{
  "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 and San José, the capital. Liberia gives quick access to Pacific beaches and resorts, while San José is the hub for exploring rainforests, volcanoes and Caribbean coast connections."
      },
      "q1": {
        "question": "How long is the flight from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "Non-stop flights from Chicago to San José take about 5 hours, with the return leg often 10–15 minutes longer. One-stop routes to Liberia or San José typically run 7 to 9 hours depending on the connection."
      },
      "q2": {
        "question": "Are there direct flights from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "Yes, there are non-stop flights from Chicago to Costa Rica. The main route is Chicago O'Hare to Liberia Guanacaste Airport, operated seasonally by United Airlines. American Airlines also offers seasonal non-stops to Liberia from O'Hare. If you prefer flying into the capital, San José, you'll typically need a one-stop connection via hubs like Miami, Houston, or Panama City, with total travel times around 7 to 10 hours."
      },
      "q3": {
        "question": "Which airlines fly from Chicago to Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "From Chicago to Costa Rica non-stop on United and American, plus one-stop via Copa, Delta, JetBlue, Spirit and other carriers."
      },
      "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 April, May, and October, while December and July are the most expensive — peak summer and the winter holidays drive prices up. Booking about 4 to 6 weeks ahead typically yields the best fares, and midweek departures tend to be cheaper than weekend flights, with early-morning or late-night departures often offering lower prices than midday options.",
        "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, aim to book 4 to 6 weeks ahead for the best fares, though the shoulder months of April, May, and October are cheaper overall and can sometimes be booked a bit closer in.",
        "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. 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."
      },
      "q6": {
        "question": "What are the most popular cities to visit in Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "In Costa Rica, visitors often fly into San Jose for city life and volcano access, then head to Arenal for hot springs, Monteverde for cloud forests, Guanacaste for beaches and Manuel Antonio for wildlife."
      },
      "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 of up to 90 days, but you must have a valid passport and proof of onward travel. No electronic travel authorization is required at this time. Always verify entry rules before departure, as requirements can change suddenly."
      },
      "q8": {
        "question": "Which airports in Costa Rica are best to fly into from Chicago?",
        "answer": "From Chicago to Costa Rica, San José's Juan Santamaría International Airport is the main gateway with the most nonstop and connecting options, ideal for exploring the Central Valley and arranging domestic flights or shuttles. Liberia's Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport is better for Pacific beach resorts and the Guanacaste region, often with direct seasonal flights. Costa Rica has no passenger train network, so onward travel typically relies on rental cars, shuttles, or small domestic flights."
      },
      "q12": {
        "question": "When is the best time of year to visit Costa Rica?",
        "answer": "For Costa Rica, the dry season from December to April offers the best weather but peak prices, while the green season from May to November brings lower costs and fewer crowds, especially in September and October."
      }
    }
  }
}