Is flying with Iberojet worth it? In short, like any airline it has its good and bad points, but honestly, Iberojet ends up being a good, cheap way to get to Europe.
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If you’re thinking about traveling to Europe, I’m going to tell you about my experience flying Iberojet from Costa Rica.
The airline started operating at Juan Santamaría International Airport in 2021, and it currently flies nonstop on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Depending on the season, it also flies on Thursdays.
As of July 2026, it flew on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and it announced a third weekly flight on Thursdays starting in late November.
In my experience, it’s a good airline that does the basic job of getting you to the European continent.
But here I’ll share the positives and negatives I found, so you can keep them in mind.
This experience is from 2022, so I’ve left the latest on fares and services for the end.
The Downsides of Flying with Iberojet
There are two things to consider if you’re flying to Spain with Iberojet. The first is the food.
I’ve flown to Europe with other airlines, and even on the cheapest ticket they give you a good amount of food for the hours in the air.
On its cheapest ticket, Iberojet serves very basic meals, with no “seconds” of anything.
The airline has an option called Turista+, which is the next ticket category up, and its goal is to make things easier for the traveler.
Of course, the airline wants people to buy that option so it can make more money, and as a result, it includes more food.
Besides more food, Turista+ gives you other benefits when flying with Iberojet, such as wider seats and priority boarding.
Today Turista+ is a package you add during booking or afterward, and the extra space comes with Turista Premium, through the Asiento Doble Confort.
Compared with Avianca, KLM, or Air France, airlines I’ve taken to Europe, Iberojet falls far behind on food when you buy the cheapest ticket. But you have to understand that it’s a low-cost airline.
The second downside of flying with Iberojet, in my opinion, is the schedule. Although the website shows options to fly on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the airline may change its schedule if necessary.
That can cause you problems if you have an exact itinerary, since you could get last-minute flight changes. That’s what happened to me.
And although any airline can make changes, it’s important to keep this in mind so you can avoid headaches.
That aside, the schedule is pretty good, and I found that they don’t have delays on departure.
The Upsides of Flying with Iberojet
Flying to Europe with Iberojet can be a good option, and it has some real strengths.
The first is that the price to get to Madrid is relatively lower than on other airlines that fly to that city.
The cheapest fare, without paying for Turista+, already includes 1 carry-on of up to 10 kg and basic meals.
Today, those 10 kg are the combined weight of your cabin bag and personal item.
In other words, you can save some money flying to Madrid from San José, Costa Rica.
Another plus is the type of plane. Although it doesn’t have a business class section, the seats have good room, even if you pay the lowest price.
So if you put your personal item in the overhead bin, you’ll have plenty of room to stretch your legs during the 10-hour flight.
Entertainment is another point in its favor. Although I prefer to bring my own content on my smartphone, the airline has good content on its platform.
Each seat has its own screen, with a wide selection of movies, series, and games for all ages.
The screens aren’t the newest, but they do the job of keeping you entertained. Just keep in mind that headphones cost extra, so I recommend bringing your own.
Is Flying with Iberojet Worth It Today? What Has Changed Since 2022
The nonstop flight between Spain and San José takes 10 to 11 hours. Iberojet’s fleet now includes one Airbus A330-900neo with a Business cabin, so if that interests you, check which plane is operating your flight.
Food also depends on what you buy, since the service varies by fare and some flights have no free food or drinks. Special meals can be requested up to 72 hours before the flight, and there’s an on-board menu to buy from.
What Each Iberojet Fare and Package Includes
These are the conditions as of November 2026 for flights without a connection. The penalty is charged per person and per leg, plus any fare difference.
| Fare | Checked bag (up to 23 kg) | Date change (up to 24 hours before) | Cancellation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Not included | €150 / $175 | Not allowed |
| Economic | 1 piece | €120 / $140 | Up to 30 days before: €150 / $175 |
| Flex | 1 piece | No penalty | Up to 15 days before: €150 / $175 |
The Basic fare doesn’t include a checked bag: on the Costa Rica route, adding the first one costs €80 or $100 online, plus a €10 or $10 surcharge if you do it in the 72 hours before the flight. When you compare flights with other airlines, add that cost to see which one comes out cheaper.
All three fares include a 10 kg carry-on. See the details in Iberojet’s fare conditions. Before you choose, check Iberojet’s carry-on size limits and how much Iberojet checked baggage costs.
Besides its fares, Iberojet organizes its services into four packages, and it notes that they may vary by route and availability. Turista Free comes with the Economy menu, coffee and tea, and a carry-on of up to 10 kg, while Turista Comfort adds priority check-in, priority boarding, Fast Track on select departures, and priority baggage delivery.
Turista+ adds the Premium menu, a welcome drink (on flights from Spain and Portugal), drinks and snacks during the flight, a travel kit, and a Premium blanket and pillow. Turista Premium adds the Asiento Doble Confort, with the seat next to you left empty. Each package includes everything in the one before it, and the details are on Iberojet’s services page.
Article updated in 2023 by the editor.
