There are 8 ways to get from Panama to California 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 to San Diego International Airport
best- Fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane PTY - SAN
9h 41m$262–945Fly to Tijuana International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ)plane PTY - TIJ
13h 44m$253–914Bus
- Take the bus from Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte to Terminal Tica Busbus
- Take the bus from Terminal NicaBus to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Los Angelesbus
5d 9h$423–530Drive 3,784.3 mi
- Drive from Panama City to Los Angelescar 3,784.3 mi
3d 4h$834–1,204Fly to Los Angeles International Airport
- Fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane PTY - LAX
10h 7m$447–653Fly to San Francisco International Airport
- Fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane PTY - SFO
10h 39m$461–704Fly to John Wayne Airport Orange County
- Fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA)plane PTY - SNA
11h 27m$360–1,205Fly to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane PTY - SJC
12h 10m$296–1,046
Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Panama to California is to bus which costs $420 - $550 and takes 5 days 9h.
The fastest way to get from Panama to California is to fly which takes 9h 41m and costs $260 - $950.
No, there is no direct bus from Panama to California. However, there are services departing from Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte and arriving at Hill / 2nd via Terminal NicaBus, Managua and Olympic / Union. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 5 days 9h.
The distance between Panama and California is 2948 miles. The road distance is 3806.3 miles.
The best way to get from Panama to California without a car is to bus which takes 5 days 9h and costs $420 - $550.
It takes approximately 9h 41m to get from Panama to California, including transfers.
Panama to California bus services, operated by Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter), depart from Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte station.
The best way to get from Panama to California is to fly which takes 9h 41m and costs $260 - $950. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $420 - $550 and takes 5 days 9h.
Panama to California bus services, operated by Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter), arrive at Terminal Tica Bus station.
California is 2h behind Panama. It is currently 2:16 PM in Panama and 12:16 PM in California.
What companies run services between Panama and California, USA?
Copa Airlines and United Airlines fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) 5 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a subway from Fernandez de Cordoba to Hill / 2nd via Albrook, Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte, Terminal Tica Bus, Terminal NicaBus, Managua, Los Angeles, and Olympic / Union in around 5d 9h.
- Website
- copaair.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–950
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 31m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,000
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 34m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 26m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 36m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Tijuana International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–850
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Tijuana International Airport via Cancun
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $290–800
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Tijuana International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–850
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–900
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–950
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 31m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,000
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 26m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 36m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 43m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,200
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–1,100
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,200
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 1m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,100
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 11m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $320–1,200
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Tijuana International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–850
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Austin
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 36m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,100
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Austin
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 6m
- When
- Monday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 12m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,200
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
- Website
- volaris.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 35m
- When
- Friday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via San Jose Cabo
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 49m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,000
Bus from Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte to Terminal Tica Bus
- 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
- Phone
- +505 2222 2276
- [email protected]
- Website
- Nica Bus
Bus from Terminal NicaBus to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $37–38
- Website
- Nica Bus
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- [email protected]
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Managua to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 6h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $330–400
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
Want to know more about travelling around United States
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the US: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Panama to California is 3806 miles. It takes approximately 3 days 4h to drive from Panama to California.
There are 2687+ hotels available in California.



