Nonstop flight route between Madrid, Spain and San José, Costa Rica:
Departure Airport:
![Get maps and more information about Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] Get airport maps and more information about Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1]](images/takeoff-icon.gif)
Arrival Airport:

Distance from MAD to SJO:
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- About this route
- MAD Airport Information
- SJO Airport Information
- Facts about MAD
- Facts about SJO
- Map of Nearest Airports to MAD
- List of Nearest Airports to MAD
- Map of Furthest Airports from MAD
- List of Furthest Airports from MAD
- Map of Nearest Airports to SJO
- List of Nearest Airports to SJO
- Map of Furthest Airports from SJO
- List of Furthest Airports from SJO
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] (MAD), Madrid, Spain and Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (SJO), San José, Costa Rica would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,282 miles (or 8,500 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] and Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] and Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MAD / LEMD |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Madrid, Spain |
GPS Coordinates: | 40°28'19"N by 3°33'38"W |
Area Served: | Madrid, Spain |
Operator/Owner: | Aena |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 2000 feet (610 meters) |
# of Runways: | 4 |
View all routes: | Routes from MAD |
More Information: | MAD Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SJO / MROC |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | San José, Costa Rica |
GPS Coordinates: | 9°59'38"N by 84°12'32"W |
Area Served: | San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago |
Operator/Owner: | Government of Costa Rica |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 3022 feet (921 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SJO |
More Information: | SJO Maps & Info |
Facts about Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] (MAD):
- On 27 January 2012, Spanair suspended all flights affecting Madrid-Barajas as well as other domestic and international connections.
- Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] (MAD) has 4 runways.
- Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] handled 39,729,027 passengers last year.
- The furthest airport from Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] (MAD) is Palmerston North Airport (PMR), which is nearly antipodal to Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] (meaning Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Palmerston North Airport), and is located 12,392 miles (19,943 kilometers) away in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
- In addition to being known as "Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1]", another name for MAD is "Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas".
- The new terminals and runways were completed in 2004, but administrative delays and equipment, as well as the controversy over the redeployment of terminals, delayed service until 5 February 2006.
- Following the death of former Spanish Prime Minister, Adolfo Suárez, the Spanish Ministerio de Fomento has announced that the airport is to be renamed to Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez, Madrid–Barajas.
- The closest airport to Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] (MAD) is Madrid–Torrejón Airport (TOJ), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) ENE of MAD.
- In December 2010, the Spanish government announced plans to tender Madrid-Barajas airport to companies in the private sector for a period of up to 40 years.
Facts about Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (SJO):
- Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (SJO) currently has only 1 runway.
- Juan Santamaría International Airport was once the busiest airport in Central America, but currently it is ranked second after Tocumen International Airport in Panamá.
- In addition to being known as "Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)", another name for SJO is "Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría".
- The closest airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (SJO) is Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ), which is located only 5 miles (9 kilometers) ESE of SJO.
- Gates 13, 14, 15, and 16
- American Airlines Boeing 757 parked at Terminal 1
- The furthest airport from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (SJO) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (meaning Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,270 miles (19,746 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- Interior where Gates 1, 2 & 3 are located.
- No major changes were made to the terminal until November 1997 when the government issued a decree requesting participation of private companies to manage the operations of the airport.
- Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) handled 4,257,606 passengers last year.