You can fly non -stop to Panama for the first time from this city in California

There is exciting news for Californian travelers who want to use their passports to use!

Long past the days of making the treacherous drive to LA for financial and convenience are because the rest of South California has no international reach.

After years in the making, Copa AirlinesPanama’s prestigious flagship carrier, finally got the green light to write history, because San Diegans as I can now fly directly to Panama for the first time.

With so many San Diego beaches polluted with bacteria at the moment, it is all the more reason to go ‘splorin’ this summer!

Copa Airlines gives South Californians the chance to not only visit Panama, but also to connect to nearly 50 Latin -American/Caribbean destinations that were not that easily accessible.

Before the inaugural flight of Copa on 25 June, San Diego (SAN) only served 10 international destinations, and 6 of them are in North America.

Copa’s access to San Diego Is huge new. Allow me as an avid traveler to explain why …

Deunces, Tijuana & La! ✌️

The fact that there are several shuttle services for travelers from San Diego to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), shows you the need for international flights.

Copa is the answer … for now. As you may have heard, San’s much needed glow-up is almost complete.

There is no official news if new airlines or destinations are added The renewed terminalBut Copa undoubtedly leads the leadership for more adventures.

No matter how wild it sounds for outsiders, a majority of San Diegans cross the border to Tijuana to fly to popular destinations such as Cancun of Mexico City, usually on no-frills airlines (although Volaris now offers $ 1 WiFi).

The point is that crossing the border can be a real headache, even with the unique Maas in the species, the Cross Border Xpress (CBX).

The rates seem to rise every year for what is essentially an explicit pass to go through customs without actually putting foot in Mexico, because the airport of Tijuana literally embraces the controversial “wall”.

With common burglaries for free street parkers, expensive parking percentages for the site and substantial CBX costs, You can easily spend triple figures Before you even get the chance to convince customs, you are not a smuggler.

In other words: thanks, Copa!

Hello Panama! 🇵🇦

Circled back to the reason why the new flight of Copa is such a draw, one of the many reasons why this specific route excited me was the chance to explore Panama, an undermined country that completely surprised my mind with its fascinating culture, phenomenal food and undiscovered Caribbean paradises.

I was lucky to score a chair on the inaugural flight, who pulled huge fanfare. So much even San Diego Burgemeester Todd Gloria appeared.

After he had talked to him for a moment, it was clear that he understood the size of this event. Perhaps the biggest reason Panama is with the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Panama’s stopover program

The passengers next to me were on his way to Costa Rica. They had known Panama’s stopover programThey could have double two countries for the price of one.

There is No extra costs to extend your stay Between when you have a stopover in Panama as long as it is between 24 hours and 7 days.

I strongly advise you to take advantage of the possibility of exploring the wild side of Panama, or to make a walking hunt through Casco Viejo, the old city of Panama City secured by the UNESCO with lively, timeless structures at every turn- Ancon Expeditions is who I used (they are an official partner of the stop program of Copa).

5-star Hotel La Compañia (a Hyatt brand) is also a partner. I stayed here and might not have liked it anymore.

This historic building makes a perfect base with age -old world wonders in front of the door and 2 bars on the roof with huge views in the city.

Copa Airlines is safe, punctualAnd comfortable ✈️

If there is one thing that I am too preachy about in the travel world, it is that travelers are often too loyal to their favorite metal birds, to the point to be alerted about the idea of ​​trying an airline they have never heard of.

Although Copa is an important player in Latin -America, some Americans may not be known, so here are a few comforting facts:

• Certified as a 3-star airline
• One of the safest airlines in the world, according to Aviation overview
• The ‘most punctual airline in Latin America (89.46% on time arrears)

Printing for Copa Airlines:

• Alcoholic beverages were not available in Economy Seats for this route
• WiFi is only Offered for Copa ShowPass

Travel tip: Before you go to Panama or one of Copa’s connections, view our new access control to prevent hiccups!

Sam Sears

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SAM, our main writer and journalist based in San Diego has visited 36 countries and wrote more than 1000 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and throwing a light on lesser -known gems.