waiting to be discovered once you've seen San Jose. Around 113 kilometres away to the east, check out popular attractions including Veragua Rainforest Park, Playa Bonita and Cruise Pier Puerto Limon.
Around 18 kilometres north-west of San Jose, Alajuela is another favourite stop in Costa Rica. Experience this destination's highlights firsthand at La Perla Park, Los Duendes Park and Finca El Soto.
