Cheap Flights from Panama City (PTY) to San Jose (SJO)

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Route information

Local currency and cost comparison

TrainLocal, one-way ticket
130%Trains are 130% more expensive in San Jose than in Panama City.
Panama City$0.43
San Jose$1.00
MealMid-priced restaurant
20%The average meal is 20% more expensive in San Jose than in Panama City.
Panama City$10.00
San Jose$12.02
TaxiStandard daytime start rate
26%A taxi fare in San Jose is 26% cheaper than in Panama City.
Panama City$2.50
San Jose$1.85
CoffeeRegular cappuccino
14%Coffee is 14% more expensive in San Jose than in Panama City.
Panama City$3.50
San Jose$3.98
Exchange rate
1 USD = 494.34 CRC
1 CRC = 0.01 USD
Last checked on Tue, 03/25
Distance: 319 miles
Panama City airports
Tocumen International Airport (PTY)How far from city center: 2 miles
Marcos A Gelabert (PAC)How far from city center: 3 miles
San Jose airports
Juan Santamaria International (SJO)How far from city center: 1 miles

Flights from Panama City

Panama, with the iconic Panama Canal, is also known for its beautiful beaches, modern amenities and verdant forests. Its major airport, Tocumen International Aiport, is home to Copa Airlines and is the busiest in Central America. It has flights to 84 destinations in 34 countries. More than 12 million passengers passed through this airport in 2015.

Flights from Panama can be booked on one domestic and 22 international airlines that serve the US, Europe, Central and Latin America. There is only one terminal at the airport at the moment to meet passenger arrivals and departures as well as cargo demands.

Travelling to Panama City airport

The airport in Panama is accessible in a number of ways: taxi, rental car, shuttle and public transportation. If your group has flights to San Jose Costa Rica, the fastest way to get there is by taxi or rental car with travel time estimated from 13-15 minutes. Drive via the Carreterra Pan-Americana/Corredur Sur and Avenida Domingo Diaz. The stretch is around 4.1 miles. An inexpensive way to get to the airport is to take the bus. Hop on Tocumen-Corredor Sur Metro bus on Avenida Balboa or Albrook Terminal. The bus journey is half an hour, but make sure to allow at least one hour for your travel to the airport including waiting times.

Reaching San Jose

San Jose is Costa Rica's capital and largest city known for its fertile valleys, volcanoes and colonial architecture. A trip to San Jose promises a combination of city and outdoor vacation. Get a glimpse of the country's history and visit the Museum Pre-Columbian Gold and the National Museum of Costa Rica. Explore historic neighborhoods and enjoy colonial architecture. Shop at Saturday markets and be part of the local crowd or arrange a romantic dinner in one of the many restaurants offering sumptuous cuisine. Spend the night at lively clubs or the day at one of the active volcanoes (Poas and Irazu), it doesn't matter for you'll surely enjoy your stay in the capital.

Getting to the city center

The Juan Santamaria International Airport is the main airport of Costa Rica with flights arriving from Panama City to San Jose. A secondary airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Tobias Bolanos Palma, caters to private and charter flights. To reach the capital by car or taxi, take the Pan-American or General Canas highway. Travel time is an average of 25 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. Another way to reach San Jose is to get a bus. Take the Red line marked San Jose to go Downtown. It will take you roughly 35 minutes depending on the traffic. Tour operators may also offer transfers to town or your hotel as part of a holiday package.

Frequently asked questions about flights from Panama City to San Jose

What are the benefits of booking flexible flight tickets?
Using the flexible flight ticket, you're guaranteed a refund or a rebooking option (without fees) in case of flight cancellations when travelling to Costa Rica. At eDreams have you covered!
For flights from Panama City to San Jose, how can I find the cheapest price?
The cheapest price for a flight from Panama City to San Jose is $109. At eDreams we use different machine learned based methodologies to find our costumers the best option available, considering airline combinations, stopovers and direct flights as well as different criteria for inbound and outbound journeys.
Is San Jose more expensive than Panama City to visit?

Looking at cab fares, a ride in San Jose costs an average of 1.85 USD , 26% cheaper than Panama City, with a fare of 2.50 USD,

while train tickets cost 133% more at San Jose: $ 1.00 USD versus $ 0.43 USD at Panama City.

If you compare the price of a lunch meal, however, you can find it from 12.02 USD in San Jose, 20% more than the 10.00 USD in Panama City.

The price of the coffee is around 14% more expensive in San Jose, with an average of 3.98 USD , while in Panama City the coffee costs 3.50 USD.

When booking, when is the best time to get the best prices for flights from Panama City to San Jose?
The most popular months to book a trip from Panama City to San Jose are July, February and January, based on the searches of our customers.
When is the best time to travel from Panama City to San Jose?
The best time of the year to visit San Jose depends on lots of personal preferences, especially the price. Regarding popularity, July is the best month to fly to San Jose from Panama City in terms of searches from our customers, followed by January and February. If you prefer to avoid the busy season and get away from the crowds May, August and September are the months with fewer searches for Panama City - San Jose.
How long does the flight from Panama City to San Jose take?
Flight length from Panama City to San Jose is around 01:24 hours on average, at an average distance of 535 km, for flights for the route (which may have 1 or more stops in other cities in between).
How is the weather in San Jose compared to Panama City?
While in Panama City the temperatures can reach an average of 34.29 ºC in summer, with precipitation levels up to 2.3 mm ,San Jose's temperatures can go up to 30.79 ºC during the hot season, with 12 mm average of rain rate . In winter, however, weather indicators show around 13.24 ºC in San Jose, compared to the 20.23 ºC average degrees reported in Panama City. During the winter period, Panama City can register 5.3 mm precipitation, while San Jose have an average of 12 mm rain level.
Which airports have flights between Panama City and San Jose?

The main route from Panama City to San Jose is: Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to Juan Santamaria International (SJO). The following airlines fly this route:

Wingo.

Copa Airlines.

Avianca.

Which airlines fly from Panama City to San Jose?

The airlines that fly non-stop from Panama City to San Jose are:

  • Copa Airlines.
  • Avianca.

Avianca, stopping at San Salvador during at least 98 minutes.

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