SJO Airport (Juan Santamaría International Airport) – Cargo, Address, Transit

About This Airport

Opened in 1958 and named after Costa Rica's national hero Juan Santamaría, this airport near Alajuela has grown into the country's largest and its principal point of departure for air freight. While passenger numbers are substantial, the cargo story is what matters to the trade: Costa Rica is one of Latin America's leading exporters of medical devices, and much of that high-value output leaves the country by air from here. Swissport runs a modern cargo warehouse and handles temperature-controlled perishables — pineapples, melons, ornamental foliage, cut flowers and fresh seafood bound mainly for Miami and onward markets. Integrators FedEx, UPS and DHL operate alongside freight carriers such as Amerijet, Avianca Cargo and LATAM Cargo, linking San José with North America, South America and Europe. The free-trade zones (zonas francas) clustered around Alajuela and Coyol, where global medtech firms manufacture, feed export volume straight to the ramp. Road access runs via the General Cañas motorway and the Pan-American Highway, while the Pacific port of Caldera and the Caribbean port of Limón-Moín close the multimodal loop for containerised freight. One operational note: the airport sits at roughly 920 metres of elevation, which affects payload planning for heavily loaded freighters. In May 2026 a new 3,800 m² international arrivals area opened as part of a roughly USD 62 million expansion, adding space for customs and agricultural (MAG) inspections.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IATA code of Juan Santamaría International Airport?▼

The IATA code of Juan Santamaría International Airport is SJO. This three-letter code is used for unique airport identification in international air transport.

Where is Juan Santamaría International Airport located?▼

Juan Santamaría International Airport is located in San José (Alajuela), CR.

What is the ICAO code of Juan Santamaría International Airport?▼

The ICAO code of Juan Santamaría International Airport is MROC. This four-letter code is used internationally in aviation.

What is the elevation of Juan Santamaría International Airport?▼

Juan Santamaría International Airport is at an elevation of 921 meters (3021 ft) above sea level.

Juan Santamaría International AirportSJO · MROC

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