New Panama City – Los Cabos Air Route Launches, a Key Driver for Tourism and Business in the Caribbean and Latin America

Three Weekly Flights: Operations on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, departing PTY-SJD at 09:09 (arriving 12:27) and returning SJD-PTY at 13:33 (arriving 20:30).

• Boeing 737-800 Aircraft: Equipped with a capacity for 160 passengers, offering comfort and service for diverse traveler segments.
• Strategic Regional Connection: Links Los Cabos with more than 20 destinations in Central and South America through Copa Airlines’ Hub of the Americas® in Panama.

This Thursday marked the launch of the direct route between Panama City (PTY) and Los Cabos (SJD), strengthening air connectivity between Baja California Sur, the Caribbean, and Latin America with three weekly flights: Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

• The inaugural flight departed Panama at 9:09 a.m. and landed in Los Cabos at 12:27 p.m., operated by a Boeing 737-800 with a capacity of 160 passengers. The return flight departs at 1:33 p.m. and arrives in Panama at 8:30 p.m.

Representatives from the Baja California Sur Ministry of Tourism, Economy and Sustainability (SETUES), the Embassy of Panama in Mexico, the Los Cabos Tourism Trust (FITURCA), Copa Airlines, the San José del Cabo Airport, and the Los Cabos Hotel Association participated in the inaugural flight ceremony.

“We are very pleased with the launch of the flight connecting Los Cabos with Panama. This connection, the result of collaborative work between the state government and FITURCA, represents a strategic opportunity to diversify tourism, attract investment, and strengthen trade relations with a region of great potential. Furthermore, it opens the door to attracting tourism from Central and South America, reinforcing our state’s position,” stated Undersecretary Fernando Ojeda, representing the head of SETUES, Maribel Collins.

The Mexican Ambassador to Panama, Abraham Martínez Montilla, mentioned that “this new frequency will allow passengers from multiple regions of the world to easily connect to Los Cabos from Panama City and travel in just five hours between the two destinations. For Panama, Los Cabos symbolizes a true win-win scenario: in addition to strengthening our tourism and trade connectivity options, it also creates the opportunity to boost tourism from a destination that receives visitors from all over the world, who in turn will be able to discover Panama and take advantage of our strategic position as a global logistics and air hub.” This connection, the first direct route from Los Cabos to the region, provides access to more than 20 destinations in Central and South America through Copa Airlines’ Hub of the Americas®, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. In these markets, FITURCA has implemented a promotional campaign during the second half of 2025, focused on positioning the route, increasing its visibility, developing tourism products, and stimulating demand.

“This flight is a driving force for the tourism and economic development of Los Cabos. We are convinced that this new connection will boost the influx of tourists from Panama and the entire region, as well as strengthen cooperation between both regions. As an initial indicator of the results of this new route, advance bookings to Los Cabos from South America have increased by 34% this year,” added Rodrigo Esponda, General Director of the Los Cabos Tourism Trust.

“For Copa Airlines, each new destination we add represents an opportunity to boost tourism, bring cultures closer together, and strengthen regional integration in the Americas. With the inauguration of the route to Los Cabos, we are facilitating easier access to one of the most attractive destinations on the Mexican Pacific coast, while expanding connectivity options between northern Mexico, Panama, and the rest of our continent. This new route not only benefits travelers but also reinforces Panama’s role as a strategic hub for the region and opens more opportunities to stimulate tourism, trade, and cultural exchange between both countries,” said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines.

The new direct Panama-Los Cabos route eliminates layovers in Mexico City or the United States, reduces transit times, and projects direct revenues exceeding $25 million annually, thanks to an average tourist expenditure of over $1,000. This will generate a significant impact on the local tourism GDP and contribute to diversifying the traditional dependence on the U.S. and Canadian markets.

In the words of Francisco Villaseñor Reyes, administrator of the Los Cabos Airport, “Today we celebrate a connection that opens up great opportunities for Los Cabos. With this new route to Panama, Copa Airlines links the Pacific with a strategic bridge between South America and the Caribbean, allowing us to diversify our tourism offerings and expand our reach. This achievement is the result of coordinated work between authorities, the Los Cabos Tourism Trust, and the airline, with whom we share the vision of continuing to drive the region’s growth.”

Since 2016, the Los Cabos Tourism Trust has been in negotiations with Copa Airlines at trade shows such as Routes World and Routes Americas, capitalizing on the potential demonstrated by the 1.36 million South American tourists who visited Mexico between January and November 2021.

“Strengthening air connections is fundamental to positioning Los Cabos as a global destination. This new route directly contributes to expanding our reach, facilitating the arrival of visitors seeking unique experiences that combine the Sea of ​​Cortez, desert, and mountains,” commented Armando García, President of the Los Cabos Hotel Association.

This new air link represents a direct bridge that will allow visitors from Latin America to enjoy a fast, comfortable, and safe route, facilitating access to the natural, cultural, and business attractions that Los Cabos offers.

Travelers wishing to depart from or arrive in Los Cabos have the option of making their reservations through www.copa.com, at sales offices, through the call center or through their travel agency.