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PTY - SJO

$135 Find cheap flights from Panama City to San José, San José Province

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Panama City to San José departing on 5/24. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
0 bags
Mon 6/3
Mon 6/10

Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to San José

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Panama City to San José, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Panama City to San José, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days travelers have searched 43,693,958 times on KAYAK, and here is why:

Save 22% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Bundle and saveSave money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Cheap flight deals from Panama City to San José (PTY-SJO)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Panama City to San José that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
9:40 pm - 9:30 amPTY-SJO
12h 50m1 stop
2:04 am - 8:45 pmSJO-PTY
17h 41m1 stop
$242Avianca
Find Deal
Fri, May 31 - Sat, Jun 1
7:05 am - 7:30 amPTY-SJO
1h 25mnonstop
6:14 pm - 8:37 pmSJO-PTY
1h 23mnonstop
$248Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Jun 3 - Fri, Jun 7
5:40 pm - 12:20 amPTY-SJO
7h 40m1 stop
10:25 am - 8:45 pmSJO-PTY
9h 20m1 stop
$249Avianca
Find Deal
Thu, Aug 22 - Sun, Aug 25
5:40 pm - 12:20 amPTY-SJO
7h 40m1 stop
10:25 am - 8:45 pmSJO-PTY
9h 20m1 stop
$250Avianca
Find Deal
Fri, May 17 - Sat, May 18
11:40 am - 3:50 pmPTY-SJO
5h 10m1 stop
2:04 am - 8:45 pmSJO-PTY
17h 41m1 stop
$258Avianca
Find Deal
Fri, May 17 - Fri, May 17
11:40 am - 10:50 pmPTY-SJO
12h 10m2 stops
10:25 am - 8:45 pmSJO-PTY
9h 20m1 stop
$260Avianca
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 19 - Sun, Jun 23
11:40 am - 9:45 pmPTY-SJO
11h 05m2 stops
2:04 am - 8:45 pmSJO-PTY
17h 41m1 stop
$261Avianca
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 19 - Sat, Jun 22
6:56 pm - 7:21 pmPTY-SJO
1h 25mnonstop
8:46 am - 11:09 amSJO-PTY
1h 23mnonstop
$264Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, May 31 - Sun, Jun 2
7:24 am - 7:49 amPTY-SJO
1h 25mnonstop
4:15 am - 6:38 amSJO-PTY
1h 23mnonstop
$291Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, May 17 - Tue, May 28
9:40 pm - 9:30 amPTY-SJO
12h 50m1 stop
5:53 am - 8:16 amSJO-PTY
1h 23mnonstop
Wed, May 15 - Tue, May 21

Flights from Panama City to San José - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Panama City to San José to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Panama City to San José?

The average price of all flights from Panama City to San José, San José Province clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
For Panama City to San José, Saturday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Sunday is the most expensive. Flying from San José back to Panama City, the best deals are generally found on Wednesday, with Friday being the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Panama City to San José, San José Province?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Panama City to San José, San José Province, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.
The cheapest month for flights from Panama City to San José, San José Province is September, where tickets cost $216 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and January, where the average cost of tickets is $280 and $275 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Panama City to San José, San José Province?

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Panama City to San José, San José Province, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Panama City to San José, San José Province, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 72 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Panama City to San José?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
The best deals for a one-way ticket found by KAYAK users over the last 3 days were on Avianca ($135) and Copa Airlines ($295). The cheapest round-trip tickets were found on Avianca ($242) and Copa Airlines ($248).

Which airlines fly non-stop between Panama City and San José, San José Province?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Panama City to San José, San José Province.
There is just one airline that flies from Panama City to San José, San José Province direct and that is Copa Airlines. The best one-way deal found from Copa Airlines for the route is $148.

How many flights are there between Panama City and San José, San José Province per day?

Each day, there are between 8 and 11 nonstop flights that take off from Panama City and land in San José, San José Province, with an average flight time of 1h 25m. The most common departure time is 7:00 am and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 64 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Monday, when 17% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Wednesday.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Panama City and San José, San José Province?

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There are 2 cabin class options for the route. These are Business and Economy. Perform a search on KAYAK to find the latest prices and availability for all cabin fares, which differ across airlines.

How long does a flight from Panama City to San José take?

Direct flights take on average 1h 25m to travel the 335 miles between Panama City and San José.

What’s the earliest departure time from Panama City to San José?

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Panama City at 7:05 am and will be landing in San José, San José Province at 7:30 am.

What’s the latest departure time from Panama City to San José?

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Panama City to San José, San José Province jets off at 9:39 pm and lands at 10:04 pm.

Good to know

Low season

May

High season

December

Cheapest flight

$135
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 5% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 7% lower on average.
Flight from Panama City to San José

When to book flights from Panama City to San José

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Panama City to San José based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Panama City to San José

  • What are the protocols established by major airlines regarding the transportation of animals from Panama City to San José?

    Leading airlines such as Avianca, Copa Airlines, and Aeromexico have implemented pet-friendly policies for flights between Panama City and San José. As long as the weight of an individual animal does not exceed 40 lbs, these airlines allow passengers to fly with small domesticated animals in the cabin.

  • Which flight route option from Panama City to San José is the most cost effective?

    To access more cost-effective ticket options, customers are advised to consider choosing connecting flights instead of nonstop flights when booking their flights from Panama City to San José. Customers can explore indirect flight options offered by airlines such as Aeromexico, which have layovers in Mexico City, or Avianca Airlines, which have layovers in El Salvador or Colombia.

  • Which airline operates the flights between Panama City and San José with the best luggage policies?

    If you intend to travel with multiple bags on your flight from Panama City to San José, it is advisable to select an airline that offers a more lenient policy regarding carry-on luggage. Copa Airlines, Avianca, and Volaris Costa Rica are among the carriers operating on this route that have the most accommodating rules when it comes to carry-on baggage restrictions.

  • How do I travel from the downtown Panama City to the PTY Airport?

    You can take the Metro Bus or Metro train to reach the area near the airport and then transfer to a local bus or taxi for the final leg of the journey. You can also use taxis, which are readily available throughout downtown Panama City. It's advisable to use registered taxis with official identification.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Panama City to San José, San José Province?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Panama City to San José, San José Province was $135 for a one-way ticket and $242 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Panama City and San José?

    Yes

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Panama City to San José?

    Panama City and San José are both served by 1 main airport. You will leave Panama City from Panama City Tocumen Intl and will be arriving at San José Juan Santamaria Intl.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Panama City to San José?

    Only Iberia offers inflight Wi-Fi service on the Panama City to San José flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Panama City to San José?

    The Boeing 737-800 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Panama City to San José flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Panama City to San José?

    SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and oneworld are the airline alliances operating flights between Panama City and San José, with SkyTeam being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Panama City to San José?

    There are nonstop flights from Panama City to San José on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Panama City to San José, Copa Airlines or Avianca?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Panama City to San José are Copa Airlines and Avianca. With an average price for the route of $254 and an overall rating of 7.8, Copa Airlines is the most popular choice. Avianca is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $342 and an overall rating of 7.4.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Panama City to San José?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Panama City to San José.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Panama City to San José?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San José from Panama City is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Panama City to San José?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to San José with an airline and back to Panama City with another airline. Booking your flights between Panama City and SJO can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Panama City to San José?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to San José from Panama City up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding a cheap flight from PTY to San José

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $281 or less one-way and $247 or less round-trip.
  • The majority of travelers flying from Panama City to San José choose to arrive at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) instead of other nearby airports. This preference is primarily due to the fact that San José, being the capital city of Costa Rica, is home to a considerable number of the country's major companies’ headquarters.
  • By picking Avianca or Aeromexico, parents taking kids on a flight from Panama City to San José can improve their flight experience. These airlines provide free Wi-Fi access throughout the aircraft. Kids can listen to their favorite music, watch TV shows, or even enjoy cartoon networks if they have access to internet services during the flight.
  • Copa Airlines offers passengers flying from Panama City to San José the opportunity to upgrade to the first-class cabin at a discounted rate, regardless of whether they are traveling in business or economy class. Passengers can submit a bid specifying the price they are willing to pay for the upgrade. However, it's important to note that to be eligible for an upgrade, passengers must first pay for any changes to their itinerary.
  • When traveling from Panama City to San José, the majority of travelers choose to depart from Tocumen International Airport (PTY). This preference is primarily driven by the fact that PTY Airport serves as a major hub for numerous airlines, including Copa Airlines and Avianca, which operate flights between PTY and SJO. Due to the competitive pricing among airlines operating on this route, there is a higher likelihood of finding affordable tickets for this journey.
  • Upon arrival at SJO Airport, you have the freedom to select your preferred mode of transportation to explore the neighboring cities of San José, including Calle Blancos, Alajuelita, and San Juan. You have several options available to travel from SJO airport to these locations, including taking a bus or tax or renting a car.
See more tips

Prefer to fly non-stop from Panama City to San José?

Find which airlines fly direct from Tocumen Intl to Juan Santamaria Intl, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Nonstop departures

Panama City Tocumen Intl to San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Monday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Tuesday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Wednesday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Thursday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Friday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Saturday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Sunday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

See more direct flights

Nonstop returns

San José Juan Santamaria Intl to Panama City Tocumen Intl

Monday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Tuesday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Wednesday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Thursday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Friday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Saturday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

Sunday

Air Europa, Air France, Avianca, +4 more

Air Europa, Air France, +5 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines serving from Panama City to San José

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Panama City to San José. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Panama City to San José? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.8
Copa AirlinesOverall score based on 2806 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.7Comfort
7.3Food
8.3Crew
7.2Entertainment
Airline reviews

Captain and Crew were excellent. The Boeing 737-800 was showing its age. In flight entertainment system was sluggish and my Business Class seat on the outbound flight had some mechanical issues. Only real problem was the location of the Gate in Panama PTY. It was a 40 minute hike from Security to the Gate. There should have been some sort of warning about the distance.

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Mar 2024PTY - BWI
Read more about Copa Airlines reviews

Captain and Crew were excellent. The Boeing 737-800 was showing its age. In flight entertainment system was sluggish and my Business Class seat on the outbound flight had some mechanical issues. Only real problem was the location of the Gate in Panama PTY. It was a 40 minute hike from Security to the Gate. There should have been some sort of warning about the distance.

landed in panama it was in terminal one. We had to take a bus to terminal two for customs. Then back to terminal one. It was very frustrating. Then, on the way back from panama it was the same situation. We had to go back and forth between terminals to check in and drop our bags and then to board. When we were leaving, we had to wait in line for the boarding area and go through another gate security process. They told the bottles of water and coffee were bought while in line in the airport after we passed the main security. Ridiculous (and expensive). A much better communication system is needed.

This was my first time flying Copa but I'll definitely be back! Great service, professional agents, and delicious food for a fair price. Thanks for a great trip!

No boarding announcements leading to the usual confusion and people trying to board before their group number.

Horrible experience from start to end. Copa costumer service is non existent. They treat you bad. Everybody tells you different information. We didn’t received our luggage in the 1 day stop we did even we they said if was not going to be a problem. They didn’t respect the seats that we had and spread our family leaving in between of two big people who didn’t leave any space for me and crush me from side to side. I’ll never recommend Copa to anybody.

No cumpli mencionado trayecto por reasignacion de Copa Pero extraviaron mis maletas por su culpa

As usual, the flight with normal legroom was not very comfortable, but the second flight was much better because we had paid for extra legroom. It was very nice to check our bags without an extra fee.

other than a slight delay in takeoff from Panama , the flights were excellent ..... we will continue to use Copa whenever possible for flights to and from Central and South America ....

I was fortunate enough to have an entire row to myself and that was the highlight. Unfortunately, the flight was really turbulent which had no impact on how effective the crew was. However, I am disabled and should have boarded the flight first, but that wasn't the case. They also decided to take my bag at the gate because I had one too many and upon my picking it up at JFK it along with my rollator had been damaged. I am a vegan so the didn't have a proper meal for me and I was unable to view the entertainment because I didn't receive a set of headphones and if I needed to supply my own I wasn't made aware of that either. The crew was great, but overall everything was pretty lackluster.

Pros: "The flight was very calm. The crew was friendly all the time."
Cons: "The food"

That they were on tike but, They charge again for baggage while we already paid when we buy our tickets

Perfect for a very low cost flight. In time, safety perfect, and of course no service, just what you effectivement !

Delayed three hours and they knew it but didn’t say anything upon checking in

Cumple con su función, transportar, no incluye comida a menos que se pague un valor adicional y así mismo con los asientos y demás, brindan precios económicos pero tratan de compensarlo cobrando por todo lo demás, si desean un viaje económico y que no dure más de 3 horas el vuelo, recomendando

i was seated apart from my girlfriend even though I bought the tickets at the same time and the flight was half full. what are some of these airlines thinking when they assign seats?

Wingo changed departure time 3 times and kept us moving from one gate to a different one. A 1 one flight took me more than 8 hours. Don't fly wit Wingo, the worst experience ever

Nothing the vendor services and overall process was not an experience I would ever want to revisit again .

Pros: "Crew was great and friendly- good meals on long flights- best airline!"
Cons: "everything was great"
Pros: "Crew was great!"
Cons: "Better food or at least option to purchase better food. Needs entertainment and the plane needs a renovation. Very dated interior."
Pros: "The assigned flight attendant was very nice and did a wonderful job"

I expected the plane to be as the one I took from manaos to Bogota and unfortunately it wasn’t as nice, the sits didn’t recline and there was not onboard entertainment.

The good thing is the flight was on time and the crew was really nice. They can work better the arriving with staff

This is the Spirit of Latino travel. And don’t even get me started on customer service.

Boarding was very expedite. The chairs are fixed you can't rest comfortable during the flight.

No complimentary snacks food, beverage (not even water), pillow and blanket on a 6 hours long flight (including economy comfort). A low form of nickeling an diming. Lost a recurring passanger over a soda. Avianca never again.

Every food and beverage has to be paid and the seat was not confortable. They even gave water.

Flight departure late. Got late in Colombia making us take a different flight next day. Avianca airport crew messed up my ticket so when a I got in Brazil I didn’t have a ticket for my destination. Had to buy a new ticket out of my pocket.

Horrible service. Flight was delayed and the don't even offer eatwr

Voo longo nem mesmo água ou gelo é servido, se quiser tem que pagar. Embarque é péssimo, mau atendimento.

Cons: "My wife lost the fly for delay in the first fly from Cúcuta to bogota"

Book cheap flights from Panama City to San José

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Panama City to San José found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
5/24Fri
1 stopAvianca
12h 50mPTY-SJO
$135
5/17Fri
1 stopAvianca
12h 50mPTY-SJO
$136
5/20Mon
1 stopAvianca
12h 50mPTY-SJO
$138
8/21Wed
1 stopAvianca
7h 40mPTY-SJO
$143
5/10Fri
1 stopAvianca
12h 50mPTY-SJO
$146
7/16Tue
2 stops
8h 27mPTY-SJO
$260
6/17Mon
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 25mPTY-SJO
$295
5/31Fri
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 25mPTY-SJO
$313
7/22Mon
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 25mPTY-SJO
$416
7/3Wed
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 25mPTY-SJO
$465

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Last minute flights from Panama City to San José

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Panama City to San José that are departing in the next 10 days.
5/6Mon
multi-stopAvianca
12h 50mPTY-SJO
5/15Wed
multi-stopAvianca
9h 20mSJO-PTY
$242
5/6Mon
multi-stopAvianca
12h 50mPTY-SJO
5/14Tue
multi-stopAvianca
17h 41mSJO-PTY
$253
5/6Mon
multi-stopAvianca
12h 50mPTY-SJO
5/15Wed
multi-stopAvianca
37h 35mSJO-PTY
$288
5/9Thu
multi-stopAvianca
12h 50mPTY-SJO
5/11Sat
multi-stopAvianca
17h 41mSJO-PTY
$300
5/9Thu
multi-stopAvianca
16h 40mPTY-SJO
5/12Sun
multi-stopAvianca
9h 20mSJO-PTY
$302
5/6Mon
multi-stop
12h 50mPTY-SJO
5/15Wed
nonstop
1h 23mSJO-PTY
$376
5/9Thu
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 25mPTY-SJO
5/24Fri
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 23mSJO-PTY
$392
5/6Mon
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 25mPTY-SJO
5/15Wed
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 23mSJO-PTY
$462
5/9Thu
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 25mPTY-SJO
5/12Sun
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 23mSJO-PTY
$478
5/6Mon
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 25mPTY-SJO
5/6Mon
nonstopCopa Airlines
1h 23mSJO-PTY
$482

Search by stops

Search by airline

Search by price

Panama City - San José Flights

Departure:

Panama City (PTY)Panama

Destination:

San José (SJO)Costa Rica

Return flight deals:

San José - Panama City

Cabin classes:

$369
$129

Browse origins:

  • Flights » 
  • Panama City

Browse destinations:

  • Flights » 
  • Worldwide » 
  • San José