Juan Santamaría International Airport

San José (Alajuela), Alajuela Province (Costa Rica)

IATA: SJO ICAO: MROC

Longest Active Runway

9,882 ft

3,012 meters

Field Elevation

3,021 ft

921 m MSL

Runway Inventory

1 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

9.9939°, -84.2088°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#588 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#1045 of 7558

Top 13.8% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Costa Rica)

#1 in CR

#1 of 22 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

-1.2%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Juan Santamaría International Airport's longest active runway measures 9,882 ft (3,012 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #588. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #1045 worldwide (Top 13.8%) and #1 nationally in Costa Rica.

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4D / 4E Heavy Intercontinental

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Mid-Altitude Plateau / Valley Facility

Operating at 3,021 ft (921 m MSL), true airspeed (TAS) on approach and takeoff roll is moderately higher than indicated airspeed (IAS). Engines experience slight thrust lapse under elevated summer temperatures, necessitating conservative density-altitude dispatch calculations for fully laden twin-engine commercial transports.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

With no qualifying commercial facilities with paved runways ≥5,000 ft within a 100 NM radius, Juan Santamaría International Airport functions as an isolated regional aviation hub. Scheduled air services and transiting aircraft must calculate extended diversion reserves to alternate airfields outside the immediate 100 NM quadrant.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 9,882 ft (3,012 m)

At 9,882 ft (3,012 m), the primary runway comfortably accommodates mid-to-large twin-aisle widebody transports (such as the Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A330-900) as well as maximum-range narrowbody transcontinental configurations (Airbus A321XLR and Boeing 737 MAX 9) under typical atmospheric conditions.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
07/25	9,882 ft (3012m)	151 ft (46m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/sjo.json ↗