🛫 Single Terminal — US/Canada Heavy

Airlines: JetBlue (heavy seasonal Dec–Apr from JFK, FLL, BOS), American (DFW, MIA, CLT daily; PHL seasonal), Delta (ATL, MSP seasonal), United (IAH, EWR, ORD seasonal), Southwest (FLL, BWI, HOU seasonal since 2023), Air Canada (YYZ, YVR seasonal), WestJet (Toronto, Calgary), Avianca, Aeroméxico, plus various charter carriers and Frontier/Allegiant on the budget tier (Spirit’s former routes).

Layout: Single concourse with 8 contact gates plus 4 remote stands. Walk time check-in to furthest gate: 5–10 minutes. International and domestic share the same security checkpoint.

📥 Spirit Airlines Collapse & Winter-Heavy Seasonality

Spirit Airlines collapsed in May 2026. Pre-collapse, Spirit ran daily FLL/EWR/MIA–LIR rotations carrying budget eco-tourists. JetBlue and Frontier absorbed most of Spirit’s budget market; Allegiant and Southwest (which started LIR in 2023) picked up the rest. US–LIR fares are 15–25% higher in mid-2026 than the Spirit-era floor.

Winter-heavy seasonality: LIR’s December–April high season sees 3–4x more daily flights than the May–November shoulder/wet season. Many seasonal-only routes (e.g., Air Canada Halifax, Delta Minneapolis) drop entirely outside winter.

180-Day Visa-Free Stamp

EU/UK/US/CA/AU/NZ get up to 180 days visa-free on arrival, just a passport stamp. Officer at immigration enters days granted on the stamp. Politely ask for the full 180 if your itinerary needs them. Up to 180 days per calendar year. Stays beyond 180 days require leaving and returning, or applying for residency. Onward ticket is sometimes asked for at check-in — have a return or onward booking ready.

USD Widely Accepted · CRC for Local

USD is widely accepted in tourist Guanacaste — resorts, restaurants in Tamarindo/Coco/Papágayo, taxis, tours all take it at ~1–3% mark-up. Cards work in tourist establishments. For non-tourist transactions (sodas/local restaurants, public buses, smaller shops), use Costa Rican Colones (~CRC 510 per USD). ATMs at LIR dispense both CRC and (some) USD; ~CRC 2,000–3,500 in fees plus your home bank’s.

No EES, No ETIAS, No Tourist Refund

Costa Rica is not in any visa-waiver scheme requiring online pre-registration. The EU’s EES and ETIAS apply only to the Schengen area — Costa Rica is not affected. There is no tourist VAT/IVA refund at LIR. The 13% IVA on goods is included in retail prices. Costa Rican coffee, chocolate, and craft items are duty-free standouts; we cover them in Section 5.

⭐ Cooperativa Taxi (Coopetransatlantica) — Flat Zone Rate

LIR has licensed cooperativa taxi desks immediately past Customs. Pay at the desk in USD, CRC, or card; get a slip; dispatcher pairs you with a marked taxi. The price is fixed by destination zone. Yellow-and-red cars only.

🏘️ Pre-Arranged Resort Transfer (Often Included)

Most all-inclusive packages and many independent hotels include a private resort transfer. If yours doesn’t, pre-arrange one through your hotel or trusted operators like Interbus, Easy Ride, or Tropical Tours. Pricing depends on resort distance: Papágayo US$45–75, Tamarindo US$80–120, Conchal US$70–100. Don’t book at the airport — pre-arranged is 30–50% cheaper than airport-purchased.

🚗 Rental Car — The Independent-Traveller Default

Costa Rica is one of the most rental-friendly countries in LATAM for road-trip travel. The major rental agencies (Avis, Budget, Hertz, Enterprise, Alamo, Thrifty, Europcar) all have desks at LIR. Mandatory liability insurance (Costa Rican law) adds US$15–30/day to advertised rental rates — budget for it. 4WD recommended for many beach-access roads (especially in wet season May–Nov). Pre-book online; airport-walk-in rates are 50–100% higher.

📱 Uber, InDriver & the Restricted Airport Pickup

Uber and InDriver operate in Costa Rica but the legal status is grey, and both face airport-pickup restrictions at LIR. The cooperativa has political muscle that limits ride-hailing at the terminal. For the airport-to-resort run, the cooperativa or pre-arranged shuttle is your reliable option. Once at your resort, Uber and InDriver work for trips around Tamarindo, Papágayo, Coco and Liberia town.

✨ VIP Lounge LIR (international airside, paid walk-in)

Gallo Pinto (the ‘spotted rooster’: rice and black beans cooked together with peppers, onion and Salsa Lizano) is Costa Rica’s national breakfast dish. Served with eggs, plantain, and queso fresco. The LIR food court does it for ~US$8–12 a plate. Order it for breakfast on departure day. The McDonald’s and Burger King are at the same food court — you can have those anywhere; gallo pinto is the Costa Rica you came for.

Costa Rica grows excellent specialty coffee — the Tarrazú (San José province) and Volcán Poás slope plantations are renowned. The LIR food court has Café Britt and Café Tarrazú stands doing proper Costa Rican single-origin for US$3–5 a cup. Order a café chorreado (filtered through a sock-bag, the rural traditional method) for the most authentic experience. The LIR airport coffee is genuinely good; skip the Starbucks two doors down.

Café Britt — the country’s most famous coffee export — at duty-free for US$10–25 a 340g bag. The Tarrazú single-origin is the splurge. Ron Centenario (Costa Rican rum) at US$15–30 a litre. Imperial beer (the iconic Costa Rican lager) by the 6-pack at US$8–12. Costa Rican chocolate from Sibu and Caribeans Coffee at US$8–15 a bar. Pura Vida-themed souvenirs — t-shirts, magnets, hammocks — are widely available; the airport prices are 50–100% higher than tourist markets in Tamarindo or San José.

Imperial is Costa Rica’s defining national lager; Pilsen is the slightly upmarket alternative. Both at the LIR food court for ~US$3–5 a bottle. Try one before you leave — the Imperial Light is the daytime beach default. Pair with patacón (fried green plantain).

“Pura Vida” (pure life) is Costa Rica’s national greeting, philosophy, and frequent reply to questions. Costa Ricans (Ticos) are universally regarded among LATAM’s most welcoming hosts; the country has a strong eco-tourism conservation ethic and a robust national parks system. The general traveller experience is friendly, with low-pressure tourism. The military was abolished in 1948 — you won’t see armed soldiers at LIR or anywhere in the country (except a small National Police presence at the airport).

Costa Rica protects ~25% of its land area as national parks — Rincón de la Vieja (40 minutes from LIR), Santa Rosa, Palo Verde, Marino Las Baulas (turtle nesting). National park entrance fees are typically US$15–25 per person, paid at the park entrance in cash USD or via SINAC’s online booking. You will see wildlife — howler monkeys at most beach hotels, iguanas everywhere, sloths in higher-elevation forests. Don’t feed the monkeys; they get aggressive and it’s illegal.

Costa Rica’s tap water is generally safe to drink in tourist Guanacaste, San José and the Central Valley — one of few LATAM countries where this is true (alongside Chile, Panama’s capital, urban Jamaica). Including airport washroom taps. Many visitors still prefer bottled water from habit; resorts use filtered. Hot drinks (coffee, tea) are safe regardless. For excursions to remote rural areas (deep into Península de Osa, parts of the Caribbean coast), bottled water is recommended.

For tourist Costa Rica: Airalo, Holafly, GigSky and Saily all work fine in Tamarindo, Papágayo, Conchal, San José — ~US$10–20 for 5–10 GB / 14 days. For travel beyond — Península de Osa, Tortuguero Caribbean coast, deep Monteverde — buy a local SIM. Kolbi (the state-owned monopoly until 2008, still dominant in rural areas) has the best Costa Rican rural coverage; Movistar is second. The Kolbi kiosk at LIR arrivals takes a passport and 8 minutes; ask for the “Plan Turístico” bundle (~US$15–25 for 30 days unlimited domestic data).

Costa Rica is among the safest LATAM destinations for solo female travellers, with active tourist police presence and a strong tourism-protection orientation. The Papágayo, Tamarindo, Coco, and Conchal beach belt is universally considered safe daytime; small-town friendliness is the norm. Avoid: some beach towns at night (Tamarindo’s Sunday-night strip can get rowdy with US-frat-spring-break travelers in season), and remote areas of Península de Osa solo. The single biggest rule: don’t hail street taxis; use cooperativa or pre-arranged transfers only. The LIR airport is well-policed.

Costa Rican restaurants automatically add a 10% service charge plus 13% IVA — verify your bill before adding more. Service is included; an additional 5–10% is appreciated for excellent service but not expected. Hotel porters: US$1–2 per bag. Wildlife/eco tour guides: US$10–20 per person per tour; this is genuinely appreciated. Pre-arranged shuttle drivers: US$5 per person.