San Jose Airport Lounges
Juan Santamaria International Airport · San Jose, Costa Rica
Juan Santamaria International (SJO) is Costa Rica's main gateway, and its handful of lounges all sit in the single passenger terminal. The field is a mix of independent contract lounges and the Copa Club, reachable on DragonPass, Priority Pass, select Central American credit cards, Copa and Star Alliance status, or a walk-in pay-in rate.
Content updated June 24, 2026
In a hurry? Skip the research.
The bookable lounge at SJO — or browse the full directory below.
Sourced, never sponsored.
This guide is compiled from airline, alliance and lounge-operator sources plus published access rules from Priority Pass and DragonPass — we haven't independently visited every Juan Santamaria International Airport lounge yet. Nothing here is a paid placement, and the guide is updated as lounges open, close, renovate or change access policies. Read more about how we verify lounge data.
Last updated June 24, 2026
Where we'd actually go.
BAC Credomatic
The BAC Credomatic Lounge is the most polished option at SJO — a calm, modern space airside near gate 17 with a complimentary hot buffet, house wine, beer and spirits. It runs on DragonPass, so it's the easiest pay-or-membership route for most travellers.
VIP Santamaria
VIP Santamaria is the dedicated Priority Pass lounge at Juan Santamaria, a contemporary space with comfortable seating, a cold spread, drinks and Wi-Fi. If Priority Pass is your card, this is the straightforward way in.
Santamaria VIP Lounge
The Santamaria VIP Lounge accepts the widest mix of guests — airline invitations, Visa Infinite and Visa Airport Companion cardholders, Priority Pass and walk-in pay-in guests — with a complimentary hot buffet and finger food, so you can pay per visit without status.
VIP Lounge Costa Rica / Copa Club
The VIP Lounge Costa Rica doubles as the Copa Club, serving premium Copa Airlines and Star Alliance passengers alongside select credit-card and pay-in guests. Showers are available for a small fee, making it the pick for connecting and long-haul flyers.
Every lounge. 4 bookable right now.
BAC Credomatic
★2.8The BAC Credomatic Lounge at San Jose Juan Santamaria International (SJO) sits airside near boarding gate 17. It's a calm, modern space accessed on DragonPass, with a complimentary hot…
The Santamaria VIP Lounge at San Jose Juan Santamaria International (SJO) accepts the widest mix of guests of any SJO lounge: airline-invited passengers, Visa Infinite and Visa Airport…
The VIP Lounge Costa Rica at San Jose Juan Santamaria International (SJO) is a combined Copa Club and pay-in / credit-card lounge. It welcomes premium-cabin Copa Airlines and Star Alliance…
VIP Santamaria
★4.0VIP Santamaria is the dedicated Priority Pass lounge at San Jose Juan Santamaria International (SJO). It's a contemporary space with comfortable seating areas, a cold food spread, drinks…
Juan Santamaria International Airport lounges by terminal.
Main Terminal
Juan Santamaria runs all passenger flights through a single terminal, so every SJO lounge sits here. The BAC Credomatic Lounge is airside near gate 17 on DragonPass; VIP Santamaria covers Priority Pass; the Santamaria VIP Lounge takes Visa Infinite, Priority Pass and walk-in pay-in guests; and the VIP Lounge Costa Rica doubles as the Copa Club for Copa and Star Alliance passengers. Most sit airside after security, so clear the checkpoint before settling in.
- —Single terminal — all SJO lounges are in the same building
- —BAC Credomatic is the airside DragonPass lounge near gate 17
- —VIP Santamaria runs on Priority Pass; the Santamaria VIP Lounge adds Visa and pay-in
- —The VIP Lounge Costa Rica doubles as the Copa Club for Copa and Star Alliance
How to get into lounges at SJO.
Juan Santamaria has no single dominant membership — access is spread across DragonPass, Priority Pass, a set of Central American credit cards, Copa and Star Alliance status, and walk-in pay-in rates. The BAC Credomatic Lounge runs on DragonPass, VIP Santamaria on Priority Pass, and the Santamaria VIP and Copa Club lounges take a broader mix of cards, status and pay-in guests. Check which membership matches your lounge before you clear security.
DragonPass
DragonPass opens the BAC Credomatic Lounge, the airside option near gate 17 with a complimentary hot buffet and full bar. It's the single most useful membership for the main DragonPass lounge at SJO.
DragonPassPriority Pass
Priority Pass is accepted at VIP Santamaria, and the Santamaria VIP Lounge also lists Priority Pass alongside its pay-in and card access. Confirm the specific lounge on its page, as coverage varies between the SJO lounges.
Priority PassCentral American credit cards
Several SJO lounges admit holders of cards issued in Central America — the Santamaria VIP Lounge lists Visa Infinite and Visa Airport Companion, and the Copa Club admits various regional cards. Bring the card and check its current lounge terms.
Copa & Star Alliance
The VIP Lounge Costa Rica doubles as the Copa Club, serving premium-cabin Copa Airlines passengers and eligible Star Alliance status holders. Access follows your Copa ticket and frequent-flyer tier.
Star AllianceWalk-in pay-in
Several Juan Santamaria lounges sell entry at the door — including the Santamaria VIP Lounge and the VIP Lounge Costa Rica — so you can pay per visit without a membership or airline status.
Know before you go.
Match the lounge to your card
- —SJO has no single dominant membership — DragonPass opens BAC Credomatic, Priority Pass opens VIP Santamaria, and the others take a broader card and pay-in mix.
- —If you carry a Central American Visa Infinite or Visa Airport Companion card, the Santamaria VIP Lounge is the natural fit.
- —Flying Copa or another Star Alliance carrier in a premium cabin? The VIP Lounge Costa Rica doubles as the Copa Club.
Clear security first
- —The BAC Credomatic Lounge is airside, near boarding gate 17 — get through the security checkpoint before heading for it.
- —Plan your lounge stop around immigration and security, which can be slow at the morning departure peak.
- —Check your lounge's opening hours — BAC Credomatic runs roughly 05:00 to 20:00 and VIP Santamaria from about 04:30, so very late departures may find them closed.
Pay-per-visit works here
- —You don't need status to get into a Juan Santamaria lounge — the Santamaria VIP and Copa Club lounges sell walk-in pay-in entry.
- —A walk-in rate is handy if your card or membership doesn't cover the lounge you want.
- —Capacity is limited at SJO's lounges, so arrive with a little time in hand at busy departure banks.
Extras at the Copa Club
- —The VIP Lounge Costa Rica offers showers for a small fee — useful after an overnight or before a long-haul connection.
- —A nail spa is also available there for an extra charge.
- —Meals are served at meal times rather than all day, so time your visit if you want a hot plate.
Frequently asked, frequently answered.
We track four lounges at Juan Santamaria International (SJO), all in the single passenger terminal: the BAC Credomatic Lounge, VIP Santamaria, the Santamaria VIP Lounge and the VIP Lounge Costa Rica, which doubles as the Copa Club.
Yes. VIP Santamaria is the dedicated Priority Pass lounge at SJO, and the Santamaria VIP Lounge also lists Priority Pass alongside its card and pay-in access. Check the specific lounge page before you travel, as coverage varies between the lounges.
Yes. DragonPass opens the BAC Credomatic Lounge, which sits airside near boarding gate 17 and serves a complimentary hot buffet with house wine, beer and spirits.
Yes. The Santamaria VIP Lounge and the VIP Lounge Costa Rica (Copa Club) sell walk-in pay-in entry, so you can pay per visit without Priority Pass, DragonPass or airline status.
Yes. The VIP Lounge Costa Rica doubles as the Copa Club, serving premium-cabin Copa Airlines passengers and eligible Star Alliance status holders, plus select Central American credit-card and pay-in guests.
Several SJO lounges admit holders of cards issued in Central America. The Santamaria VIP Lounge lists Visa Infinite and Visa Airport Companion cardholders, while the Copa Club admits various regional cards. Bring the card and check its current lounge terms.
Yes, at the VIP Lounge Costa Rica (Copa Club), where showers are available for a small fee — useful after an overnight flight or before a long-haul connection. A nail spa is also offered there for an extra charge.
Most Juan Santamaria lounges sit airside, so you'll pass through the security checkpoint first. The BAC Credomatic Lounge, for example, is near boarding gate 17 after security. Plan your lounge stop around immigration and security, which can be slow at peak.