{
  "response": {
    "Key": "AUS-SJO",
    "orig": {
      "code": "AUS",
      "type": "airport",
      "city": "Austin",
      "fullCity": "Austin, Texas",
      "airport": "Bergstrom Intl Airport"
    },
    "dest": {
      "code": "SJO",
      "type": "airport",
      "city": "San José",
      "fullCity": "San José, Costa Rica",
      "airport": "Juan Santamaría Intl Airport"
    },
    "faq": {
      "q3": {
        "question": "What are the ground transportation options in San José?",
        "answer": "From Juan Santamaría International Airport, the most popular way to reach downtown San José is the 24-hour public bus, which runs roughly every 10 minutes during the day. Licensed orange airport taxis are readily available and accept both Costa Rican colónes and U.S. dollars. Ride-share services like Uber also operate, though they may face some restrictions at the airport. Car rentals are offered on-site, but driving in the city can be challenging. The bus is the most-used option for its frequency and low cost, while a taxi is the fastest door-to-door.",
        "toolsUsed": [],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1355176469&title=Juan_Santamar%C3%ADa_International_Airport",
            "title": "Juan Santamaría International Airport",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2005-03-20T10:54:40Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan%20Santamar%C3%ADa%20International%20Airport",
            "title": "Juan Santamaría International Airport",
            "time_published": "2026-04-30T22:20:36Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Santamaria_International_Airport",
            "title": "Juan Santamaría International Airport - Wikipedia",
            "time_published": "2005-03-20T00:00:00Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%20of%20airports%20in%20Costa%20Rica",
            "title": "List of airports in Costa Rica",
            "time_published": "2025-10-21T05:05:04Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Santamaría",
            "title": "Juan Santamaría",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2026-07-15T19:46:26Z"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q4": {
        "question": "When is the cheapest time to fly from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "From Austin to San José, the cheapest months to fly are September (around $316 average), February, and October (both around $321), with January close behind at $324. The most expensive months are June (around $394), December (around $393), and July (around $390). Overall, late summer through early fall and mid-winter offer the lowest fares, while the start of summer and the December holiday period are the priciest.",
        "methodology": "This seasonal price baseline is a 365-day daily curve of typical round-trip fares for the route, precomputed monthly in-house from Priceline's own air booking-summary archive (the same data that backs the site), not a third party. For each calendar day we take a representative round-trip fare — a blend of the 25th-percentile and average ticket price over the route's bookings — and Gaussian-smooth the series so it reads as a clean seasonal trend rather than day-to-day noise. Thin and international routes are neighbor-filled: the seasonal shape is borrowed from the nearest dense routes (by origin-and-destination great-circle distance) with the price level anchored to the route's own bookings, so a sparse route still shows a plausible curve. It reflects current fares and is refreshed monthly.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "seasonal_prices"
        ]
      },
      "q5": {
        "question": "How far in advance should I book tickets from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "Booking 3–6 weeks before departure typically yields the lowest fares on Austin–San José, averaging around $288, with the single cheapest day being 30 days out at $285. Booking much earlier (e.g., 6 months ahead) costs notably more, around $484, so the window doesn't shift dramatically for summer or holidays — the optimal timing stays within that 3–6 week range.",
        "methodology": "This booking-window guidance comes from the same monthly in-house analysis of Priceline's own air booking-summary archive. It expresses the typical round-trip fare as a function of how many days before departure a trip is booked — from about 180 days out down to the day of departure — aggregating the route's bookings by advance-purchase days and Gaussian-smoothing the curve the same way as the seasonal baseline. From that curve we highlight the stretch of lead times with the lowest average fare as the suggested booking window. Thin and international routes are neighbor-filled from the nearest dense routes, with the price level anchored to the route's own bookings. It reflects current fares and is refreshed monthly.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "booking_timing"
        ]
      },
      "q6": {
        "question": "Are overnight (red‑eye) flights available from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "No overnight (red-eye) flights operate on the Austin–San José route — there are no nonstop red-eyes, and no connecting itineraries with a red-eye long leg were found.",
        "methodology": "Red-eye flights are identified from scheduled local departure and arrival times in our flight-schedule database — built from published airline timetables and official schedule data, including U.S. Department of Transportation records for domestic routes — flagging services that depart late at night and arrive the following morning; for connecting itineraries the red-eye is based on the timing of the overnight long-haul leg.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "redeye_flights"
        ]
      },
      "q7": {
        "question": "Which airlines usually operate this route from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "There is no nonstop service from Austin to San José. The most common one-stop routings are on United via Houston (about 9 daily connections), American via Dallas/Fort Worth or Miami (roughly 4 each), and Southwest via Orlando or Houston Hobby (around 5 combined). Other carriers like Air Canada via Toronto and JetBlue via Fort Lauderdale also appear but with just one daily connection each. Specific per-carrier fares are not provided here, so I can't include median prices for these airlines.",
        "methodology": "Airlines and weekly frequencies are compiled from our flight-schedule database, which combines published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), and observed flight operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We count each operating carrier's scheduled weekly departures and the days it flies; where there is no nonstop service, connecting carriers are identified by linking scheduled nonstop segments through common hub airports. Where a median fare is shown for a carrier, it reflects the real fares Priceline users found on this route in the last 72 hours.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "route_airlines"
        ]
      },
      "q8": {
        "question": "If I need a connection, what are common layover cities between Austin and San José?",
        "answer": "Common layover cities include Houston, Dallas, Miami, and Atlanta. Houston and Dallas offer short first legs and frequent service on United and American. Miami and Atlanta provide broad connections to San José on American, Delta, and low-cost carriers, with efficient transfer processes and no need for transit visas for U.S. citizens."
      },
      "q10": {
        "question": "Which months have the best weather for traveling to San José?",
        "answer": "December to April is the dry season, offering sunny days and pleasant temperatures."
      },
      "q11": {
        "question": "What documents should I bring with me to the airport when flying from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "Bring a passport valid for at least six months and proof of onward or return travel, as U.S. citizens do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days. Have a payment method for baggage and check if vaccination certificates are required."
      },
      "q12": {
        "question": "Which airport should I use in San José?",
        "answer": "San José has one commercial airport, Juan Santamaría International, about 17 km northwest of downtown. It serves all international and domestic flights and is the only gateway for visitors heading to the city or the Central Valley."
      },
      "q13": {
        "question": "How do I get to Bergstrom Intl Airport from the city center?",
        "answer": "From downtown Austin, Capital Metro's high-frequency Route 20 bus is the only direct public transit option to the airport. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, along with taxis, offer a faster and more convenient door-to-door trip, with pick-up at the terminal curbside. Driving and parking is also popular, with two on-site garages and economy lots available. Rideshare is generally the fastest and most popular choice, while the bus is the most budget-friendly.",
        "toolsUsed": [],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://austintexas.gov/page/aus-travel-tips-frequently-asked-questions",
            "title": "AUS Travel Tips & Frequently Asked Questions | Airport",
            "favicon": "https://austintexas.gov/themes/custom/coa_sitestudio_theme/images/favicon/favicon-airport.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://austintexas.gov/department/ground-transportation-barbara-jordan-terminal",
            "title": "Ground Transportation at the Barbara Jordan Terminal | Airport",
            "favicon": "https://austintexas.gov/themes/custom/coa_sitestudio_theme/images/favicon/favicon-airport.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin%E2%80%93Bergstrom_International_Airport",
            "title": "Austin–Bergstrom International Airport",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2026-07-29T21:19:45Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Barbara_Jordan_(Austin–Bergstrom_International_Airport)",
            "title": "Statue of Barbara Jordan (Austin–Bergstrom International Airport)",
            "time_published": "2026-06-27T16:13:14Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://austintexas.gov/department/aus-all-accessibility-services",
            "title": "AUS For All: Accessibility Services | Airport",
            "favicon": "https://austintexas.gov/themes/custom/coa_sitestudio_theme/images/favicon/favicon-airport.png"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q14": {
        "question": "Are there hotels or sleeping facilities at San José airport?",
        "answer": "San José's Juan Santamaría International Airport does not have an on-site hotel, capsule hotel, or sleeping pods inside the terminal. Several nearby hotels, such as the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton, are located within a mile or two and offer shuttle service. The airport itself is open 24 hours, with limited seating and some couches available for those who need to rest overnight.",
        "toolsUsed": [],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://activities.marriott.com/north-america/costa-rica/alajuela/activities/costa_rica_sjo_airport_to_san_jos%C3%A9_hotels_nearby_private_shuttle-XF7A2K?property=SJOAP",
            "title": "Costa Rica SJO Airport to San José Hotels nearby Private Shuttle",
            "time_published": "2026-05-04T00:00:00Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://activities.marriott.com/north-america/costa-rica/alajuela/activities/private_transfer_sjo_airport_to_jaco_los_sue%C3%B1os_marriott_hotels-XB84BN?property=SJOAC",
            "title": "Private Transfer SJO Airport to Jaco / Los Sueños Marriott Hotels",
            "time_published": "2026-05-04T00:00:00Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://sleepinginairports.net/guides/san-jose-airport-guide-cr.htm",
            "title": "San Jose Airport Guide (SJO) - Sleeping in Airports",
            "favicon": "https://www.sleepinginairports.net/nitropack_static/oBWrHkPujHTPIaVWqdDSDhClXUyrYhhb/assets/images/optimized/rev-b853180/www.sleepinginairports.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/cropped-sia-logo-180x180.png",
            "time_published": "2018-10-02T00:00:18Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.hilton.com/en/locations/costa-rica/san-jose/sjo-juan-santamaria-international-airport/",
            "title": "Hotels near Juan Santamaria International Airport, San José, Costa Rica - Find Hotels - Hilton",
            "time_published": "2025-08-21T00:00:00Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1355176469&title=Juan_Santamar%C3%ADa_International_Airport",
            "title": "Juan Santamaría International Airport",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2005-03-20T10:54:40Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?hl=gsw&id=com.frugalflyer.airport.sjo",
            "title": "Juan Santamaría Airport Info – Apps bei Google Play",
            "favicon": "https://www.gstatic.com/android/market_images/web/favicon_v3.ico"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q17": {
        "question": "What aircraft are typically used on flights from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "There is no nonstop service from Austin to San José, so flights make one stop. The long‑haul leg is most often a Boeing 737 MAX 8, operated by United (via Houston), American (via Dallas‑Fort Worth or Miami), or Southwest (via Orlando or Houston Hobby); an Airbus A319 also appears on some American connections. The shorter domestic leg can be an Embraer 175, Boeing 737‑800, Airbus A320, or Airbus A319, depending on the connecting city and airline.",
        "methodology": "Aircraft types are taken from the equipment each operating carrier schedules on this route, drawn from published airline timetables and airline equipment schedules in our flight-schedule database. They describe typical scheduled aircraft and can vary with seasonal or day-of-week assignments and last-minute equipment swaps.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "route_aircraft"
        ]
      },
      "q18": {
        "question": "Which airline alliances serve flights from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "There is no nonstop service from Austin to San José; all flights require a connection. The carriers that serve this route belong to Star Alliance (United, Air Canada, Copa), oneworld (American, Alaska), and SkyTeam (Aeroméxico), while JetBlue and Southwest are unaffiliated with any alliance.",
        "methodology": "Airlines and weekly frequencies are compiled from our flight-schedule database, which combines published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), and observed flight operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We count each operating carrier's scheduled weekly departures and the days it flies; where there is no nonstop service, connecting carriers are identified by linking scheduled nonstop segments through common hub airports. Where a median fare is shown for a carrier, it reflects the real fares Priceline users found on this route in the last 72 hours. Stop counts, connecting hubs, and per-airline prices are drawn from a large sample of the real fares Priceline users found on this route in the last 72 hours. We group those fares by number of stops, by the hub airport a connection routes through, and by operating airline, and report each group's share of the sample alongside its lowest and median price.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "route_airlines",
          "route_options"
        ]
      },
      "q20": {
        "question": "What are the best airport lounge options when departing from Austin?",
        "answer": "At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the Delta Sky Club in the main terminal is the primary airline-branded lounge available for departing passengers. Access is typically granted to Delta Sky Club members, Delta One or SkyTeam premium cabin passengers, and eligible American Express cardholders. This lounge offers a full bar, complimentary snacks, and a quiet space to relax before your flight to San José.",
        "toolsUsed": [],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/AUS",
            "title": "American Express Lounges at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport | Amex US",
            "favicon": "https://www.americanexpress.com/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://austintexas.gov/department/aus-all-accessibility-services",
            "title": "AUS For All: Accessibility Services | Airport",
            "favicon": "https://austintexas.gov/themes/custom/coa_sitestudio_theme/images/favicon/favicon-airport.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/delta-reserve/AUS",
            "title": "American Express Lounges at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport | Amex US",
            "favicon": "https://www.americanexpress.com/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://austintexas.gov/department/travel-security-austin-bergstrom-international-airport",
            "title": "Travel & Security at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport | Airport",
            "favicon": "https://austintexas.gov/themes/custom/coa_sitestudio_theme/images/favicon/favicon-airport.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/united-states-of-america/austin-bergstrom-international",
            "title": "Austin-Bergstrom International Airport AUS Lounges - AUS Airport Guide and lounges. | Priority Pass",
            "favicon": "https://prioritypass.com/icon.png?a4ff481221414a5c"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q21": {
        "question": "What is the baggage allowance on this route from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "From Austin to San José, baggage rules depend on the airline and fare. Basic economy often excludes a checked bag but may allow a carry-on; standard economy typically includes one checked bag and a carry-on. Premium cabins offer more generous allowances."
      },
      "q22": {
        "question": "What cabin and seat options are typical from Austin to San José?",
        "answer": "Typical options include Economy and flat-bed Business class on some airlines, but Premium Economy is uncommon on this route."
      },
      "q23": {
        "question": "Are same‑day changes or standby possible on this route?",
        "answer": "Policies vary by airline and fare; flexible and premium cabin tickets often allow same‑day changes or standby, while Basic Economy typically does not."
      }
    }
  }
}