{ "response": { "Key": "MCO-SJO", "orig": { "code": "MCO", "type": "airport", "city": "Orlando", "fullCity": "Orlando, Florida", "airport": "Orlando Intl Airport" }, "dest": { "code": "SJO", "type": "airport", "city": "San José", "fullCity": "San José, Costa Rica", "airport": "Juan Santamaría Intl Airport" }, "faq": { "q0": { "question": "What is the typical flight duration from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "A nonstop flight from Orlando (MCO) to San José (SJO) typically takes about 3 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes. With one stop, depending on the layover city, total travel time commonly ranges from 5 to 7 hours. The return nonstop flight often takes slightly longer, around 3 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 45 minutes." }, "q1": { "question": "Are there any direct flights from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "Yes, non‑stop flights from Orlando (MCO) to San José (SJO) are available on JetBlue, Southwest, Aero and Frontier. JetBlue operates up to 69 weekly flights, Southwest 28, and Aero 24 — all daily — while Frontier runs just one flight per week on Saturdays.", "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" ] }, "q2": { "question": "Are there visa requirements to travel from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "Yes, there are entry requirements for traveling from Orlando to San José. U.S. citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, but must have a passport valid for at least one day beyond the date of entry and proof of onward travel. Non‑U.S. citizens should check Costa Rica’s visa policy based on nationality; many nationalities enjoy visa‑free access for up to 90 days. For travel from San José to Orlando, Costa Rican citizens require a valid U.S. visa unless they are eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (which they are not), so a B‑1/B‑2 visa is typically needed. Other nationalities must meet standard U.S. entry requirements, which may include a visa or ESTA authorization." }, "q4": { "question": "When is the cheapest time to fly from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "The cheapest months to fly from Orlando to San José are May, April, and June, with average fares around $400, $418, and $433 respectively. The most expensive months are December, January, and November, where average prices climb to roughly $728, $620, and $562.", "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.", "toolsUsed": [ "seasonal_prices" ] }, "q5": { "question": "How far in advance should I book tickets from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "For flights from Orlando to San José, the best fares typically fall within a booking window of 6 to 9 weeks before departure, with the absolute lowest price around $488 at 60 days out. Last-minute bookings can cost over $600, so purchasing well ahead is wise, especially for summer or holiday travel when demand pushes prices higher.", "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.", "toolsUsed": [ "booking_timing" ] }, "q6": { "question": "Are overnight (red‑eye) flights available from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "No nonstop red-eyes operate from Orlando to San José, but a connecting overnight itinerary is available: Avianca departs MCO at 11:40 PM, arriving in Bogotá at 2:45 AM (early hours of the next day), with a 4h45m layover before continuing to SJO on Avianca.", "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 Orlando to San José?", "answer": "JetBlue, Southwest, Volaris Costa Rica, and Frontier all fly nonstop from Orlando to San José. JetBlue offers the most flights at 69 per week with a median fare around $972, while Southwest operates 28 weekly flights at a median of $669. Volaris Costa Rica runs 24 weekly flights (no median fare listed) and Frontier has just one weekly departure, typically around $1,302.", "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 Orlando and San José?", "answer": "Common layover cities include Miami, Panama City, Atlanta, and Houston. Miami offers the most direct routing with numerous daily flights, while Panama City provides efficient connections through Copa's hub and allows visa-free transit for many nationalities." }, "q9": { "question": "How reliable are on‑time departures on this route from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "On‑time reliability is generally good, though afternoon thunderstorms in Orlando can cause delays. Early flights, particularly on JetBlue or Spirit, tend to depart more punctually." }, "q10": { "question": "Which months have the best weather for traveling to San José?", "answer": "December to April offers sunny, dry weather and pleasant temperatures, avoiding the rainy season's heavy crowds." }, "q11": { "question": "What documents should I bring with me to the airport when flying from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "Bring a U.S. passport valid for the duration of your stay, proof of onward or return travel, a payment method for baggage, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a risk area." }, "q12": { "question": "Which airport should I use in San José?", "answer": "San José has only one commercial airport, Juan Santamaría International Airport, located about 20 minutes from downtown and serving all international and domestic flights." }, "q13": { "question": "How do I get to Orlando Intl Airport from the city center?", "answer": "From downtown Orlando, the most popular and fastest option to reach Orlando International Airport (MCO) is a ride‑share or taxi, taking roughly 20–30 minutes depending on traffic. Public buses operated by Lynx (primarily Link 11 and Link 51) provide an affordable alternative, though the journey can take over an hour with transfers. Several shuttle services also run between downtown hotels and the airport. If driving, on‑airport parking is available in garages and economy lots at varying price points.", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [ { "url": "https://orlandoairports.net", "title": "Orlando International Airport (MCO)", "time_published": "2026-07-20T08:27:21Z" }, { "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_International_Airport_People_Movers", "title": "Orlando International Airport People Movers", "time_published": "2026-07-01T04:29:54Z" }, { "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Executive_Airport", "title": "Orlando Executive Airport", "time_published": "2026-07-06T09:34:09Z" }, { "url": "https://www.faa.gov/sfb", "title": "Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) | Federal Aviation Administration", "time_published": "2026-06-02T00:00:00Z" }, { "url": "https://www.orlandoairports.net/flights/international-service/", "title": "International Service - Orlando International Airport (MCO)", "time_published": "2015-08-06T00:00:00Z" } ] }, "q17": { "question": "What aircraft are typically used on flights from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "Nonstop flights from Orlando to San José are operated by Frontier and Southwest, though the specific aircraft types for those nonstops aren't publicly listed in the schedule data. On connecting itineraries, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the most common aircraft, appearing on the long leg through hubs like Houston (IAH), Miami (MIA), and Panama City (PTY) on United, American, and Copa, while the Boeing 737-800 also appears regularly on Copa connections. The exact aircraft can vary by day and airline, and Wi‑Fi and seatback entertainment are widely available on these connecting flights.", "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 Orlando to San José?", "answer": "No global airline alliance flies nonstop from Orlando to San José; the four carriers on the route — JetBlue, Southwest, Volaris Costa Rica, and Frontier — are all unaffiliated with Star Alliance, oneworld, or SkyTeam. Other alliances may serve the route via connections, but no member of those three groups operates a nonstop flight.", "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" ] }, "q20": { "question": "What are the best airport lounge options when departing from Orlando?", "answer": "Orlando International Airport (MCO) offers several lounge options across its terminals. In Terminal B, Airside 4, there is a Delta Sky Club, accessible to Delta One or SkyTeam premium cabin passengers, Delta Sky Club members, and eligible American Express cardholders, featuring complimentary drinks, snacks, and Wi‑Fi. Two locations of The Club MCO are available, one in Terminal A, Airside 1 and another in Terminal B, Airside 4; these independent lounges accept Priority Pass, LoungeKey, and day passes for purchase, and provide showers, a children’s play area, and a full bar. Terminal C houses a Plaza Premium Lounge, open to all travelers via walk‑in payment or participating lounge membership programs, offering comfortable seating, light meals, and beverages.", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [ { "url": "https://americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/MCO", "title": "American Express Lounges at Orlando International Airport | Amex US", "time_published": "2026-05-05T00:00:00Z" }, { "url": "https://americanexpress.com/fi-fi/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/MCO", "title": "American Express Lounges at Orlando International Airport | Amex FI", "time_published": "2026-05-05T00:00:00Z" }, { "url": "https://orlandoairports.net", "title": "Orlando International Airport (MCO)", "time_published": "2026-07-20T08:27:21Z" }, { "url": "https://my.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/united-states-of-america/orlando-international", "title": "Orlando International Airport MCO Lounges - MCO Airport Guide and lounges. | Priority Pass", "time_published": "2024-11-05T00:00:00Z" }, { "url": "https://my.prioritypass.com:443/en-GB/lounges/united-states-of-america/orlando-international/mco1-the-club-mco-gates-70-99", "title": "The Club MCO (Gates 70-99) MCO AIRPORT Terminal B Concourse 4 Orlando FL International | Priority Pass", "time_published": "2024-11-05T00:00:00Z" } ] }, "q21": { "question": "What is the baggage allowance on this route from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "Baggage rules depend on the airline and fare type. Basic economy often allows only a personal item, with checked bags and a full carry‑on costing extra. Standard economy typically includes one checked bag and a carry‑on, while premium cabins offer more generous allowances." }, "q22": { "question": "What cabin and seat options are typical from Orlando to San José?", "answer": "Flights from Orlando to San José usually feature Economy and may include flat‑bed Business class on select airlines, though 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." } } } }