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Cheap Flights from San Diego to Panama City

Compare San Diego to Panama City flight deals

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Flight deals from San Diego to Panama City

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from San Diego to Panama City? If you want to travel next month, return fares start from R 8,548. Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.
Panama City.R 4,519 per passenger.Departing Sun, 17 May.One-way flight with Frontier Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Frontier Airlines, departs from San Diego International on Sun, 17 May, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 4,519, select.
Panama City.R 4,840 per passenger.Departing Fri, 3 Apr.One-way flight with Frontier Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Frontier Airlines, departs from San Diego International on Fri, 3 Apr, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 4,840, select.
Panama City.R 4,932 per passenger.Departing Mon, 31 Aug.One-way flight with Frontier Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Frontier Airlines, departs from San Diego International on Mon, 31 Aug, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 4,932, select.
Panama City.R 5,032 per passenger.Departing Sun, 22 Mar.One-way flight with Alaska Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Alaska Airlines, departs from San Diego International on Sun, 22 Mar, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,032, select.
Panama City.R 5,066 per passenger.Departing Wed, 10 Jun.One-way flight with Frontier Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Frontier Airlines, departs from San Diego International on Wed, 10 Jun, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,066, select.
Panama City.R 5,258 per passenger.Departing Tue, 27 Oct.One-way flight with United.Outbound indirect flight with United, departs from San Diego International on Tue, 27 Oct, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,258, select.
Panama City.R 5,292 per passenger.Departing Mon, 31 Aug.One-way flight with Copa.Outbound direct flight with Copa departs from San Diego International on Mon, 31 Aug, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,292, select.
Panama City.R 5,292 per passenger.Departing Wed, 17 Jun.One-way flight with Copa.Outbound direct flight with Copa departs from San Diego International on Wed, 17 Jun, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,292, select.
Panama City.R 5,292 per passenger.Departing Wed, 28 Oct.One-way flight with Copa.Outbound direct flight with Copa departs from San Diego International on Wed, 28 Oct, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,292, select.
Panama City.R 5,293 per passenger.Departing Fri, 1 May.One-way flight with Copa.Outbound direct flight with Copa departs from San Diego International on Fri, 1 May, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,293, select.
Panama City.R 5,293 per passenger.Departing Wed, 29 Apr.One-way flight with Copa.Outbound direct flight with Copa departs from San Diego International on Wed, 29 Apr, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,293, select.
Panama City.R 5,307 per passenger.Departing Wed, 22 Jul.One-way flight with United.Outbound indirect flight with United, departs from San Diego International on Wed, 22 Jul, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,307, select.
Panama City.R 5,541 per passenger.Departing Mon, 6 Jul.One-way flight with Copa.Outbound direct flight with Copa departs from San Diego International on Mon, 6 Jul, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,541, select.
Panama City.R 7,528 per passenger.Departing Mon, 23 Mar.One-way flight with Copa.Outbound direct flight with Copa departs from San Diego International on Mon, 23 Mar, arriving in Panama City Tocumen International.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 7,528, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from San Diego to Panama City

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like San Diego to Panama City flights are currently cheapest in May.
Mar
from R 5,032
Apr
from R 4,840
May
from R 4,519
Jun
from R 5,066
Jul
from R 5,307
Aug
from R 4,932
Sep
Find prices
Oct
from R 5,258
Nov
Find prices
Dec
Find prices
Jan
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Feb
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Direct flights from San Diego to Panama City

Alternative San Diego to Panama City routes

Looking for the cheapest, fastest or easiest route from San Diego to Panama City? You could fly into the following airports instead.

Panama City Paitilla

5km from central Panama City
Closest
from R 15,595
Search flights

Balboa

5km from central Panama City
from R 5,412
Search flights

Panama City Tocumen International

18km from central Panama City
Cheapest
from R 4,514
Search flights

San Diego to Panama City: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight foundR 4,519
Cheapest month to flyMay
Average flight time6 hrs, 12 mins
Most popular airlineCopa
Average flights per week10

Check out these Panama City hotels

Ready to plan your stay? Other travellers rate these Panama City hotels for cleanliness, service and location.
SERENADE Lodging Rooms
1.83 km from city centre
R 799
Per night
Eden`s Garden Hostel
1.64 km from city centre
R 688
Per night
Hostal Yoha
1.77 km from city centre
R 621
Per night
SERENADE Lodging Rooms
1.83 km from city centre
R 799
Per night
Eden`s Garden Hostel
1.64 km from city centre
R 688
Per night
Hostal Yoha
1.77 km from city centre
R 621
Per night
Explore top-rated hotels

Finding cheap flights from San Diego to Panama City: Frequently asked questions

There are 3 airports in Panama City: Panama City Paitilla, Balboa and Panama City Tocumen International.
The best price we found for a return flight from San Diego to Panama City is R 8,317. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
6 hours and 12 minutes is the average flight time from San Diego to Panama City.
Copa and United fly direct from San Diego to Panama City.
As of March 2026, there are 10 flights per week flying from San Diego to Panama City.
The cheapest month to fly from San Diego to Panama City is usually May.
If you're flying from San Diego, the cheapest airport near Panama City is Panama City Tocumen International – which is 17.9 km away from the centre of Panama City. We've found flights into this airport from R 8,317.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it is currently cheapest to fly from San Diego to Panama City on Sunday, 10 May 2026.
Yes – the average flight time is 6 hours and 12 minutes.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Panama City but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Panama City is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
In March, the average temperature is usually around 28°C. May is typically the warmest month in Panama City, when it usually averages around 29°C. You can expect the least rain in February. The coldest month is October, with temperatures averaging 25°C. The rainiest month is June.
The cheapest airline that flies to Panama City is Frontier Airlines. And the cheapest airline that flies to Balboa Airport is Copa.

Flying from San Diego to Panama City: what you need to know

  • Planning your trip starts with figuring out where you'll fly out of in San Diego. San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the city's main base, so check out your options for reserving a flight from San Diego to Panama City departing from here.

  • When working out where to land in Panama City, Tocumen International Airport (PTY) and Panama Pacifico Airport (BLB) are the chief entry points.

  • The average time for a direct San Diego to Panama City flight is 6 hours 15 minutes.

  • The timezone in Panama City is UTC-5, which is two hours ahead of San Diego.

  • The busiest route for flights from San Diego to Panama City is from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY). Choose from three services every week between these two airports. If you want to set off at the first opportunity, the earliest flight from SAN to PTY is the 20:06 Copa Airlines service. If you prefer travelling later, the last scheduled departure is at 21:07 with Copa Airlines.

  • Give yourself enough time to make your San Diego to Panama City flight. As a rule of thumb, arrive at least two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.

  • You can expect bigger queues during popular months like July. Arriving up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours for domestic departures will help ensure a smooth travel experience.

How to find the cheapest flights from San Diego to Panama City

  • To snag cheap San Diego to Panama City flights, book your trip three months ahead of your planned departure.

  • Organise your trip for June. That's the best month for scoring a great bargain on plane tickets from San Diego to Panama City. If you're flexible on when you fly, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across each month.

  • Snapping up a cheap flight from San Diego to Panama City is a breeze with Price Alerts. All you need to do is set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll notify you when the price has dropped.

  • Lock in a cheap San Diego to Panama City flight with the help of our filters. Select your preferred times, airlines and number of stops, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.

Flying from San Diego

San Diego International Airport (SAN)

  • Set off from San Diego International Airport (SAN) on a nonstop flight from San Diego to Panama City. From SAN, you can fly straight to Tocumen International Airport (PTY).

  • Copa Airlines is a well-known carrier that offers direct San Diego to Panama City plane tickets leaving from SAN.

  • Stopovers are the ideal opportunity to take a travel break — and perhaps even explore a different city. When searching for San Diego to Panama City flights leaving from San Diego International Airport, deselect the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can visit along the way. Popular options include:

    • George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

    • Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)

    • Tampa International Airport (TPA)

  • Located around 3 kilometres from the centre of San Diego, SAN can be reached in about 10 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The journey by public transport is roughly 20 minutes.

  • Need a convenient hotel close to San Diego International Airport? If you've booked an early flight from San Diego to Panama City, these stays will have you sleeping nice and close to your departure gate:

  • Of the flights that depart from San Diego International Airport, 71.38% arrive on time at their destination.

  • You'll find SAN at N Harbour Dr.

Arriving in Panama City

Tocumen International Airport (PTY)

  • Tocumen International Airport (PTY) is approximately 16 kilometres from the centre of Panama City. If you're catching a cab or a ride-share, the drive will take around 20 minutes.

  • Getting there by public transport takes roughly 1 hour 5 minutes.

  • Consider booking a hotel near PTY if you have a late flight from San Diego to Panama City. Pick one of these accommodation options and skip the long transfer:

  • Grab a Tocumen International Airport rental car and explore Panama City and beyond with your own wheels. Avis, Dollar and MEX are well-known companies you can book with here.

  • Reserving your ride from Tocumen International Airport around three weeks in advance gives you the best shot at securing a great deal.

Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport (PAC)

  • Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport (PAC) is around 2 kilometres from central Panama City. Following your flight from San Diego to Panama City, it takes approximately 5 minutes to reach the heart of the city in a ride-share or cab.

  • If you hop on public transport, the ride to the centre takes 25 minutes or so.

  • You'll find some great places to call home for the night near BLB. Settle in and get cosy after your San Diego to Panama City flight at one of these well-located options:

  • Thrifty, Avis and Alamo make picking up a Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport rental car easy and quick. These trusted providers are located in or around the terminal and will have you ready to go in a flash.

  • Avoid potential price surges. Securing your ride three weeks ahead of your arrival at PAC will help you save.

Panama Pacifico Airport (BLB)

  • Hop off your flight from San Diego to Panama City and head directly to your hotel or jump right into exploring. Central Panama City is around 11 kilometres from Panama Pacifico Airport (BLB) and takes roughly 20 minutes to reach driving.

  • Whether you're looking for a compact for a solo getaway or a spacious SUV to fit the family, you'll find the perfect Panama Pacifico Airport rental car for you. Browse the types of wheels available here from suppliers such as Sixt, Dollar and Thrifty.

  • Plan ahead and reap the rewards. Book your ride from BLB one week before your flight from San Diego to Panama City to access the best deals.

Best time to go to Panama City

  • It's time to plan your travel dates for your flight from San Diego to Panama City. June is the busiest month to visit Panama City. If you prefer a more peaceful vibe, go in February.

  • When booking your San Diego to Panama City tickets, think about what kind of weather works for you. March is the warmest month in Panama City, with temperatures ranging from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF).

  • If you want cooler conditions, search for a cheap flight from San Diego to Panama City in February when temperatures average between 22ºC (72ºF) and 31ºC (88ºF).

More about Panama City

  • Start your Panama City trip off on the right foot by choosing the ideal place to stay. As soon as you've booked your flight from San Diego to Panama City, browse our range of accommodation options including:

  • Panama Canal Museum and Casco Viejo are just two of the leading attractions to put on your Panama City itinerary. Continue your sightseeing adventures at Cinta Costera.

Explore more of Panama

  • Panama City will leave a lasting impression, but there are so many other parts of Panama waiting to be explored. About 6 kilometres north of Panama City, a visit to San Miguelito will keep you busy. Check out popular attractions like Iglesia Cristo Luz del Mundo, IDMJI SAN MIGUELITO and Iglesia Bautista Independiente Emanuel.

  • Juan Díaz is another standout destination in Panama and is around 11 kilometres north-east of Panama City. No journey is complete without experiencing Malecon Costa Del Este, El Patio Human Friendly and Parque Los Robles Sur.

Plan the rest of your trip from San Diego to Panama City

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.