Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Amsterdam to San Jose. The left side wins overall. While the right side is better at Schiphol departure, the left side captures the most dramatic scenery of the flight: the Bay of Biscay coastline over northern Spain, the Iberian Peninsula interior, and critically the best views of the Costa Rican volcanoes and Central Valley on arrival. The landing views on the left are the scenic highlight of the entire route.

During takeoff from Schiphol (AMS), sit on the Right side for the best views. Schiphol typically departs southwest on runway 18R/24 or northwest on 36C/36R. A southwesterly departure on 24 puts Amsterdam city center, the IJ river, and the canal ring on the right side. You get a clear look back at the city grid and the harbor before climbing over the Dutch polders. Notable sights include: Amsterdam canal ring and city center, IJ river and Amsterdam harbor, Dutch polder landscape with windmills near Haarlem, North Sea coastline near Zandvoort.

When landing at Juan Santamaria International (SJO), sit on the Left side for the best views. Juan Santamaría airport sits in the Central Valley and typically lands on runway 07 heading east, or runway 25 heading west. On approach from the north on runway 07, the left side faces north toward the Poás and Barva volcanoes and the green Central Valley floor. On runway 25 approach from the east, the left side gives views of the Irazú and Turrialba volcanoes and the Caribbean lowlands receding behind you. Notable sights include: Volcán Poás (2,708m) to the northwest, Volcán Barva to the north, Central Valley urban sprawl of San José and Alajuela, Cordillera Central ridge line.

The flight from Schiphol (AMS) to Juan Santamaria International (SJO) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.

The route tracks southwest over the English Channel and northern France, then crosses the Bay of Biscay toward the Iberian Peninsula. It passes over central Spain and Portugal before reaching the Atlantic. The long oceanic crossing covers the central Atlantic with no land until the Caribbean approaches. The route then passes north of Venezuela and Colombia, crossing the Caribbean Sea before descending over the Pacific side of Central America into Costa Rica's Central Valley.