{
  "response": {
    "Key": "HOU-CR",
    "orig": {
      "code": "HOU",
      "type": "airport",
      "city": "Houston",
      "fullCity": "Houston, Texas",
      "airport": "William P Hobby Airport"
    },
    "dest": {
      "code": "CR",
      "type": "country",
      "country": "Costa Rica"
    },
    "faq": {
      "q0": {
        "question": "Which cities in Costa Rica can I fly to from Houston?",
        "answer": "From Houston you can fly non-stop to both San José and Liberia. San José is the gateway for the central highlands and Caribbean coast, while Liberia serves the Pacific beaches of Guanacaste. One-stop options via Miami, Dallas or Panama City also reach smaller airports like Quepos or Tamarindo."
      },
      "q1": {
        "question": "How long is the flight from Houston to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "Non-stop flights from Houston to San José typically take 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours southbound and about 3 hours 15 minutes northbound. If you fly into Liberia, non-stop times are similar. One-stop itineraries usually range from 5 to 8 hours total depending on the connection."
      },
      "q2": {
        "question": "Are there direct flights from Houston to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "Yes, United Airlines offers non-stop flights from Houston (IAH) to Liberia, Costa Rica, and to San José, Costa Rica. Flight time to Liberia is around 3 hours 45 minutes, and to San José is about 3 hours 50 minutes. These are the main non-stop options from Houston."
      },
      "q3": {
        "question": "Which airlines fly from Houston to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "From Houston to Costa Rica, United and Southwest offer nonstops. One-stop options include American via Dallas, Delta via Atlanta, and Copa via Panama City."
      },
      "q4": {
        "question": "When is the cheapest time to fly from Houston to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "The cheapest months to fly from Houston to Costa Rica are April, March, and October, while December, January, and February are the most expensive — so book for spring or fall to avoid peak summer and holiday fares. For the best price, aim to buy about four to six weeks ahead, and whenever possible, choose midweek departures over weekends, as midweek flights tend to be cheaper on this route.",
        "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 Houston to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "For flights from Houston to Costa Rica, the optimal booking window is about 4 to 6 weeks before departure, when fares average around $638, though the very lowest price in the data appears at 25 days out at $635.",
        "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, travelers often head to San Jose for cultural sites, then to Arenal for volcano views and hot springs, Monteverde for cloud forests, and Manuel Antonio or Tamarindo for beaches and wildlife."
      },
      "q7": {
        "question": "Do I need a visa to travel from Houston to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "U.S. citizens do not need a visa for tourist stays up to 90 days in Costa Rica. No electronic travel authorization is currently required, but you must have a valid passport with at least one blank page and proof of onward or return travel. Entry rules can change, so verify requirements before your trip."
      },
      "q8": {
        "question": "Which airports in Costa Rica are best to fly into from Houston?",
        "answer": "From Houston to Costa Rica, Juan Santamaría International Airport near San José is the main gateway with the most long-haul options and convenient bus and shuttle connections across the country. Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport in Liberia is a better choice if you are heading straight to Guanacaste beaches and resorts. There are no trains for onward travel, but both airports have rental cars and shuttles."
      },
      "q12": {
        "question": "When is the best time of year to visit Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "For Costa Rica, the dry season from mid-December to April sees the most tourists and highest prices. May through mid-August is a good balance with green landscapes, lower rates and brief afternoon showers, especially on the Pacific coast. September and October are the rainiest months and some roads may be difficult."
      }
    }
  }
}