{"response": {"Key": "BWI-SJO", "orig": {"code": "BWI", "type": "airport", "city": "Baltimore", "fullCity": "Baltimore, Maryland", "airport": "Thurgood Marshall 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 Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "The flight from Baltimore to San José is about 2,070 miles and typically takes 4 hours and 45 minutes nonstop on Southwest, with service on Saturdays and Sundays. The return leg also takes 4 hours and 45 minutes, so there's no meaningful difference between directions.", "methodology": "Carrier service, flight times and distances for this route come from our flight-schedule database, which draws on published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data, and observed operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We report the days of the week and the departure times each carrier operates. The typical flight time is the median scheduled block time, given both per carrier and across all carriers on the route; where a schedule does not publish an elapsed time, it is derived from the scheduled departure and arrival times converted to UTC. Outbound and return times are computed by the same method, so the difference between them is directly comparable and reflects prevailing winds rather than any change in derivation. Distance is the great-circle distance between the two specific airports named, so an actual flown track is typically 2-5% longer. Where shown, on-time departure and arrival rates and cancellation rates come from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline On-Time Performance dataset, which covers U.S. domestic routes only; where a typical fare is shown, it comes from the U.S. DOT Airline Origin and Destination Survey (DB1B), a quarterly 10% sample of tickets sold.", "toolsUsed": ["flight_schedule"]}, "q1": {"question": "Are there any direct flights from Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "Yes, Southwest flies nonstop from Baltimore (BWI) to San José (SJO) on Saturdays and Sundays only, with five weekly departures clustered around 8:30–9:05 AM and a typical flight time of about 4 hours 45 minutes. It's the sole carrier offering nonstop service on this route. The shortest connecting option takes around 8½ hours, most often routing through Houston, Miami, or Charlotte on American, United, or Copa.", "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. Carrier service, flight times and distances for this route come from our flight-schedule database, which draws on published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data, and observed operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We report the days of the week and the departure times each carrier operates. The typical flight time is the median scheduled block time, given both per carrier and across all carriers on the route; where a schedule does not publish an elapsed time, it is derived from the scheduled departure and arrival times converted to UTC. Outbound and return times are computed by the same method, so the difference between them is directly comparable and reflects prevailing winds rather than any change in derivation. Distance is the great-circle distance between the two specific airports named, so an actual flown track is typically 2-5% longer. Where shown, on-time departure and arrival rates and cancellation rates come from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline On-Time Performance dataset, which covers U.S. domestic routes only; where a typical fare is shown, it comes from the U.S. DOT Airline Origin and Destination Survey (DB1B), a quarterly 10% sample of tickets sold. 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", "flight_schedule", "route_options"]}, "q3": {"question": "What are the ground transportation options in San José?", "answer": "From Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), licensed orange airport taxis are the most-used and fastest option to downtown San José, a 20 km trip, and they accept both colónes and U.S. dollars. A 24-hour public bus service also runs roughly every 10 minutes during working hours from a stop at the airport, offering a cheaper alternative. Ride-share services like Uber operate but may face restrictions at the terminal, while car rentals are available though driving in the city can be challenging. The bus is the most economical, but taxis provide door-to-door convenience.", "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 Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "The cheapest months to fly from Baltimore to San José are May, October, April, and September, with average fares around $419 to $451. The most expensive months are December, July, and March, when average prices climb to $532–$666, with December peaking at $666 on average.", "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 Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "For the best fares on flights from Baltimore to San José, Costa Rica, aim to book 11 to 14 weeks before departure, when prices average around $466. The absolute cheapest single day is about 80 days out at $459, while booking very last-minute or more than 5 months ahead can push fares above $500. For peak summer or holiday travel, booking even earlier within this window is wise, as demand can drive 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 Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "No overnight (red-eye) flights operate from Baltimore (BWI) to San José (SJO) — neither nonstop nor connecting itineraries with a red-eye long leg are available on this route.", "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 Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "Southwest Airlines flies nonstop from Baltimore to San José, Costa Rica, with five weekly flights on Saturdays and Sundays, typically departing between 8:30 AM and 9:05 AM. The approximate median fare for Southwest on this route is $613.", "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 Baltimore and San José?", "answer": "Common layover cities between Baltimore and San José include Miami, Atlanta, Houston, and Panama City. Miami and Atlanta offer frequent connections and competitive total travel times. Houston provides a central hub with efficient transfers. Panama City features Copa Airlines’ extensive Latin American network and often allows visa‑free transit for many nationalities."}, "q10": {"question": "Which months have the best weather for traveling to San José?", "answer": "December to April is dry season, with sunny skies and comfortable temperatures, though it's the busiest period. For fewer crowds and still mostly dry weather, May and November are good transitional months."}, "q11": {"question": "What documents should I bring with me to the airport when flying from Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "Bring a passport valid for at least six months, proof of onward or return travel, a payment method for baggage, and check if you need a visa or any vaccination certificates."}, "q12": {"question": "Which airport should I use in San José?", "answer": "San José has one main airport, Juan Santamaría International Airport, which serves all commercial flights to the city."}, "q13": {"question": "How do I get to Thurgood Marshall Intl Airport from the city center?", "answer": "From downtown Baltimore, the fastest and most popular option is the MARC train or Amtrak from Penn Station, with a travel time of about 30 minutes; take a free shuttle from the BWI Rail Station to the terminal. The MTA Light Rail also connects directly to the airport from various downtown stops, though it's slower. Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft, as well as taxis, are available 24/7 and offer door-to-door convenience at a higher cost. Driving and parking at BWI is straightforward with several on-site garages and lots, but it's the priciest choice for longer trips.", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [{"url": "https://bwiairport.com/to-and-from-bwi/transportation/regional-destinations/washington-dc", "title": "Washington, DC | BWI Airport", "time_published": "2024-12-30T17:00:30Z"}, {"url": "https://bwiairport.com/flying-with-us/flights/air-traffic-map", "title": "Air Traffic Map | BWI Airport", "time_published": "2026-02-05T14:00:15Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BWI_Marshall_Airport_Shuttle", "title": "BWI Marshall Airport Shuttle", "time_published": "2025-05-30T22:29:49Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BWI%20Marshall%20Airport%20Shuttle", "title": "BWI Marshall Airport Shuttle", "time_published": "2025-05-30T22:29:49Z"}, {"url": "https://bwiairport.com/to-and-from-bwi/transportation/regional-destinations/washington-dulles-international-airport", "title": "Washington Dulles International Airport | BWI Airport", "favicon": "https://bwiairport.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo1.png", "time_published": "2024-12-30T17:00:44Z"}]}, "q14": {"question": "Are there hotels or sleeping facilities at San José airport?", "answer": "Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) does not have on-site hotels, capsule hotels, or sleeping pods inside the terminal. However, several nearby hotels are connected by shuttle, including the Hilton Garden Inn San Jose Airport City Mall and Hampton by Hilton San Jose Airport, both located within a mile of the airport.", "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"}]}, "q15": {"question": "Are there currency exchange offices, prayer rooms and Wi‑Fi at Juan Santamaría Intl Airport?", "answer": "Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) offers currency exchange offices and free Wi‑Fi throughout the terminal. Prayer rooms or chapels are not mentioned in available information. Currency exchange services are located in the main terminal, and free Wi‑Fi is accessible across the airport.", "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_Santamaria_International_Airport", "title": "Juan Santamaría International Airport - Wikipedia", "time_published": "2005-03-20T00:00:00Z"}, {"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/Luis_Mu%C3%B1oz_Marin_International_Airport", "title": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport - Wikipedia", "time_published": "2002-09-10T02:45:15Z"}, {"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"}]}, "q17": {"question": "What aircraft are typically used on flights from Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "There is no nonstop service from Baltimore to San José; common connecting itineraries use Boeing 737 MAX 8 or Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the longer leg, typically via Orlando, Miami, Houston, or Dallas. On the shorter connecting leg, aircraft such as the Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737 MAX 8, Embraer 175, or Airbus A220-200 appear depending on the route and airline. The exact aircraft can vary by day and airline, but these narrow-body types are the most frequent.", "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 Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "Southwest Airlines is the only carrier with nonstop service from Baltimore to San José, and Southwest does not belong to any global alliance. Other alliances may offer connecting itineraries on this route, but no SkyTeam, Star Alliance, or oneworld member flies it nonstop.", "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 Baltimore?", "answer": "Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) has two main lounge options. The Club BWI in Concourse D is a 2,200-square-foot independent lounge with a Productivity Zone, Relaxing and Resting Zones, and a Replenish Zone offering complimentary food and drinks; access is available through Priority Pass and certain American Express cards, but it is only for passengers departing from Concourses D and E on international flights. Minute Suites in Concourse C offers private sleep pods for resting or working, accessible with Priority Pass or by paying an hourly rate. There are no airline-branded lounges such as a Delta Sky Club, United Club, or American Admirals Club at BWI.", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [{"url": "https://my.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/united-states-of-america/baltimore-washington-international-thurgood-marshall", "title": "Baltimore-Washington International/Thurgood Marshall Airport BWI Lounges - BWI Airport Guide and lounges. | Priority Pass", "time_published": "2024-11-05T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "https://americanexpress.com/en-ca/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/BWI", "title": "American Express Lounges at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport | Amex CA", "time_published": "2026-05-02T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/usa/baltimorewashington-md-intl/bwi21s-roam-fitness", "title": "Baltimore-Washington International/Thurgood Marshall Airport BWI Lounges - BWI Airport Guide and lounges. | Priority Pass", "time_published": "2024-11-05T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/BWI/The-Club-BWI-Main-Terminal-Concourse-D-GuwkmjxsKB/?hub=in_benefits_related_pages_why_american_express", "title": "The Club BWI at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport | Amex US", "favicon": "https://www.americanexpress.com/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"}, {"url": "https://bwiairport.com/at-bwi/resources/customer-service/", "title": "Customer Service | BWI Airport", "time_published": "2026-04-17T21:13:35Z"}]}, "q21": {"question": "What is the baggage allowance on this route from Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "Baggage allowance depends on the airline and fare class. Basic economy fares may not include a checked bag, while 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 Baltimore to San José?", "answer": "Typical cabin options include Economy and flat-bed Business class, with Premium Economy available on select flights."}, "q23": {"question": "Are same‑day changes or standby possible on this route?", "answer": "Policies vary by airline and fare type; flexible tickets and premium cabins often allow same‑day changes or standby, while basic economy typically does not."}}}}