Easy Travel to Panama
We’d still visit Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge if it required difficult travel logistics to get there, but another feather in the destination’s cap is that it’s so easy to get there. With direct flights from at least 15 American and/or Canadian cities, you’re unlikely to have to take more than two flights to get to Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport. Indeed, if you’re in or near a major hub you can likely get there on a three- to four-hour flight just about any day of the week.
Here's a table outlining those direct flights as of the beginning of 2023. Note that some of them (particularly the non-Copa options) may be seasonal:
Still Pays to Bargain Hunt
On our first two trips to Panama, we flew Copa directly to/from Washington Dulles (IAD). We were pleased with the schedules and the service. For our most recent trip, however, fares were over $800 for those flights, while we could travel for $376 apiece through Atlanta on Delta. It added in the hassle of a stop, but at that savings we went for it. Our decision was made easier by the fact that on the way down there was a later ATL-PTY flight – meaning that if we missed our first connection we could still likely get there that day.
On the way home, our flight left PTY a little bit after 3pm, which got us home slightly after 11pm, which is the same time the COPA direct flight (leaving after 6pm) would have gotten us there. Otherwise we would have just sat in the Panama City airport for another three hours, although our friend Joe Lineberry (leaving for Toronto at about 6) used the time for a tour of the city and the famous Panama Canal.
Other Countries and Continents
Our non-American/Canadian readers shouldn’t feel neglected. There are also a wide variety of direct flights from various other points on the globe for those who want to fish in Panama. Of course these include a wide range of cities in Central and South America, but that’s not all.
Europe – Amsterdam Paris, Madrid, Frankfurt
There’s even a direct flight on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul every day of the week!
COPA Pass Through
If you want to double your pleasure, Copa has a pretty cool deal going on right now: If you have a stopover in Panama City – for example, on the way to or from Manaus for a peacock bass fishing trip – you can stay for anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days. That could be enough to relax, to sightsee, or to actually cram in a second trip. The Copa website has a pretty comprehensive guide to attractions and offers tours, a one-stop shop for your visit.
VIP Service
While Panama City seems remarkably safe and easy to navigate, even for non-Spanish speakers or inexperienced travelers, Shane Jarvis at SFPIL makes the process even easier with his VIP service. We were met at our gate by a uniformed representative, ushered through an expedited customs/immigration process, and taken to a waiting car to our hotel. If we’d had to wait for fellow travelers, we would’ve been sat in a lounge with a cold drink until they arrived. The same drivers were there to take us to dinner in the evening, and back to the airport in the morning, where they got us checked in and over to the domestic terminal. Upon our return to Panama City five days later, they completed the process.
Notes
As noted above, our friend Joe Lineberry had six hours to kill before his flight back to Canada, so Archie, one of the drivers, took him on a tour of the town.
Hanna was unlucky on the return trip home and received enhanced security – no cavity checks, but a full breakdown of her carry-ons.
We utilized the Atlanta Delta Sky Club both ways – for breakfast and dinner, respectively – another perk of our relatively new AmEx Platinum card. We were also eligible to use the Copa Club and other lounges in Panama City, but elected not to do so.
