£90 Find Cheap Flights from San José to Panama City – Compare and Save

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 direct 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 travellers should check the fare details before booking.

Only Economy class is available on flights from San José to Panama City.

On this route, direct flights are cheaper than stopover options on average. Direct fares average £162 return, compared with £175 via a stopover through Bogotá El Dorado (BOG).

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge £38–£74 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
• Houston George Bush Intcntl (IAH) – 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 £156 return on average, while Friday is the most expensive at £168, a difference of £12. 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 25 minutes.

Morning is the busiest departure period on San José to Panama City flights, with 40% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 30%, Evening flights for 20%, and Night flights for 10%.

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

• Earliest: departs at 03:58 and lands at 05:23
• Latest: departs at 18:17 and lands at 19:42.

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 £162. Book 8 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

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

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, return flight prices on this route showed a wide range, from about £173 to £1,400. That means the highest observed fare was about 8x 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 £142, which is 80% 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 of 7h 47m, compared to 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 hire companies, with daily rates starting from around £1 for economy cars. Top options include:
• Avis
• Europcar
• Ace
• Budget
• Hertz

Return flights from San José to Panama City range from £146 to £196, with an average of £162 over the past 12 months. Anything below £146 counts as a good deal.