$118 Find Cheap Flights from San José to Panama City - Compare and Save

From several bus stops throughout San Jose, Costa Rica, you can catch an ATUASA bus every 10min that goes to SJO. The bus ride takes about 35min. The next most affordable option is a shuttle from San Jose to SJO. Willie's Tours Costa Rica Shuttles, Jayride Shuttles, Zuma Tours, and Interbus Shuttles are some of the companies that go to SJO.

If you want to wait for your flight at SJO in style and comfort, you can access the Santa Maria VIP lounge by paying at the door. This lounge is located Airside on Level 3, at Gate 5. Some amenities of this posh lounge include alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, newspapers and magazines, TV, Wi-Fi, internet terminals, telephone, and flight monitors.

Copa Airlines is one carrier that operates non-stop flights between SJO and PTY. Other carriers such as Avianca and Wingo operate flights between SJO and PTY with one layover, usually in Bogota (BOG). Airlines such as Copa Airlines, Avianca, and Avianca Costa Rica operate flights between SJO and PTY with two stops. Layover locations for these flights include San Salvador (SAL) and Managua (MGA).

From PTY, you can take a 40min walk to the subway station at Las Mananitas and catch a Line 2 Subway for a 25min ride into Panama City. A more expensive, but perhaps more convenient, option is to take a taxi, which can get you into the city center in about 15min. Some taxi companies that frequent PTY include Union De Taxi De Pacora, Yellow Car, Radio Taxi Italia, and Piquera De Taxi Clayton.

Among airlines operating San José to Panama City flights:

• Copa Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Avianca: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

2 airlines operate flights between San José and Panama City. The airlines offering nonstop flights on this route include:
• Copa Airlines
• Avianca

Flights from San José to Panama City usually depart from San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) and arrive at Panama City Tocumen Intl (PTY).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Copa Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• Avianca: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route and airline, so travelers should check the fare details before booking.

Two cabin classes are available on flights from San José to Panama City:

• Economy Class
• Business Class

On this route, nonstop flights are cheaper than layover options on average. Nonstop fares average $218 round-trip, compared to $236 via a layover through Bogotá El Dorado (BOG).

There is no standard. Checked-bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $52–$100 for the first checked bag in economy. Premium fares and elite-status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Airbus A320neo family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by Avianca and Volaris Costa Rica. Other aircraft seen on the route include Boeing 737-800 variants.

One-stop flights from San José to Panama City most commonly connect through:

• San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL) - 75% of one-stop connections
• Bogotá El Dorado (BOG) - 24% of one-stop connections
• Newark (EWR) - 0% of one-stop connections
• Medellín Jose Maria Cordova Intl (MDE) - 0% of one-stop connections

San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 8% on the San José to Panama City route. Monday is the cheapest departure day at $211 round-trip on average, while Friday is the most expensive at $227, a difference of $16. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the San José to Panama City route, 3% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 1 hour 14 minutes.

Morning is the busiest departure period on San José to Panama City flights, with 60% of flights leaving in that window. Evening departures account for 20%, afternoon flights for 10%, and night flights for 10%.

Some of the most popular sights in Panama City are Avenida Balboa, Multiplaza Pacific and ATLAPA Conventions Center. These are among the most viewed places in Panama City on KAYAK.

A nonstop flight from San José to Panama City takes 1h 25m, covering 335 miles.

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from San José to Panama City:

• Earliest: departs at 3:45 am and lands at 5:10 am
• Latest: departs at 6:17 pm and lands at 7:42 pm.

The flight takes about 1h 25m.

Last-minute fares on this route - booked within 2 weeks of departure - run 8% above the route average of $219. Book 8 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

Yes, a valid passport is required for this international route. Many destinations require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Check your passport expiry well before booking.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, round-trip prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $230 to $2,088. That means the highest observed fare was about 9x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from San José to Panama City are currently higher than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $192, which is 81% above the typical average for this route.

Night flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

Flying via San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 7h 48m, compared with 8h 13m via Bogotá El Dorado (BOG) and 13h 00m via Newark (EWR).

Panama City is 1 hour ahead of San José (Eastern Time vs Central Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Panama City Tocumen Intl Airport (PTY) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates starting from around $1 for economy cars. Top options include:
· Avis
· Europcar
· Ace
· Budget
· Hertz

Round-trip flights from San José to Panama City range from $197 to $264, with an average of $219 over the past 12 months. Anything below $197 counts as a good deal.