Tocumen International Airport in Panama Expands its Connectivity

Copa Airlines Opens a New Destination in the U.S. and Air Europa Increases Frequencies to Europe.

Tocumen International Airport, Panama’s main airport and a strategic hub for the Americas, continues to strengthen its international network with the addition of new routes and increased frequencies operated by renowned airlines. In this context, Copa Airlines inaugurated its new route to San Diego, California, while Air Europa increased its weekly frequencies between Panama and Madrid to seven.  Starting June 25, 2025, Copa Airlines began operating a new direct route between Panama and San Diego, California, consolidating its presence on the west coast of the United States. The connection has four weekly frequencies—Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays—operated on modern Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.

With this launch, San Diego becomes the third destination in California—along with Los Angeles and San Francisco—and the Panamanian airline’s 17th destination in the United States, reinforcing its growth strategy and its role as an air bridge between Latin America and Southern California.  This expansion occurs amid growing passenger traffic between Panama and the United States. According to data provided by the Vice Presidency of Planning and Strategy at Tocumen Airport, between January and May 2025, 1,769,261 passengers traveled on flights to and from the United States, representing an increase of 162,132 travelers, equivalent to a 10% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Airlines such as Delta Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Copa Airlines currently operate routes between Panama and various U.S. cities.  For its part, the Spanish airline Air Europa increased the number of weekly flights on its direct route between Panama and Madrid from six to seven, operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, one of the most modern and efficient fleets of its kind. This expansion will allow it to offer more than 220,000 seats by 2025, a 6% increase over the previous year.  Through Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, Air Europa connects Panama with more than 30 destinations in Spain and the rest of Europe. The airline, a member of the SkyTeam alliance, has a fleet of 54 aircraft, including Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 models. 

According to official figures provided by Tocumen, between January and May 2025, 345,389 passengers traveled on routes between Panama and Europe, via airlines such as Iberia, Air France, KLM, and Turkish Airlines.  In this regard, José Ruiz, general manager of Tocumen International Airport, emphasized that “The addition of new destinations like San Diego and the increase in frequencies to Europe reinforce our role as the main air connectivity hub in the region. These actions allow us to expand the offering for travelers, promote tourism, boost trade, and significantly contribute to Panama’s economic development.” 

In total, during the first five months of the year, Tocumen International Airport recorded 8,314,599 passengers, representing a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.  With a constantly expanding network, Tocumen International Airport maintains connections to 90 destinations in the Americas and Europe, served by 37 airlines operating passenger and cargo flights. On average, more than 54,000 travelers travel daily through Terminals 1 and 2, which account for approximately 73% of the total transit passenger flow, reaffirming its role as a key regional hub in Latin America.