There are 6 ways to get from Iowa to Costa Rica by plane, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), car, shuttle, or bus (Flixbus)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport
best- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane DSM - SJO
7h 44m$229–923Fly Quad City International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Quad City International Airport (MLI) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane MLI - SJO
10h 26m$153–654Bus via San Salvador
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Kansas Citybus
- Take the bus from Kansas City Bus Station to Dallas Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Dallas, TX to Hyatt Regency Houstonbus
- Take the bus from Houston to San Salvadorbus
- Take the bus from Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador to Terminal Tica Bus San Josébus
4d 20h$527–892Drive 4,937.4 km
- Drive from Des Moines to San Josécar 4,937.4 km
2d 14h$663–957Fly Des Moines to Liberia International Airport, shuttle
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)plane DSM - LIR
- Take a shuttle bus from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Puntarenas
10h 59m$612–1,800Bus
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Kansas Citybus
- Take the bus from Kansas City Bus Station to Dentonbus
- Take the bus from Denton to Downtown Houstonbus
- Take the bus from Houston to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Terminal Managua - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Nortebus
5d 13h$448–741
Des Moines (DSM) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Iowa to Costa Rica is to fly which costs $150 - $700 and takes 10h 26m.
The fastest way to get from Iowa to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 7h 44m and costs $220 - $950.
No, there is no direct bus from Iowa to Costa Rica. However, there are services departing from Des Moines and arriving at Terminal Tica Bus San José via Kansas City Bus Station, Dallas, TX, Smith St @ Dallas St, Houston and Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4 days 20h.
The distance between Iowa and Costa Rica is 3641 km. The road distance is 4937.4 km.
The best way to get from Iowa to Costa Rica without a car is to bus via San Salvador which takes 4 days 20h and costs $500 - $900.
It takes approximately 7h 44m to get from Iowa to Costa Rica, including transfers.
Iowa to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Jefferson Lines, depart from Des Moines station.
The best way to get from Iowa to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 7h 44m and costs $220 - $950. Alternatively, you can bus via San Salvador, which costs $500 - $900 and takes 4 days 20h.
Iowa to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Jefferson Lines, arrive at Kansas City station.
Costa Rica is 1h behind Iowa. It is currently 7:43 AM in Iowa and 6:43 AM in Costa Rica.
What companies run services between Iowa, USA and Costa Rica?
Delta, American Airlines, and two other airlines fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) 3 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Des Moines to Terminal Tica Bus San José via Kansas City, Kansas City Bus Station, Dallas Bus Station, Dallas, TX, Hyatt Regency Houston, Smith St @ Dallas St, West Bellfort Park & Ride, Houston, San Salvador, and Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador in around 4d 20h.
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 7m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Des Moines to Liberia International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 5m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $320–1,300
Flights from Des Moines to Liberia International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 14m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $340–1,400
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–700
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 9m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–900
Flights from Des Moines to Liberia International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,300
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–650
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–900
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 10m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Des Moines to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 20m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $220–900
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Des Moines to Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $50–75
- Book at
- Jefferson Lines
- Adult
- $50–75
Bus from Des Moines to Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $50–75
- Book at
- Jefferson Lines
- Adult
- $50–75
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Kansas City Bus Station to Dallas Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 15m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $80–160
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Kansas City Bus Station to Dallas Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 5m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $80–140
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Kansas City Bus Station to Denton
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 20m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $75–130
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Denton to Downtown Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- $45–80
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
- Phone
- +1 844-866-5263
- [email protected]
- Website
- Vonlane
Bus from Dallas, TX to Hyatt Regency Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $137–147
- Website
- Vonlane
- low
- $137
- high
- $147
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- [email protected]
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Houston to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 3d
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $180–390
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Houston to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 1h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $230–390
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
- Phone
- +52 962 625 2435
- [email protected]
- Website
- Tica Bus
Bus from Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador to Terminal Tica Bus San José
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 30m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $60–90
- Website
- Tica Bus
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1370
- [email protected]
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $269
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Monteverde to Puntarenas
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $209
- Website
- RIDE CR
- Phone
- +506 2640 1900 / 2640 0811
- [email protected]
- Website
- Tropical Tours Shuttles
Shuttle from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–69
- Website
- Tropical Tours Shuttles
Bus from Terminal Managua - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 12h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $30–50
- Schedules at
- Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter)
- Road
- $30–50
Want to know more about travelling around Costa Rica
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Iowa to Costa Rica is 4937 km. It takes approximately 2 days 14h to drive from Iowa to Costa Rica.
There are 755+ hotels available in Costa Rica.















