C$ 202 Find Cheap Flights from Panama City to San José – Compare and Save

Among airlines operating Panama City to San José 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 Panama City and San José. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• Copa Airlines
• Avianca

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

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

• Copa Airlines: a carry-on bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• Avianca: a carry-on 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 Panama City to San José.

On this route, direct and layover fares are close on average, with direct at C$ 330 round-trip and layover options via San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL) at C$ 327.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge C$ 81–C$ 139 for the first checked bag in economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Boeing 737-800 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by Copa Airlines. Other aircraft seen on the route include Boeing 737 MAX 9 variants.

Connecting flights from Panama City to San José most commonly pass through:

• Bogotá El Dorado (BOG) – 64% of one-stop connections
• San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL) – 36% of one-stop connections
Together, these airports account for 100% of one-stop bookings on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 7% on the Panama City to San José route. Tuesday is the cheapest departure day at C$ 321 round-trip on average, while Wednesday is the most expensive at C$ 343, a difference of C$ 22. 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 Panama City to San José route, 4% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 1 hour 27 minutes.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Panama City to San José flights, with 50% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 20%, Evening flights for 20%, and Night flights for 10%.

Some of the most popular sights in San José are Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, Parque Nacional, and Parque Metropolitano La Sabana. These are among the most viewed places in San José on KAYAK.

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

• Earliest: departs at 6:40 am and lands at 8:04 am
• Latest: departs at 9:27 pm and lands at 10:51 pm.

The flight takes about 1h 24m.

Last-minute fares on this route – booked within 2 weeks of departure – run 5% above the route average of C$ 331. Book 4 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A direct flight from Panama City to San José takes 1h 24m, covering 867 km.

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 C$ 356 to C$ 2,809. That means the highest observed fare was about 8x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Panama City to San José are currently higher than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about C$ 356, which is 71% above the typical average for this route.

Morning 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 Bogotá El Dorado (BOG) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 6h 27m, compared with 6h 57m via San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL).

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

San José Juan Santamaria Intl Airport (SJO) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates starting from around C$ 2 for economy cars. Top options include:
• Budget
• Avis
• Priceless
• Routes Car & Truck Rentals
• Payless

Round-trip flights from Panama City to San José range from C$ 298 to C$ 377, with an average of C$ 331 over the past 12 months. Anything below C$ 298 counts as a good deal.