International travelers using Juan Santamaría International Airport now have a paid option to move through some of the terminal’s busiest checkpoints more quickly. Airport operator AERIS has launched SJO Fast Track, a new priority access service for passengers arriving in or departing from Costa Rica’s main airport. The service became available July 1 and costs $100 per person for a single use.
For departing international passengers, the Fast Track access point is located before the immigration checkpoint, giving travelers entry to a priority lane during the airport’s busiest hours. For international arrivals, the service includes two priority access points: one before immigration and another before Customs.
The airport says the system is meant to ease passenger flow at strategic points inside the terminal, especially during peak travel periods. It does not replace the required immigration, customs or security controls, but gives eligible travelers access to dedicated lanes before those checks.
The service is sold individually through the airport’s online e-ticket platform. Travelers must select the month of their trip when buying a pass, but each pass is valid for only one use. Children under seven can accompany an adult with a valid pass at no additional cost.
After purchase, passengers receive a dynamic QR code that can be stored in a digital wallet and scanned at designated access points in the terminal. AERIS says the system is designed to keep the process fully digital while giving passengers a faster and more orderly airport experience.
SJO Fast Track is available on a fixed schedule. Departing international passengers can use it from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Arriving international passengers can use it from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The rollout comes as Juan Santamaría continues to handle growing international traffic. The airport moved more than 6.4 million international passengers in 2025, its highest total on record, and the 2025–2026 high season brought a 7.9% increase in passenger flow compared with the previous season.
AERIS has also started work on an expansion of the international departures area, a project tied to the airport’s 2023–2042 Master Plan. That work is expected to add space and improve processing capacity in areas such as security and exit immigration, with completion planned for the second half of 2027.
For travelers, the new Fast Track option may be most useful during heavy departure banks, holiday travel periods and midday arrival waves, when lines at immigration and Customs can build quickly. For families, business travelers or visitors with tight onward transportation plans, the $100 pass gives another way to manage time at Costa Rica’s busiest airport.
