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krh · Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 25

Hi! I'm planning on leaving for CR in a couple weeks. I live in Montana but could fly from Seattle, Portland or Salt Lake. Any advice on finding a cheap one way ticket? Websites/airlines/travel agencies? It would help a lot! Also, anyone have any luck with "couch surfing" in Costa Rica?

Ecrivain · Joined: 26 Aug 2006 Posts: 37 Location: Ohio (for now)

1) Why one-way? From what I've seen, round trip isn't much more. And don't you need to show proof of onward travel anyways?

2) What would you consider cheap? I've found tickets around $300-400 leaving from the major hubs. Costs double trying to leave from smaller regional airports. Of course, booking only a couple of weeks out, it might be more.

krh · Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 25

Yeah, I'm going to obviously need a round trip ticket. But I'm not sure when I'll be returning to the States yet so I want to get a ticket I can change a few months down the road. But if I show a ticket for a four-month stay upon arriving in CR, will they give me hassle? Will I need a different kind of visa, etc?
thanks for the help-

Ecrivain · Joined: 26 Aug 2006 Posts: 37 Location: Ohio (for now)

Personally, I'm thinking I'll get a round-trip ticket with a return date a month or two out. I figure that three or more months will raise too many questions. I'd love to hear from others that have actually made the trip, though.

If you have a US passport, you won't need any kind of visa. Your passport allows you 3 months in Costa Rica as a tourist.

JAppleby · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 32

I was wondering about this, too. I don't think I can even get a return ticket for the date I'll be returning because it's too far ahead. (I want start in February and end in December.) I guess the best thing is to buy a refundable ticket for a couple months after I go down, and then just cancel once I'm in the country?

thombo · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 38 Location: Winston-Salem, NC

What I did was get a return ticket for around when I thought I'd want to come back and just change it as the date gets nearer. It is MUCH cheaper to change your flight than to get two one-way flights.

Also, the reason I'm posting is because I've just booked my flight back to CR from the states after christmas (and returning in June) and got a very good deal. On orbitz.com I got a Jan 9 (returning June 1) flight from Atl through Charlotte to SJO for $369 (all taxes included) - which is fantastic. This might be a good time to bite thebullet and buy your ticket.

Bruce

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http://costaricaclassroom.blogspot.com

krh · Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 25

how much did you have to pay to change the dates? what airline? it can be up to $200 to change the dates... or sometimes its not allowed at all- like priceline.

thombo · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 38 Location: Winston-Salem, NC

As it turns out, I'm not going to be changing the dates, but you should expect $100-200 dollars. That said, its probably a lot less than getting 2 one way tickets (depending on what kind of deal you get on the tickets). As for worrying about "looking suspicoius" by getting a areturn ticket for a number of months later, I got one question flying out of Charlotte from the ticket taker and I just said "yeah I'm flying in and out of Costa Rica, but I'll be traveling to other countries the middle" which is true - you have to flea the country every 3 months or so.

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http://costaricaclassroom.blogspot.com

doreenp · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 147

Dare to try a Canadian site? i use www.ticketpilot.ca and have had some great deals thru them. Of course the prices are in Canadian dollars but do include taxes. Cancelation charges depend on the tickets you buy.

cheers
d