fae

This question is for those that have departed out of San Jose International Airport recently. We last departed from there in the summer of 2006.

Is it possible to arrive on a 12:20 Sansa flight and depart on an AA flight at 2:25 if Sansa is on time? I hate leaving Bosque del Cabo and ending up having to spend the night in San Jose for a flight to the States the next day. I would rather spend another night at Bosque del Cabo.

Possible or just make everyone in our party a nervous wreck?

Jeff_Costa_Rica

This question comes up periodically here, and the answer, I think, is "bad idea." You are officially supposed to check in three hours in advance, and sometimes you really do need all that time. Other times you will breeze right through. There is never any way to know. I've never been able to correlate the time it takes with time of day, day of week, or season of the year.

Sansa has no inter-line agreements with other airlines, so it cannot transfer your luggage. Nor will you be protected if your inbound flight is too late. Your airline to the U.S. would look on you as a no-show, and could require you to purchase another ticket. Doing so for a last-minute fare would be very expensive.

I'm borrowing the phrasing of someone here -- I can't remember who said it this way -- but there are a lot of places you can stay or things you can do that last night to make it not seem like your vacation has ended a day early. You'll find many nice restaurants for a special "last night in Costa Rica" meal. Or stay somewhere really special like Vista del Valle. You're just as close to the airport out there as you would be if you stayed in San Jose.

hipvirgochick

I know how you feel, I have similar departure times and I have to spend the last night in SJO as well. Either that, or take an earlier flight out of Puerto Jimenez which leaves you feeling jipped on your last day at BDC . Last time I just took the latest flight out possible, and spent the last night Hotel Villa Bonita close to the airport where there are a few restaurants close by. Or, as Jeff said you could stay somewhere like Vista del Valle.

shillmac

Good advice for you already. I left Bosque del Cabo on a 9:30 a.m. flight (NatureAir to Pavas). They transported me 25 minutes to the airport and I BARELY made a 12:50 p.m. flight back to the U.S. I got to the airport about 11:00, so a little less than 2 hours. It was stressful. I did it only because I had originally scheduled a 7:00 flight out of Puerto Jimenez, and that flight was canceled, leaving me not much choice. I decided to "go for it" rather than return from BdC the day before--and got lucky.

Your timeline has red flags all over it. Wouldn't give it a second thought!

Stay someplace really a treat near the airport (as others have suggested). Vista del Valle--also there's Xandari or Peace Lodge (although the first 2 are more practical). Even Grano de Oro in San Jose would be a great choice--just to broaden your total experience a bit! That's how you're going to have to look at it! Good luck--and enjoy every minute!

fae

hipvirgochick - that is what we did our last trip to BdC in 2006 so think we will do that again - take the last flight out 2:05 Sansa flight out of Pt. Jimenzez and then stay at Hotel Villa Bonita again. We have to stay the first night in San Jose because there are no options for getting to Osa the time that flights from DFW arrive.

Last time we combined last day at BdC with the animal sanctuary tour. That way we combined it with our trip back to town (I am not fond of doing that ride to town more than I have too - prefer time hiking at Bosque). We had just breezed through the airport our other two trips to San Jose but I had read some reports of longer experiences from other posters.

Come to think of it, our Sansa flight from PJ was late leaving last time but since we were not flying out until the next day I did not think much of it. However - it we were trying to make a connecting flight that day it would be a different story. Besides, my husband takes on a different personality when we are trying to make it to the airport. And we are taking another family with us to the Osa for the first time so probably not a good time to have plans not work out!

hipvirgochick

fae -- Sounds like we have similar flight patterns through AA. I have to stay the 1st night in San Jose too (coming from Seattle). Have fun planning your next trip! When are you back at BDC?

shillmac

LOL--can totally identify with the "taking on of a different personality" part! Those Imperials go right out the window when it comes to flights and schedules, huh?

agswimmer

As much as we dreaded it (yes, we too felt like we got jipped a day)in leaving BDC we had to take a 7:30am flight out of Puerto Jimenez. (Flight didn't actually leave until almost 9am though!)