Forty-eight point five nautical miles to the General valley. And what it buys is not distance: it buys not crossing the Cerro de la Muerte. From 1,295 USD per aircraft.
Route facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Juan Santamaría (SJO / MROC) |
| Alternative | Tobías Bolaños (SYQ / MRPV), 44.4 NM |
| Destination | San Isidro de El General (IPZ / MRSI) |
| Distance | 48.5 NM · 90 km |
| Elevation | 640 m · 2,100 ft |
What you avoid
By road, San José and San Isidro are joined by the Interamericana Sur, which climbs above three thousand metres at the Cerro de la Muerte.
It is the most demanding mountain pass in the country: frequent fog, tight bends and heavy traffic. Three long hours in good conditions, and in fog there are no good conditions.
Forty-eight nautical miles by air.
It is the same argument the catalogue applies at David–Santiago with the sign reversed: there the road was a certain cost; here it is a variable cost with a long tail. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
The highest field in the Costa Rican catalogue
Six hundred and forty metres of elevation. No other destination in the country sits so high.
In block 35 we said Toncontín, in Tegucigalpa, was the only destination where altitude comes before runway or water restrictions. It remains the most extreme case, but it is no longer the only one that asks you to look at it. We confirm the effect of field elevation on performance in the quote, because it changes with the date and the operation.
And there is an operational detail worth stating: the field has no refuelling. On a return flight from the Central Valley that rarely matters; on a chained itinerary it does.
The hub of the southern Pacific
Look at the distances and something appears:
| From San Isidro | Distance |
|---|---|
| Quepos | 25.4 NM |
| Palmar Sur | 27.9 NM |
| Drake Bay | 38.0 NM |
| Golfito | 52.2 NM |
San Isidro is closer to Quepos and Palmar than to San José. It is the geographic centre of the Costa Rican south, not the end of a line.
For an itinerary combining Chirripó with the coast, it is the point from which everything sits under an hour's flying.
And Chirripó has quotas of its own
The national park requires an advance booking with a limited quota, managed by SINAC. We do not handle it. Access requires an authorisation handled by the area’s administration or your local operator, on their own timescales.
As at Corcovado or Guna Yala: the park's date governs the flight's date, not the other way round. Fix it first.
Frequently asked questions
What do I gain by flying to San Isidro?
Not crossing the Cerro de la Muerte. By road it is three long hours in good conditions, and in fog there are no good conditions.
Is it a difficult field?
It sits at 640 metres, the highest in the Costa Rican catalogue, and has no refuelling. We confirm the effect of field elevation on performance in the quote, because it changes with the date and the operation.
Does it work for Chirripó?
Yes, it is the air access. But the park requires an advance booking with a limited quota that we do not handle. Access requires an authorisation handled by the area’s administration or your local operator, on their own timescales.
What else is nearby?
Quepos at 25.4 nautical miles, Palmar Sur at 27.9, Drake Bay at 38.0. It is closer to those than to San José.
When do I fix the date?
The park's first, if you are going to Chirripó. The flight adjusts to it, not the reverse.
Is Pavas better as a departure?
It is 4.1 nautical miles closer. If you are already in the city, yes.