Terminal B hosts 2 airlines across 1 gates. You'll find 1 shop here.
Gate 5 is where SJO’s so‑called “Terminal B” really lives
Despite the “Terminal B” label on some blogs, JetBlue and Southwest flights at SJO still use the same international concourse as everyone else, mainly around the lower-numbered gates like 5. There is no separate building, no extra security, and only one official B gate on airport maps. Think of “Terminal B” as shorthand for the lower-gate zone around the AmEx / Priority Pass lounge near Gate 5 rather than a standalone terminal.
JetBlue and Southwest usually work out of the lower-numbered gates
Most reports put JetBlue and Southwest departures on the early gates, with signage sometimes referring to that patch as Terminal B even though the boarding doors sit on the same pier as A’s teens. You still clear the main security checkpoint used by other international flights, then walk a few minutes toward gates 1–8. With only one formal B gate in the system, gate changes between A and B happen on the same corridor, so keep an eye on the screens but don’t stress about long walks.
The AmEx / Priority Pass lounge by Gate 5 is the anchor
About a 2–3 minute walk from security, the big American Express lounge near Gate 5 acts as the de facto premium hub for this “B” section. A FlyerTalk thread notes a hard policy shift in December 2022: only Costa Rica–issued AmEx Platinum cards still work here directly, while international Platinum cards are turned away. Priority Pass from bank issuers still gets you in, so frequent flyers now treat PP as the entry ticket instead of assuming AmEx solves everything.
Lounge setup: big footprint, real food, and runway views
One FlyerTalk poster calls the Gate 5 facility “gigantic,” with lots of seating zones and long windows looking straight over the SJO tarmac. Regulars mention several hot food options laid out at peak times, not just snacks, so people with early departures often time breakfast here. Because this is one of the few larger spaces in a small concourse, the lounge can get packed during US-bound departure banks, especially when multiple flights board between 11:00 and 14:00.
Access strategy after the AmEx Platinum rule change
After December 2022, non–Costa Rican AmEx Platinum holders in that same FlyerTalk thread describe losing what used to be a reliable access card. Many now carry a separate premium card that includes Priority Pass to keep using the Gate 5 lounge. A common play: clear security 90 minutes to 2 hours before departure, tap in with PP, eat, charge devices, and only walk out around T‑45 when JetBlue or Southwest starts boarding by groups.
Walking times and gate choices in the “B” corridor
Once you’re past security, FlyerTalk users in the immediate‑turnaround discussion stress that the entire concourse is short, with a walk from Gate 5 to the mid‑ or high‑teens taking only a few minutes. Lounge-focused travelers sometimes pick flights that depart from the lower gates just to stay close to Gate 5, but even if a JetBlue or Southwest flight pushes to a teen gate, the backtrack from the lounge rarely eats more than 5–7 minutes. The real bottleneck is security, not distance.
Retail is thin: TERRA TICA TERMINAL DOMÉSTICA is the main named shop
Within this “B” end of SJO, documented retail is limited, with TERRA TICA TERMINAL DOMÉSTICA standing out by name for Costa Rican products and souvenirs. Expect the usual duty-free further along the pier and a handful of generic stands, but not a long list of branded spots. Because restaurants in this section are poorly catalogued, assume basic snacks and drinks airside and handle any serious meal downtown or in the landside check-in hall before heading through security.
What regulars do and one simple tip
Frequent SJO flyers say they clear security as early as possible, walk straight to the Gate 5 lounge for food and Wi‑Fi, then leave about 30–40 minutes before scheduled departure for any B or teen gate. Many have already shifted their wallet setup so at least one card carries Priority Pass for this exact lounge, given the tighter AmEx Platinum rules after December 2022. Tip: build your buffer on security, then treat everything past the checkpoint—including “Terminal B”—as a short hallway you can cover in under 10 minutes.