{
  "response": {
    "Key": "CHI-CR",
    "orig": {
      "code": "CHI",
      "type": "airport",
      "city": "Chicago",
      "fullCity": "Chicago, Illinois",
      "airport": "Dupage County"
    },
    "dest": {
      "code": "CR",
      "type": "country",
      "country": "Costa Rica"
    },
    "faq": {
      "q0": {
        "question": "Which cities in Costa Rica can I fly to from Chicago?",
        "answer": "From Chicago you can fly non-stop to Liberia in Guanacaste, popular for Pacific beach resorts. You can also connect to San José, the capital, via hubs like Miami, Houston or Atlanta. San José is better for central highlands, volcanoes and Caribbean coast access."
      },
      "q1": {
        "question": "How long is the flight from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "From Chicago to Costa Rica, non-stop flights to Liberia (LIR) take about 5 hours 15 minutes, while flights to San José (SJO) with one stop typically range from 7 to 9 hours. Return times are similar due to the north-south routing, with only minor differences."
      },
      "q2": {
        "question": "Are there direct flights from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "Non-stop flights from Chicago to Costa Rica are limited or seasonal, so many trips require a connection. Common one-stop routings go through Miami, Houston, Dallas or Panama City, with total travel times usually between 7 and 10 hours depending on the layover."
      },
      "q3": {
        "question": "Which airlines fly from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "From Chicago to Costa Rica you can fly United, American, Delta, Spirit, Frontier, Southwest, Copa, Avianca, and JetBlue."
      },
      "q4": {
        "question": "When is the cheapest time to fly from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "The cheapest months to fly from Chicago to Costa Rica are generally April, March, and May, while December and January are the most expensive. For the best fare, book about 3 to 6 weeks ahead, and aim for midweek departures if possible, as weekends tend to be pricier. Peak summer and major holidays like Christmas and New Year's usually see higher prices, so traveling in spring or late summer offers better value.",
        "methodology": "This 'good deal' estimate shows a representative best price for each departure date across roughly a 12-month window (about 3 months back and 9 months forward). It is built from real flight prices found by Priceline users searching this route, accumulated into a price history for each departure date. Rather than weighting all of that history equally, we apply exponential time decay so recent prices dominate — a price seen yesterday counts almost in full, one from about a month ago roughly a third, and prices from a few months back very little — giving a figure that tracks today's market instead of a stale long-run average. Clear price outliers are removed before any calculation, departure dates with no observations are filled in from nearby dates, and the resulting curve is lightly smoothed so it reads as a clean seasonal trend rather than day-to-day noise. This booking-window guidance is built from the same real flight prices found by Priceline users searching this route, re-grouped by how many days before departure each price was seen (from the departure day out to about 180 days ahead) across the route's price history. At each booking lead time we report the 25th-percentile price — the cheaper end of what travelers were quoted, rather than the rock-bottom minimum (which can be a fluke) or the average (which is pulled up by expensive last-minute fares). The buy-or-wait advice then applies a risk premium that grows as departure approaches, since seat availability shrinks and prices become less predictable; using that adjusted curve we flag windows where waiting is likely to save a meaningful amount (at least $20 or 5%) versus windows where booking now is the better call. Isolated single-day recommendations are filtered out, so the advice only reflects a window that holds for several days in a row."
      },
      "q5": {
        "question": "How far in advance should I book flights from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "For flights from Chicago to Costa Rica, the best time to book is about 3 to 6 weeks before departure, when fares average around $552.",
        "methodology": "This booking-window guidance is built from the same real flight prices found by Priceline users searching this route, re-grouped by how many days before departure each price was seen (from the departure day out to about 180 days ahead) across the route's price history. At each booking lead time we report the 25th-percentile price — the cheaper end of what travelers were quoted, rather than the rock-bottom minimum (which can be a fluke) or the average (which is pulled up by expensive last-minute fares). The buy-or-wait advice then applies a risk premium that grows as departure approaches, since seat availability shrinks and prices become less predictable; using that adjusted curve we flag windows where waiting is likely to save a meaningful amount (at least $20 or 5%) versus windows where booking now is the better call. Isolated single-day recommendations are filtered out, so the advice only reflects a window that holds for several days in a row."
      },
      "q6": {
        "question": "What are the most popular cities to visit in Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "In Costa Rica, most visitors fly into San Jose or Liberia. Popular spots include Arenal for volcanoes and hot springs, Manuel Antonio for beaches and wildlife, Monteverde for cloud forests and the Nicoya Peninsula for surfing and yoga retreats."
      },
      "q7": {
        "question": "Do I need a visa to travel from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "U.S. citizens do not need a visa for tourist stays in Costa Rica up to 180 days. No electronic travel authorization is required, but you must have a valid passport and proof of onward travel. Always verify current entry rules before departure as requirements can change."
      },
      "q8": {
        "question": "Which airports in Costa Rica are best to fly into from Chicago?",
        "answer": "From Chicago to Costa Rica, you will most likely fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, which handles the vast majority of long-haul flights from the U.S. and is the best hub for bus or rental car connections across the country. Liberia’s Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport is a strong alternative if your focus is Guanacaste beach resorts and the Nicoya Peninsula, with seasonal nonstops from Chicago. There are no passenger trains for onward travel, so both airports rely on road transport, but San José offers more frequent and extensive ground connections."
      },
      "q12": {
        "question": "When is the best time of year to visit Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "Costa Rica's dry season from December to April offers the best weather, but it's also the busiest and priciest. May to July and November provide a good balance of lower prices, fewer tourists and manageable rainfall, with plenty of sunshine."
      }
    }
  }
}