fluffnfold

Two questions:

What restaurants are at the San Jose (Juan Santamaria) airport? I'm going to have a three hour layover between my Sansa flight from Tamarindo and my flight back to the US, and I'm just wondering what I can do with all that time. How large/small of an airport is SJO?

Does Sansa or the SJO airport provide any luggage storage facilities? I don't think that I will make the 25 lb. luggage limit if I take everything with me.

Thanks!

costaricafinca

Dear fluffnfold, ,
There is basically nothing at the airport (just some pizza), and it is very small. I don't know about storage... sorry.
Pura Vida,
Neta Talmor

Mama

There is no storage. We asked when we were there. Pack light. Why do you need lots of clothes in Costa Rica?

jaymeetee

The airport has Papa John's and Burger King. That's pretty much it. We flew on Sansa from San Jose to Quepos, and I'm sure my suitcase weighed more than 25 lbs. FYI - they also weigh YOU, too! You're also on a super little plane 0 quite scary - 15 max seating. That was not fun. Our rental car place dropped us off in front of Sansa, and it didn't seem or look anywhere close to the Int'l terminal, but I'm not sure. No luggage storage. You'll have to take it with you. We had to hang out at the airport for 3+ hours. I wouldn't wish that experience on my worst enemy. So horrible. I would go somewhere. Good luck!

Ally

I think my husband said he paid something like $8.00 for a hamburger/fries/drink at Burger King in the airport....and they we're not flamed broiled like in the US.

Iza

Fluffnfold, Papa John's pizza at the airport is pretty good (but expensive) - our daughter enjoyed it ;-). Here is my suggestion: check in your luggage, then head into the terminal and check out the gift shops (plenty of chocolate covered coffee beans being offered to taste). After you check out the shops, get some pizza and something to drink and head to the gate area which is brand new and actually pleasant to stay at. 3 hours will pass in no time at all.

There is no luggage storage but you if you are exceeding 25 lb you are packing too much. I am usually able to stay within 25lb give or take a pound for a 2 week trip to CR.

To jaymeetee - do you think Sansa's 15 seater was scary? You should have flown on Travelair's 4 passenger planes! On one flight we took from Puerto Jimenez there were 5 of us and my husband had to sit with the pilot as there was no room in passenger cabin for 5!

carolll

The airport has been expanded and modernized over the past several years. There is a cafeteria in the older section that serves a nice range of foods.
In terms of packing, put everything out that you hope to take. Put half of that away. Put another half away. Pack what remains. Shorts, t shirts and a bathing suit or two will be what you wear, plus a hat.
Pura vida!
Carol L

SierrasMom

The weight limit is 25 pounds, however, you can carry on a small bag. I slung a small bag over my shoulder & they just weighed me with the bag. If you exceed the 25 pound limit, they just charge you more (per pound)- but I can't remember how much it was.

SierrasMom

Iza we too traveled on one of those 5 seaters in Costa Rica- on a trip out to Rio Colorado- in a thunderstorm~! Very scary- the pilot kissed the ground when we landed- he said it was the scariest flight he's been on. Glad he didn't tell us that until AFTER we landed!

shillmac

About the aeropuerto. . .there is also a Church's chicken and it was quite good. Great biscuits

Also, in that new section (completed sometime between when we were there last August and back at Christmas), there is a new gift shop, duty free liquor store and a really nice duty free perfume store.

By the time you look around, shop a little, (don't plan to buy coffee or stuff like that there--way too expensive--as are paperbacks--get what you need to pass the time somewhere else), read a little, 3 hours will have flown by (no pun intended). You really don't have time to go anywhere because you need to check in for your international flight 2 hours ahead. Have fun!

fluffnfold

There is luggage storage offered by a facility near the domestic "terminal" at the SJO airport. It was not on-site, but I think it said within 5 minutes. I also read something that seemed to suggest that the Hampton Inn/Suites offers luggage storage.