There are 8 ways to get from California to Panama by plane, bus, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from San Diego International Airport
best- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane SAN - PTY
9h 28m$212–745Fly from Fresno Yosemite International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane FAT - PTY
13h 30m$211–691Bus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBusbus
- Take the bus from Terminal Tica Bus to Gran Terminal Nacional de Transportebus
5d 8h$425–531Drive 6,068.7 km
- Drive from Los Angeles to Panama Citycar 6,068.7 km
3d 5h$831–1,200Fly from Los Angeles International Airport
- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane LAX - PTY
9h 53m$448–653Fly from San Francisco International Airport
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane SFO - PTY
10h 44m$461–703Fly from Tijuana International Airport
- Fly from Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane TIJ - PTY
13h 5m$214–763Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane SJC - PTY
12h$246–846
San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from California to Panama is to fly which costs $210 - $700 and takes 13h 30m.
The fastest way to get from California to Panama is to fly which takes 9h 28m and costs $210 - $750.
No, there is no direct bus from California to Panama. However, there are services departing from Spring / 1st and arriving at Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte via Los Angeles, Managua and Terminal Tica Bus. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 5 days 8h.
The distance between California and Panama is 4714 km. The road distance is 6068.7 km.
The best way to get from California to Panama without a car is to bus which takes 5 days 8h and costs $420 - $550.
It takes approximately 9h 28m to get from California to Panama, including transfers.
California to Panama bus services, operated by Buses USA Tours, depart from Los Angeles station.
The best way to get from California to Panama is to fly which takes 9h 28m and costs $210 - $750. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $420 - $550 and takes 5 days 8h.
California to Panama bus services, operated by Buses USA Tours, arrive at Managua station.
Panama is 2h ahead of California. It is currently 11:48 AM in California and 1:48 PM in Panama.
What companies run services between California, USA and Panama?
Copa Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY) 3 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Spring / 1st to Fernandez de Cordoba via Los Angeles, Managua, Terminal NicaBus, Terminal Tica Bus, Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte, and Albrook in around 5d 8h.
- Website
- copaair.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Tocumen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 22m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Tocumen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tocumen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Monterrey
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 45m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Cancun
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 44m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–850
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Jose Cabo
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 55m
- When
- Monday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 23m
- When
- Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 35m
- When
- Thursday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 42m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–650
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Jose Cabo
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 51m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 40m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 3m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Austin
- Ave. Duration
- 12h
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 4m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–900
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Tocumen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 22m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 37m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Tocumen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tocumen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 41m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 9m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 11m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 42m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–650
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 40m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 4m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–900
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $400–600
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $410–650
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 54m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–750
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 45m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–900
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- [email protected]
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Los Angeles to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 6h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $330–400
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
- Phone
- +505 2222 2276
- [email protected]
- Website
- Nica Bus
Bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBus
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $37–38
- Website
- Nica Bus
Bus from Terminal Tica Bus to Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $58–90
- Schedules at
- Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter)
- Road
- $60–90
Want to know more about travelling around the world?
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Read our range of informative guides on popular transport routes and companies - including Slovenia: Getting from Ljubljana to Lake Bled, How to get from London City Airport into central London, and Train travel in France: A guide to SNCF - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between California to Panama is 6069 km. It takes approximately 3 days 5h to drive from California to Panama.
There are 887+ hotels available in Panama.



