SJO - PTY

C$ 115 Find Cheap Flights from San José to Panama City

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San José to Panama City departing on 1/5. 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.
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KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Panama City

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San José to Panama City, 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 San José to Panama City, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Cheap Flight Deals from San José to Panama City (SJO-PTY)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San José to Panama City 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.

Recent round-trip flight deals from San José to Panama City

KAYAK's recommended round-trip deals from the most popular airlines that fly from San José to Panama City.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.
Choose your dates
Copa Airlines Logo
8:46 a.m. - 11:09 a.m.SJO-PTY
1h 23mdirect
Copa Airlines Logo
9:34 a.m. - 9:59 a.m.PTY-SJO
1h 25mdirect
C$ 241Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, 12 May - Fri, 16 May
Copa Airlines Logo
8:09 a.m. - 10:32 a.m.SJO-PTY
1h 23mdirect
Copa Airlines Logo
12:55 p.m. - 1:20 p.m.PTY-SJO
1h 25mdirect
C$ 242Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, 19 May - Mon, 26 May
Copa Airlines Logo
5:52 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.SJO-PTY
1h 23mdirect
Copa Airlines Logo
7:10 a.m. - 7:35 a.m.PTY-SJO
1h 25mdirect
C$ 245Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, 7 Jul - Thu, 10 Jul
Copa Airlines Logo
8:46 a.m. - 11:09 a.m.SJO-PTY
1h 23mdirect
Copa Airlines Logo
12:18 p.m. - 4:47 p.m.PTY-SJO
5h 29m1 stop
C$ 248Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, 12 May - Fri, 16 May
Avianca Logo
10:15 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.SJO-PTY
1h 20mdirect
Avianca Logo
9:55 a.m. - 3:50 p.m.PTY-SJO
6h 55m1 stop
C$ 259Avianca
Find Deal
Sat, 7 Jun - Sat, 14 Jun
Avianca Logo
10:10 a.m. - 7:15 p.m.SJO-PTY
8h 05m2 stops
Avianca Logo
3:25 a.m. - 9:20 a.m.PTY-SJO
6h 55m1 stop
C$ 497Avianca
Find Deal
Sat, 24 May - Fri, 30 May
Avianca Logo
6:10 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.SJO-PTY
7h 35m2 stops
Avianca Logo
3:25 a.m. - 9:20 a.m.PTY-SJO
6h 55m1 stop
C$ 582Avianca
Find Deal
Sat, 7 Jun - Fri, 13 Jun
United Airlines Logo
12:44 p.m. - 4:05 a.m.SJO-PTY
14h 21m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
10:55 p.m. - 11:38 a.m.PTY-SJO
13h 43m1 stop
C$ 1,667United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, 4 May - Tue, 6 May
United Airlines Logo
12:44 p.m. - 4:05 a.m.SJO-PTY
14h 21m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
10:55 p.m. - 11:38 a.m.PTY-SJO
13h 43m1 stop
C$ 1,911United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, 4 May - Thu, 8 May
United Airlines Logo
12:44 p.m. - 4:05 a.m.SJO-PTY
14h 21m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
10:55 p.m. - 11:38 a.m.PTY-SJO
13h 43m1 stop
C$ 2,012United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, 4 May - Fri, 9 May

Expert advice for your flight from San José to Panama City

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of KAYAK-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are specific to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airports
SJO

SJO offers about 75 self-check-in kiosks, making it easy to get your boarding pass quickly. Arrive early as security line lengths can vary.

Read more about SJOby Mark Chesnut
PTY

For a stress-free taxi ride from PTY, use an authorized taxi stand to avoid haggling and ensure a fair rate to Panama City.

Read more about PTYby Mark Chesnut
Our travel experts
Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Expert on PTY and SJO

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer and public speaker with more than 30 years of experience. The 2019 winner of the NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award, Mark is the author of the book “Prepare for Departure” and has covered air travel for multiple top consumer and trade media outlets.

Read more

KAYAK's insights & trends for San José to Panama City flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San José to Panama City 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 San José to Panama City?

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San José to Panama City, 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 San José to Panama City is November, where tickets cost C$ 256 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are April and June, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is C$ 306 and C$ 299 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from San José to Panama City?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.
No, with an average price for the route of C$ 468, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San José to Panama City, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.
To get a below average price on the flight from San José to Panama City, you should book around 8 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 20 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

March

High season

December

Cheapest flight

C$ 115
Best time to beat the crowds (1% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 0% lower on average.
Flight from San José to Panama City

When to book flights from San José to Panama City

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San José to Panama City 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 San José to Panama City

  • How can I get from downtown San Jose in Costa Rica to SJO?

    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.

  • Does SJO have lounges accessible to any passenger, regardless of airline or ticket class?

    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.

  • How can I fly from SJO to PTY?

    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).

  • How can I get from PTY into downtown Panama City?

    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.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San José to Panama City was C$ 83 for a one-way ticket and C$ 174 for a round-trip.

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

    All the following airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the San José to Panama City flight route: Iberia, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta, Air Canada, JetBlue, Lufthansa, and Air France.

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

    The Airbus A320neo is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the San José to Panama City flight route.

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

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San José to Panama City are Copa Airlines and Avianca. With an average price for the route of C$ 298 and an overall rating of 7.5, Copa Airlines is the most popular choice. Avianca is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of C$ 347 and an overall rating of 6.7.

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

    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 San José to Panama City.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Panama City from San José 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 San José to Panama City?

    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 Panama City with an airline and back to San José with another airline.

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

    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 Panama City from San José up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from San José to Panama City

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for C$ 337 or less one-way and C$ 332 or less round-trip.
  • Do not confuse the San Jose International Airport (SJC) in California, USA with the San Jose Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. SJO in Costa Rica serves as a hub for Sansa Airlines, Volaris Costa Rica, Avianca Costa Rica, and Costa Rica Green Airways. It also serves as a focus city for Avianca El Salvador and Copa Airlines. The Tocumen International Airport Panama (PTY) in Panama City serves as a hub for Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Columbia.
  • If you would like to stay near SJO the night before your flight, there are several airports near SJO that offer free shuttles to the airport terminals. Some of these hotels include the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton San Jose Airport, the Holiday Inn Express San Jose Costa Rica Airport, and the Courtyard San Jose Airport Alajuela.
  • At SJO, passengers who need wheelchairs and/or wheelchair assistance simply need to contact Sky Cap before traveling to arrange aid. At PTY, wheelchairs and wheelchair assistance are available upon request.
  • If you have time to pamper yourself as you wait for your flight to PTY, you can take advantage of the Spa Mioderma at SJO. Some treatments include pedicures, facials, and massages. The spa is located Airside at Gate 5 and Airside at Gate 10.
  • If you would like to exchange your currency when you arrive at PTY, you can use the Travelex currency exchange kiosks. One is in Sector 100 and one in Duty-Free Zone. PTY also has ATMs available on both Landside and Airside.
See more tips

Prefer to fly direct from San José to Panama City?

Find which airlines fly direct from San José Juan Santamaria Intl Airport to Panama City Tocumen Intl Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

San José Juan Santamaria Intl to Panama City Tocumen Intl

Monday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Tuesday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Wednesday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Thursday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Friday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Saturday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Sunday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

See more nonstop flights

Direct returns

Panama City Tocumen Intl to San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Monday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Tuesday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Wednesday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Thursday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Friday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Saturday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

Sunday

Air Europa,Air France,Avianca, +3 more

Air Europa,Air France, +4 more

See more nonstop flights
See more nonstop flights

Top airlines flying from San José to Panama City

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San José to Panama City. 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 San José to Panama City? 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.
7.5
Copa AirlinesOverall score based on 1411 reviews
7.4Comfort
6.8Entertainment
7.8Boarding
6.8Food
8.1Crew
Airline reviews

My flight delayed and i misss the connection they send me to orlando no to tampa i have to pay a uber to my house

4.0 OkayAnonymous, Apr 2025BOG - PTY
Read more Copa Airlines reviews

My flight delayed and i misss the connection they send me to orlando no to tampa i have to pay a uber to my house

It would have been better if they don't separate families in seating. We were seated in the aile row in the middle of a family of four. It would have been better if they they seat the family of four together than separated.

No headphones given for inflight entertainment. I missed my flight from the previous day and the customer service agent tried to extort an additional $100.00 US from me for missing my flight. Really?!

It was reasonably comfortable trip considering its duration (7 hours). Crew was very good and friendly, seats very more comfortable than other planes. Only negative comment would be that the bathroom light did not get its full brightness 🙃

The flight was delayed about 4 hours without any explanation. No wifi or entertainment at all on planes. Had to pay for checked bags I was allowed according to reservations.

It was good, plane is a bit older so seats are somewhat flat

Great from check in all the way to the end. Very happy with Copa

Copa stranded us ans then tried to charge us thousands to leave Panama.

Well the airline was fine. The only thing is I was charged for a checked in luggage. But when I reserved the ticket it showed a check in bag allowed. Who can I get in contact with for reimbursement.? The airline said I had to speak to whoever I booked ticket with.

Friendly flight team and seamless travel from one stop to next.

i think the flight was late because they were so strict about measuring everyone's personal items to try and charge them $119. It was really petty and made us late.

Purchased a business class ticket and got a economy seat with center seat blocked they call it business. 3100usd ticket on a flight where economy costs 500usd The biggest scam insult have had on a regular airline. Avianca should be in the low cost category and kicked out of Star Alliance. I want the difference to be credited. Ets see what Avianca does. No reply so far. Avianca = low cost airline. Beware

Excellent flight and one of the smoothest landing I’ve ever experienced

The seats were very uncomfortable. I would have upgrade or got different flight if I knew. I usually sleep in the plane but I couldn’t sleep at all. Very uncomfortable. Also no food or drink everything was to purchase, and that’s u usual for international flight.

We did not know about the bag fees until check in. They are way too high. It’s insane. We also had a huge delay and everything costed extra which was very annoying.

Flew with our two children. Paid $380 to check two bags (one was overweight). They then left the bags behind on Sunday, December 21st, with all our family’s clothes and family Christmas presents. When we arrived at our destination they told us the bags had not arrived, and they thought (but didn’t know) they were still in Boston, but that there’d be a flight the next day and the bags would arrive the next day. The next day we found out there was no flight, now we’re hoping we get our bags before we fly back out. Meanwhile, trying to get any engagement or accurate information is a waste of time. The folks at the call center are just gatekeepers, who can’t connect with any departments that actually do things to solve a problem. Getting information is made deliberately difficult. My biggest regret is that I’ve had a number of awful experiences with Avianca traveling between the US and Colombia, and still let myself get suckered into buying these tickets because the schedule was great. Never again.

We were not aware carry-on bags cost extra until we arrived at the airport so, we were charged $240.00 for two small carry- on bags! There was a substantial fee for drinks and snacks. No wifi, or other entertainment was available. Waiting areas were crowded and uncomfortable.

COP 7,000 for a cup of mediocre coffee. I thought I was on Spirit Airlines for a minute. Otherwise the flight was fine. Nothing exceptional to report.

please see previous response; it covers the whole travel trajectory.

Horrible. I have been trying to speak to a representative to know why I was over charged but I get redirected to AI Vianca everytime with no results. Is there an agency that oversees airline gouging? I will never fly or recommend Avianca to anyone not that you care.

Everything you need to know for your flight from San José to Panama City

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