SJO - Juan Santamaria Int. Airport → LIR - Liberia Int. Airport

Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (IATA: LIR) is the gateway to Guanacaste and the closest international airport to every beach on Costa Rica's Gold Coast. It is compact and modern: on most days you are through immigration, customs and out to the arrivals curb in 20 to 30 minutes.

Direct flights arrive from Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, Newark, New York, Toronto, Montreal and more, with seasonal service from Europe. Flying into LIR instead of San José saves three to five hours of driving for any Guanacaste destination.

Your driver waits at the arrivals exit holding a sign with your name. There is one exit, so you cannot miss each other. Flights are tracked in real time, so if you land early or late the pickup adjusts automatically at no charge. From the curb to the highway is five minutes; Route 21 runs south toward Tamarindo and the Flamingo coast, while Route 1 heads north-west toward Papagayo and Playas del Coco.

• Clear immigration before buying a SIM card; the kiosks are on the public side after customs.
• The ATM at the exit dispenses both colones and dollars; small US bills are accepted almost everywhere.
• Departing: arrive 2.5 to 3 hours before international flights in high season (December to April), when the check-in hall fills up mid-morning.
• Duty-free is tiny. Buy coffee and souvenirs in town, not at the airport.