SJO airport in Costa Rica to offer on-site Covid testing

Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) near San José will soon offer on-site coronavirus testing for outgoing travelers.

Starting Friday, May 14, Laboratorios Echandi will conduct rapid antigen tests at SJO with results guaranteed within an hour. The service costs $65 and is available 24/7.

Travelers can book their appointments for SJO or Liberia International Airport at: https://covid.morphotr.com/

“With this new Covid-19 detection test laboratory service, we are at the forefront of the main air terminals in the world, because the priority in travel facilitation is to preserve health and mitigate the possibility of contagion, always thinking about the well-being of passengers to and from the different destinations,” said Rafael Mencía, Executive Director of AERIS, the company that operates SJO.

At the moment, the antigen test at Juan Santamaría can be used to enter the United States or the Netherlands, both of which have direct flights from SJO. Some countries don’t require a negative result, while others — such as Canada — don’t accept antigen tests and instead require a PCR test.

The United States, Costa Rica’s most important tourism market, has required a negative PCR or antigen test result for entry on an international flight since January 26.

The testing space at SJO is located 600 meters northwest of the international flights terminal and includes a dedicated parking area. Staff at the lab are bilingual (English and Spanish).

Passengers are recommended to arrive to the testing location at least 4 hours before their scheduled departure. A flight itinerary and passport are required in order to receive the antigen test.

SJO is Costa Rica’s busiest airport and offers direct flights to the United States, Europe, and destinations across the region.

More than 100 labs across Costa Rica offer PCR and/or antigen tests for tourists.