Chicago to San José (Alajuela) (ORD–SJO) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

ORD Airport Page →
2,221 mi airlines 1/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 3 flights Verified 2m ago
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  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
✈ Nonstop
✓
→
UA1135
UA United
B38M
7:36 AM
CDT T1
11:55 AM
CST
5h 19m
—
M T W T F S S
Prices
✓
←
UA3049
UA United
B38M
8:00 AM
CST
2:34 PM
CDT
5h 34m
—
M T W T F S S
Prices
✓
←
UA1952
UA United
B38M
1:00 PM
CST
7:35 PM
CDT
5h 35m
—
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

✦ 1-STOP More options, longer trips
✧ 2-STOP Loading... Reach the hardest destinations
Chicago to San José (Alajuela)
2 carriers, 1 flights/week nonstop.
2 Airlines 1 Flights/wk 2,221 mi 5h 19m nonstop -1h behind 54 1-stop hubs

ORD–SJO is served by 2 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines and American Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 2,221 miles in approximately 5h 19m. Beyond nonstop, 54 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Also explore ORD Routes SJO Routes ORD Live Flights SJO Live Flights ORD Delays
Carriers on this route

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop ORD–SJO service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
UA United Airlines 1 B38M 5h19 61% Star Alliance –
AA American Airlines 0 – – 61% Oneworld –
Aircraft on this route
B38M Boeing 737 MAX 8 – UA
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: UA (1 flights/wk, 100%)
Oneworld: AA (0 flights/wk, 0%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.
Schedule

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, ORD to SJO direction.
Mon
0
flights
Tue
0
flights
Wed
0
flights
Thu
0
flights
Fri
0
flights
Sat
1
flight
Sun
0
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
1
Nonstop flights
1
Outbound / wk
3
Return / wk
Connections

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for ORD to SJO.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
54
Hubs
~5h
Fastest
~27h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
2,659
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.
Know before you go

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-1h
San José (Alajuela) is 1 hour behind Chicago.
ORD: CDT · SJO: CST

When it's 6:00 PM in Chicago, it's 5:00 PM in San José (Alajuela).
Distance & Flight Time
2,221 mi / 3,575 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 5h 19m.
Visa & Entry

US passport holders enter Costa Rica visa-free for stays up to 180 days. No advance application is needed. Passport must be valid for at least one day beyond the date of entry. A return or onward ticket is required and airlines will check before boarding. Proof of funds (USD 100 per month of stay) may be requested at immigration.

Verify entry requirements with official sources before travel.
Getting to ORD

CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from downtown Loop stations to O'Hare (45 min, $5). Pace buses serve suburbs. Ride-shares cost $35–55 from downtown depending on traffic; add 30+ minutes during rush hour on the Kennedy Expressway.Economy parking lots E/F connect via ATS people mover. Terminal 5 (international) is separate from Terminals 1–3; allow extra time for inter-terminal transfers.

Facts

ORD–SJO Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Chicago to San José (Alajuela) route.
Route details
Distance2,221 mi / 3,575 km
Flight time5h 19m
Time difference-1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)2
Weekly flights1 out / 3 return
1-stop connections54 hubs
Origin: ORD
Full nameChicago O'Hare International Airport
IATA / ICAOORD / KORD
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr80.0M
Elevation680 ft / 207 m
Destination: SJO
Full nameJuan Santamaría International Airport
IATA / ICAOSJO / MROC
TimezoneAmerica/Costa_Rica
Passengers/yr7.5M
Elevation3,021 ft / 921 m
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ORD to SJO flights.
Nonstop flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport take approximately 5h 19m. The route covers 2,221 miles.
2 airlines operate nonstop service: American Airlines and United Airlines.
There are approximately 1 nonstop flights per week from ORD to SJO. The return direction has about 3 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through TYS, FXE, SUS, SRQ, OPF, CMH, PIE, DAL, HOU, PBI, ECP, LIR, TEB, CHS, ILM, BDL, BNA, IAD, MSY, SJU, MDE, VNY, SXM, CUN, SAN, GDL, YUL, JFK, BOG, MEX, LTN, YYZ, SFO, IAH, MTY, CLT, ATL, DFW, BWI, MIA, EWR, PTY, MSP, MCO, MAD, LAX, GUA, FLL, DEN, UIO, AMS, ZRH, CDG and FRA. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
San José (Alajuela) is 1 hour behind Chicago.
Yes, return flights from SJO to ORD are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from ORD to SJO

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) are connected by nonstop service from American Airlines and United Airlines. With 1 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.

ORD to SJO Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from ORD to SJO ranges from 5 hours 19 minutes. The route covers a distance of 2,221 miles (3,575 km). There are approximately 1 weekly flights outbound and 3 return, totaling 4 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

54 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 5 hours via TYS. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs.