Hello, I need your help. I booked my flights with miles with Spirit Airlines and cannot change them. I plan to land in Panama early September and depart from Costa Rica end of October crossing both countries by bus. I meant to do well but I made a mistake not checking the weather prior to book and consequently reverse my plans. I have just finished reading LP Panama travel guide and started with CR one where I learned that the weather in CR in October won't be on my side. A lot of activities and some locations would be closed due to the heavy rain. In Panama, I plan to start visiting the center of the country and head to the south prior to go back and visit the north prior to cross to Costa Rica where I should be in October and depart from there. If I would decide to change my itinerary in the reverse mod, without changing my flights, I would have to go back to CR to depart and this would be a waste of time as Panama/Costa Rica/Panama/Costa Rica. Have you been In CR in such month? Would I miss a lot with such bad weather? I do not plan to participate in rough hikes or climb volcanos. What do you think I should do? All suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks a million!
It won't make that much of a difference. Just keep what you have. Weather is an important part of your research when planning travel.
I have been to CR two times in Oct and it is wet, and mostly rainy. There are areas that are less rainy, the NW, near Tamarindo/Liberia, and also the caribe side, depending on rainy season, as each year its been different, and the last two very dry and hardly any rain.
But overall, the key park in the country is closed, Corcovado in the Osa, near Panama, and most hiking at volcanoes and elevated areas is a mess to say least. You will also have a lot of muddy run off from the rivers, ruining the beaches and waters along the coast as well, which is not pretty.
For outdoor activities, you will be impacted, but to what degree, nobody knows. Personally, I would not go in Oct...
Keep what you have that is unless you want to change the dates entirely. A complete change would probably cost you about the same as a partial one. I like to go between January and February when it is cold where I live. Throughout CA, September and October are generally the worst weather months.
I dont understand why you can't change a ticket with Spirit if using miles, every other airline, that is not an issue, though there may be a fee to deposit miles back in account.
You are going to experience a whole lot of rain, especially as you head through the Southern Zone of Costa Rica- thats why its a jungle out there!
The Carib (east) coast can be drier in September so starting there would be your best chance of getting some dry-ish weather. October is generally not a great month to be in CR although no two seasons are identical...
Hi again Friend, Spirit is a budget airline and not one of the best. I cannot change anything bought and paid. I almost sure I won' get my miles back let alone the cost I paid. Now yesterday I searched if I could rebook new fligths and not show up at the airport for my booked flights. Cancelling my 3 flights (1 fl/panama 2 panama/fl 3 costa rica/fl) would lose $88.20 and 15,000 miles. Booking new flights it would cost me $119.81 using 27,500 miles. I have those miles and the seats last night were available. Do you think it worth to cancel my previous flights and rebook from scratch due to the weather? I think with Spirit I won't be able to recover the miles. This evening, I am going to call them prior to do any change. Maybe I can get either some $ or miles back. Thanks again for your friendly advice. Do you wish me to keep you posted with the new development? Sure I will do. For this new situation and starting my trip with Costa Rica and ending with Panama, I won't need to buy an extra flight to exit Costa Rica. I will show them my return ticket from Panama. The bus ticket would be purchased in Costa Rica bus terminal or online. THANKS.
Last but not least thanks to all who commented on that matter trying to help me.
you are perfectly right! I made a serious mistake but I might reverse my trip starting from CR and ending with Panama. I plan to call Spirit and find out how much $ and miles I would spend additionally to do that trip the right way. Thanks a lot. I will all keep you posted with Spirit response.
trusted partner
