Juan Santamaría International Airport Map (Most Up-To-Date)
Juan Santamaría International Airport runs as a long, linear main terminal with a split-level roadway (Arrivals below, Departures above), plus a separate, smaller Domestic Terminal building a short walk away within Costa Rica’s main San José-area airport grounds. The public parking garage sits opposite the main terminal and becomes the key navigation anchor for ride-share pickups. Most stress happens landside, right after Customs, where the single Arrivals exit pushes you into curbside traffic flows and competing pickup zones.
Map Table
| Terminal / Area | Levels | Ground Transport Anchor | Key Transfer Reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Terminal (International) | Arrivals L1, Departures L2 | Curbside lanes, public parking garage | Landside-only transfers |
| Domestic Terminal (Sansa/Green) | Single-story | Separate curb, quieter pickup area | 300–500 m sidewalk walk |
| Public Parking Garage | Multi-level | Pedestrian bridge, elevators/stairs | Common Uber pickup vector |
Juan Santamaría International Airport Map Strategy
- Treat Juan Santamaría International Airport as two buildings: the Main Terminal and the Sansa/Green domestic terminal require a landside walk; plan the sidewalk route before you exit Customs.
- Use the parking garage as a navigation tool: the Arrivals curb is high-pressure and enforced; the garage’s upper level is the calmer rendezvous point for app pickups.
- Exit fast and keep moving: the Arrivals door drops into a solicitor “gauntlet,” so pre-commit to your target (official taxi queue, garage elevator, or the domestic walk).
- Assume gaps and constraints: uncovered segments on the domestic walk, blocked curbside pickup behavior, and traffic choke points on the access road can change timing.
2026 Juan Santamaría International Airport Map + Printable PDF
Current 2026 navigation at Juan Santamaría International Airport still hinges on landside geometry: Arrivals funnels through one public exit, Departures sits on the upper roadway, and the domestic building remains physically separate. The most “map-worthy” fixes are outside the terminal—exact sidewalks, where to cross, which level you must reach for the parking garage, and where official vs unofficial transport clusters form.
2026 Juan Santamaría International Airport Map Guide
What is the exact walking route and distance (meters) from International Arrivals exit to the Sansa/Green domestic terminal entrance (including which side/sidewalk you take)?
The transfer requires a landside walk of roughly 300–500 meters on the public sidewalk after you fully exit the international terminal. After Customs, use the single Arrivals public exit door, then orient yourself to the curb and vehicle lanes immediately outside.
Turn left as you step out of the Arrivals exit (facing the street/traffic lanes) and stay on the terminal-side sidewalk that runs parallel to the main building. Keep following that same sidewalk past the rental car area and along the westward edge of the main terminal frontage; the walk is partially covered with uncovered gaps. Continue straight until the smaller, single-story Domestic Terminal building appears ahead, then enter at its public front doors for Sansa/Green check-in.
Where is the Uber pickup point precisely (parking structure level, and which pedestrian exit/crosswalk/door from Arrivals gets you there fastest)?
Curbside Uber pickup at the Arrivals door is the dealbreaker: drivers risk tickets there, so the most reliable pickup point is the public parking garage upper level (Departures-level garage floor). That “Level 2” garage area works because it’s off the police-patrolled curb and lets a driver stop briefly like a personal pickup.
From the single International Arrivals public exit door, cross the access road toward the parking garage directly opposite the terminal. Once inside the garage, go up by elevator or stairs to the upper level aligned with Departures (the open-air/topside feel is the tell). Wait near the pedestrian-bridge side of the garage (the side that connects toward the terminal’s Departures level), and only request the Uber once you’re physically on that upper garage level so the app pin snaps to the correct level.
Where are the official airport taxi stands/queues located relative to Arrivals exits (which door), so a traveler can avoid unofficial solicitors?
The official airport taxi queue sits immediately adjacent to the single International Arrivals public exit door on the Arrivals level. The authorized fleet is the orange “Taxis Unidos” cars, and they hold the prime curb space closest to that door.
Use the one public Arrivals exit, step outside, and look for the organized line managed by uniformed coordinators and the row of orange sedans at the curb directly in front of you. Keep walking past anyone who approaches you before you reach that curbside queue—those early intercepts are the common unofficial solicitor pattern in the tight sidewalk “gauntlet.” Once at the official line, confirm the orange car and insist on the meter (“Ponga la Maria, por favor”) before you commit to the ride.
What is the fastest on-foot route from domestic terminal drop-off to International Departures security/immigration, and what is the walking time/distance?
Walking takes about 5–7 minutes briskly and roughly 300–500 meters from the domestic terminal frontage to the international terminal departures level entry path. The route is fully landside, along the same public sidewalk corridor between the two buildings.
From domestic terminal drop-off, walk toward the main terminal and stay on the public sidewalk that parallels the terminal frontage (the terminal-side walkway). Continue straight along the curbside corridor until you reach the main international terminal area, then angle up to the Departures level entrance (upper roadway level) for check-in and the centralized security flow. Build extra time if you’re dragging luggage or it’s raining—parts of the sidewalk are only partially covered, and curbside congestion near the main terminal can slow the final approach.
Where is the bus stop commonly used for Uber pickup located in relation to the terminal and parking garage, and what is the shortest walking path to it?
The common “Uber fallback” bus stop is on the main road by the airport access ramp, not on the terminal curb, and it sits beyond the terminal/parking-garage zone on the public sidewalk toward the highway. This is the dealbreaker: the stop does not enter the terminal roadway, so you must walk out to it.
From the International Arrivals exit, turn right (toward the vehicle exit direction) and follow the public sidewalk along the airport access road, staying outside the terminal frontage and continuing past the garage/curb area toward where the access road meets the main highway. Keep walking until you reach the roadside bus shelter/stop area (“Parada Aeropuerto”) near the highway edge. Expect about 200–300 meters of exposed sidewalk walking with traffic noise and limited comfort, especially with luggage.
What are the exact curbside zones for Departures drop-off vs Arrivals pickup, and which lane/entry road best avoids the worst congestion points?
Arrivals pickup uses the lower/ground roadway directly outside the International Arrivals public exit, while Departures drop-off uses the upper roadway that feeds the Departures level ticketing hall. The split-level road system is the core organizer: lower equals arrivals curb, upper equals departures curb.
| Zone | Level | Primary Use | Congestion Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrivals curb | Lower / ground | Passenger pickup, official taxi queue | Solicitor crowding + stop-and-go curb lane |
| Departures curb | Upper | Quick drop-off for check-in | Ramp backups from double-parking at peaks |
For the smoother approach, favor the upper-level Departures drop-off for anyone being dropped off (including ride-hail drop-offs), because the Arrivals curb has the “gauntlet” crowding and active enforcement pressure. To reduce ramp gridlock, commit early to a quick curb stop (no lingering) and avoid peak banks when possible; the choke point is the elevated ramp feeding the Departures curb where double-parking narrows lanes.
Inside Departures, where is the checked-bag drop / baggage screening line positioned relative to airline counters and the first security checkpoint (so travelers can route correctly)?
Checked-bag processing sits in the Departures check-in hall before the centralized security checkpoint, with airline counters along the back wall and the security entry positioned ahead toward the concourse flow. The key routing rule is simple: counters and any bag-drop/baggage screening happen landside on the Departures level, and only then do you move forward to the main security point.
From the Departures curb entrance, enter the ticketing hall and face the line of airline counters (the long counter bank along the far/back wall). If your airline uses staffed bag drop or self bag drop, it’s in that same counter zone; luggage wrap services also cluster near the entry side of the hall. After you complete check-in and any bag acceptance/screening steps in the counter area, follow the forward flow toward the centralized security checkpoint that gates access to the airside concourse and, later, exit immigration.
After clearing baggage claim landside, where are the best wait zones (seating/outlets/covered area) and how do you walk there from the Arrivals exit?
Landside waiting comfort is the dealbreaker at Juan Santamaría International Airport: seating and power are scarce near Arrivals, so the most usable wait zone is typically the covered parking garage lower level rather than the sidewalk outside the exit. That garage space gives you a roof and a clearer meetup point away from the curb chaos.
After Customs, exit through the single Arrivals public door and keep moving straight out of the solicitor cluster. Cross the access road to the public parking garage directly opposite the terminal, then stay on the lower level where arrivals-facing foot traffic congregates under cover. If you need better seating, outlets, and a calmer environment, the reliable upgrade is to go back upstairs and wait airside (post-security) in lounge areas—but that only works if you’re departing, since Arrivals landside doesn’t offer a strong seating/outlet zone.
Archive Juan Santamaría International Airport Map
Below are all historical map versions for Juan Santamaría International Airport. Each year includes the official map available for that period, presented as both WebP and PDF.
2024-2026 Juan Santamaría International Airport Map (Official 2024 Edition)
