LHR to Costa Rica out of season

[Twitchy]

BA only fly direct up to March, we want to go in April. Four of us with a CV and an UV.

If we fly via the US changing to an AA flight from the US to Costa Rica can we still do this all on points? Any tips?

Thanks.

[davefl]

Look at flightsfrom.com, SJO, AA flights and look at the entry points like this:

https://www.flightsfrom.com/SJO?from=SJO&airlines=AA,AS&entityType=destinations&take=50&selectedDate=&dateMethod=month&dateFrom=2025-07-26&dateTo=2025-08-09&state=1

You can see that the only direct flights on AA or Alaska are Charlotte, LA, Miami and Dallas. So you’d have to 1st see if AA/Alaska flights can be booked on Avios on the BA site for those routes (availabilty will be limited) and you also run the risk of a mis-connect when AA invariably moves your flight time 2-3 times between now and April. Then you have to work out UK-one of the above 4 connecting points with your vouchers.

Instead of torturing yourself you could look at MAD-SJO? That flies direct in April.

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

Yes you can book it on points but

1 The CV can’t be used on AA. You could use it to fly to the US ans back and then use another airline to Costa Rica.

2 AA reward flights have restricted availability when it come to what BA can sell.

[NorthernLass]

Whichever route you decide to do it would be advisable not to try and get the connecting flight the same day as you’d have no protections if you missed it.

MAD-SJO sounds like a great idea, if you can find availability, as IB release seats at T-360 so a lot will have been taken already. You can use the companion voucher, but not the Barclays upgrade voucher on IB. You don’t say which cabin you want to travel in, but they don’t guarantee as many seats as BA. Not having to grapple with US immigration would only be a positive as well!

If you want 4 seats in business class, and to use both your vouchers, you’re probably going to have to book BA to the US. Alternatively, you may be able to connect on a cash booking from the Caribbean or MEX. If you have any Virgin points you might be able to get MEX-SJO on Aeromexico. We used them last year and were very impressed.

[memesweeper]

If you have CV then Iberia fly year round, and I think every day. I’d take that over a change in the States.