Q COSTA RICA TRAVEL- FLIGHT DEALS (Cntraveler.com) Sun, sand, beach. Sun, sand, beach. After winter storms on the East Coast, we have a new mantra for the rest of winter. And a few full-service airlines, like United and American, are answering the call with discounted fares to Liberia and San José, Costa Rica.
Seven cities in the U.S., from Charlotte to Portland, are included on the deal to Liberia, and 11 cities, including Miami (with fares from $196) and New York, have low fares to Costa Rica’s capital.
The only question is: which city to choose?
For surfers and beach bums, Liberia should be your choice. Located in the northwest corner of Costa Rica, the city is a prime starting point for a trip down the Península de Nicoya. Stop in Nosara at Harmony Hotel, about two hours from Liberia, for a remote enclave of surfers and yoga enthusiasts looking to recharge with a dash of luxury—think an on-site healing center, a juice bar, and a yoga studio. Then, head down to Santa Teresa, the more well-known beach town on the southwest edge of the peninsula, where you’ll likely spot a celeb or two. (Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady have a second home there.)
If you’re looking for more of a culture-heavy trip, book a flight to San José, located smack-dab in the middle of the country. From there you have two choices: stay in San José and check out the gold, jade, and art history museums or head out to the wilderness and try whitewater rafting in Turrialba, canoe through Parque Nacional Tortuguero, or hike among the monkeys in Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. All choices are a two- to three-hour drive from San José.
Just hoping to escape to a luxury hotel? Take your pick from the nine Costa Rican hotels and resorts that made the cut on in this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
To book: Use Google Flights and its calendar feature to find the least expensive fares that work for your schedule. You’ll need to look between February and June for the scattered availability through early summer. About half of the flights are nonstop, according to Thrifty Traveler, who discovered the deal. The cheapest fare is from Miami to San José, but the most expensive fare is $398 from Seattle, where this route usually costs between $500 and $600.
Sample fares to Liberia:
- Charlotte $288
- Dallas $290
- Miami $290
- Philadelphia $275
- Phoenix $305
- Portland $388
- Seattle $398
Sample fares to San José:
- Chicago $274
- Ft. Lauderdale $207
- Houston $324
- Jacksonville $284
- Las Vegas $377
- Los Angeles $361
- Miami $196
- New Orleans $355
- New York $274
- Orlando $265
- Pittsburgh $285All fares are quoted in US Dollars
Article originally appeared on Cntraveler.com
