Tocumen International Airport
Tocumen International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen | |||||||||||||||
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Copa Airlines aircraft at the airport in 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | Tocumen S.A. | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Panama City, Panama | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Tocumen | ||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1 June 1947 | ||||||||||||||
| Hub for | |||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 135 ft / 41 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 9°04′17″N 79°23′01″W / 9.07139°N 79.38361°W | ||||||||||||||
| Website | tocumenpanama.aero | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
Location in Panama | |||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2024) | |||||||||||||||
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| Source: WAD[1] STV[2] GCM[3] | |||||||||||||||
Tocumen International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen) (IATA: PTY, ICAO: MPTO) is the primary international airport serving Panama City, the capital of Panama. The airport serves as the hub for Copa Airlines and is a regional hub to and from the Caribbean, South, North and Central America and additionally features routes to some European cities as well as cargo flights to Qatar.
History
After nine years, the original name was reestablished after the fall of the dictatorship of Panama by the U.S. invasion of 1989, when the airport was seized by 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers.[4] The original runway (03L/21R) is mainly used for cargo and private flights, but also as a supplement to the primary runway during peak traffic periods. The main runway (03R/21L) is 3,050 m × 45 m (10,007 ft × 148 ft) and is used primarily for commercial flights, the 03R direction is ILS Cat. I enabled. Until 31 May 2003, Tocumen International Airport was managed by the Civil Aeronautics Directorate (which is known today as the Civil Aeronautics Authority). On 1 June of that year, an innovative terminal management platform was created through Law No. 23 January 29, 2003, which set out a regulatory framework for the management of airports and landing strips in Panama. This law allowed the creation of Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen, S.A., also referred to as Tocumen, S.A., which currently manages the terminal. This law is one of a number of laws that restructured the aeronautical sector in Panama to further its improvement and modernization.[5]
In August 2015, it was announced that Emirates would operate flights to Tocumen International Airport from Dubai starting in February 2016, at which point it would have become the world's longest non-stop flight.[6] In January 2016, the route was delayed due to a lack of economic opportunities for the flight. It has not yet been announced when the flight will begin regularly scheduled operations.[7]
On 16 March 2023, the Aeropuerto metro station of the Panama Metro opened at the airport.[8]
Expansion



First phase
In 2006, Tocumen S.A. started a major expansion and renovation program. The main passenger terminal was expanded 20,830 m2 (224,200 sq ft) at a cost of approximately US$21 million. New boarding gates were built to allow more flights to and from Panama, and to facilitate the growth of commercial and internal circulation areas. Tocumen Airport administration acquired 22 new boarding bridges and replaced the oldest 14. This included the addition of 6 remote positions, hence allowing Tocumen Airport to have a total of 28 boarding gates. The new installations were opened in 2006. The airport also has a VIP lounge, Copa Club, operated by the partnership between United Airlines and Copa Airlines that caters to Copa's partner airlines and Star Alliance members. It also had an Admirals Club for American Airlines, which closed on 30 June 2012.[9] The Lounge Panama,[10] a VIP airport lounge operated by Global Lounge Network[11] started operations at Tocumen on 9 January 2019.
The renovation of the old Tocumen International Airport (originally built in 1947) to be used solely as a cargo terminal, was the last step of the modernization project of Tocumen International Airport. It included the redesign of the central building, the construction of new buildings for cargo companies among other improvements.[12]
Third phase
The South Terminal started a bidding process during the first half of 2012 and the contract was acquired by the Brazilian company Odebrecht. Tocumen S.A. made an investment of US$780 million, which included 20 additional gates. It included the construction of a new terminal, hundreds of parking spots, Tocumen river diversion, and four new direct-access lanes to the airport. The new terminal was officially inaugurated on 29 April 2019 and started operations on 22 June 2022.[13]
Airlines and destinations
The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Tocumen International Airport:
Statistics
Annual traffic
| Year | Passengers | Passengers using ICAO methodology (2015) | % Change | % Change using ICAO methodology values (2015) | Cargo | % Change | Movements | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2,145,489 | 11.5% | 85,508 | - | 43,980 | - | ||
| 2004[68] | 2,398,443 | 11.8% | 96,215 | 12.5% | 45,703 | 3.9% | ||
| 2005 | 2,756,948 | 15% | 103,132 | 19.6% | 47,873 | 4.6% | ||
| 2006[69] | 3,215,423 | 16.6% | 82,186 | -20.3% | 53,853 | 12.7% | ||
| 2007[70] | 3,805,312 | 18.3% | 82,463 | 0.3% | 61,400 | 14.0% | ||
| 2008[71] | 4,549,170 | 19.5% | 86,588.8 | 4.8% | 73,621 | 19.9% | ||
| 2009[72] | 4,748,621 | 6,531,927 | 4.4% | 83,513 | -3.8% | 80,330 | 9.1% | |
| 2010[73] | 5,042,410 | 7,005,031 | 6.2% | 7.2% | 98,565 | 18.0% | 84,113 | 4.7% |
| 2011[74] | 5,844,561 | 8,271,459 | 15.9% | 18.1% | 110,946 | 12.6% | 93,710 | 11.4% |
| 2012[75] | 6,962,608 | 10,174,870 | 19.1% | 23.0% | 116,332 | 4.9% | 110,206 | 17.6% |
| 2013[76] | 7,784,328 | 11,586,681 | 11.8% | 13.9% | 110,186 | -5.3% | 121,356 | 10.1% |
| 2014[77] | 8,536,342 | 12,782,167 | 9.7% | 10.3% | 110,789 | 0.5% | 135,406 | 11.5% |
| 2015[78] | 8,913,501 | 13,434,673 | 4.4% | 5.1% | 96,902 | -12.5% | 141,642 | 4.6% |
| 2016[79] | 14,741,937 | 9.7% | 110,364 | 13.9% | 145,245 | 2.54% | ||
| 2017[80] | 15,616,065 | 5.9% | 113,228 | 2.59% | 145,914 | 0.46% | ||
| 2018[81] | 16,242,679 | 4.01% | 168,108 | 48.47% | 148,556 | 1.81% | ||
| 2019[82] | 16,582,601 | 2.09% | 164,700 | -2.03% | 149,808 | 1% | ||
| 2020[83] | 4,526,663 | -72.70% | 145,929 | -11.40% | 50,976 | - 65.97% | ||
| 2021[84] | 9,163,998 | 102.44% | 202,743 | 38.93% | 88,823 | 74.24% | ||
| 2022[85] | 15,779,103 | 72.18% | 234,945 | 15.88% | 133,084 | 49.83% | ||
| 2023[86] | 17,825,465 | 12.97% | 208,573 | -11.22% | 143,034 | 7.48% | ||
| 2024[87] | 19,250,384 | 7.99% | 216,653 | 3.87% | 152,813 | 6.84% |
Busiest routes
| Rank | City | Passengers | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,043,274 | Avianca, Copa Airlines | |
| 2 | 792,170 | American Airlines, Copa Airlines | |
| 3 | 730,314 | Avianca, Copa Airlines | |
| 4 | 692,042 | Avianca, Copa Airlines | |
| 5 | 669,396 | Copa Airlines | |
| 6 | 628,689 | Copa Airlines | |
| 7 | 595,357 | Copa Airlines | |
| 8 | 562,495 | Copa Airlines | |
| 9 | 555,155 | Copa Airlines | |
| 10 | 549,006 | Copa Airlines |
Incidents and accidents
- On 4 August 1965, a Rutas Internacionales Peruanes SA (RIPSA), a Douglas DC-4 cargo flight, crashed after takeoff 2.5 mls NE of PTY because of faulty maintenance. All 7 occupants died.[89]
- On 28 September 1979, a Transporte Aereo Boliviano (TAB) Lockheed C-130 Hercules crashed into the sea shortly after a night takeoff from PTY. All 4 occupants were killed.[90]
- On 2 July 2004, an IAI Westwind operated by Air Tek crashed after takeoff and eventually came to rest inside an empty hangar. All 6 occupants were killed, along with an airport worker on the ground.[91]
See also
References
- ^ "Airport information for MPTO". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF.
- ^ Airport information for Tocumen International Airport at Transport Search website.
- ^ Airport information for Tocumen International Airport at Great Circle Mapper.
- ^ Henriksen, Thomas H. (31 January 2022). America's Wars: Interventions, Regime Change, and Insurgencies after the Cold War (1 ed.). Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781009053242.002. ISBN 978-1-009-05324-2. S2CID 113329937.
- ^ "History of Tocumen Airport". Tocumen Airport Panama. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
- ^ Thompson, Chuck (14 August 2015). "World's longest nonstop flight announced". CNN. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ "Flights to Panama City". Emirates. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
- ^ Schwandl, Robert. "Panamá". urbanrail.
- ^ "Admirals Club Lounge | Airline Clubs And Lounges | American Airlines". American Airlines. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
- ^ "PTY4-The-Lounge-Panama-by-Global-Lounge-Network". Prioritypass.com. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ "Global Lounge Network". Globalloungenetwork.com. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ "Expansion Plan of Tocumen Airport". Tocumen Airport Panama. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
- ^ "Panama City's Tocumen International airport consolidates its place as one of Latin America's major hubs as new Terminal 2 opens its gates to traffic". Blue Swan Daily. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ "Estelar regresará a Panamá una vez a la semana: Saldrá los días martes – bancaynegocios.com". Banca y Negocios (in European Spanish). 21 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Aeromexico announces second expansion of the year in international connectivity". EnElAire (in Spanish). February 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ^ "Air Europa will increase its flights to Havana during the summer season". CiberCuba. 8 March 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Air France y KLM trasladan sus operaciones a la T2 del Aeropuerto de Tocumen" (in Spanish). Panama en Minutos. 18 January 2023.
- ^ "Aeropuerto panameño de Tocumen suspende vuelos a Miami por huracán Matthew" (in Spanish). El Nuevo Herald. 6 October 2016.
- ^ "American Airlines retoma sus vuelos a Nicaragua después de más de dos años" (in Spanish). Flylinkers News.
- ^ "Avianca refuerza su apuesta por Panamá con dos nuevas rutas" (in Spanish). Informe Aereo. 24 October 2024.
- ^ "Avianca ofrecerá vuelo diario entre San José y Ciudad de Panamá". 29 July 2024.
- ^ "Avianca retoma ruta internacional suspendida". 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Cayman Airways to relaunch nonstop flights to Panama this June". Cayman Airways. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Fowkes, Daniel (1 January 2026). "Condor Cancels A330neo Route - Dj's Aviation". djsaviation. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ Diaz, Pablo. "Copa Airlines aumenta sus vuelos a Asunción". Abc.com.py/date=3 November 2020.
- ^ "Copa Airlines llegó a Atlanta". Aviacionline. 12 December 2021.
- ^ "4 new routes announced for Austin airport, including 2 new international destinations". Kxan Austin. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Copa Airlines adds BWI to North American route schedule". The Daily Record. Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 26 January 2023.
- ^ "Copa Airlines: 55 years connecting Colombians with North, Central, South America and the Caribbean". Travel2Latam. 19 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Menezes, Pedro (3 September 2025). "Copa Airlines comemora 25 anos de Brasil e chegará a 95 voos semanais em 2026" (in Portuguese). Panrotas.com.br.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al Mousa, Dergam (10 April 2024). "Copa Airlines to begin operations with Boeing 737 MAX 8 in July". Aviación al Día. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Copa Airlines comienza su operación hacia Boston". Expreso. 17 June 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f "Copa anunció que desde septiembre volará desde Tucumán a Panamá y reanudará los vuelos desde Salta" (in Spanish). Perfil. 3 April 2025.
- ^ Jorge Choque (20 July 2021). "Copa Airlines reinicia ruta Panamá-Chiclayo para reactivar el turismo".
- ^ "Copa Airlines incrementa en casi 40% su capacidad de asientos entre ciudad de Panamá y David". newsinmerica.com. 16 November 2025.
- ^ Mutzabaugh, Ben (20 April 2017). "Copa Airlines picks Denver to be its 13th U.S. destination". USA TODAY. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Copa Airlines anuncia 3 destinos hacia México, Brasil y EEUU". EcoTVPanama (in Spanish). 5 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Brenda Camacho (4 November 2025). "Aeropuerto de Guadalajara aumenta los vuelos directos a Panamá; frecuencias y horarios" (in Spanish). Tus Buenas Noticias.
- ^ "Copa Airlines planifica reanudación de sus vuelos". 4 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Con 90% de ocupación llegó el primer vuelo internacional a Manta" (in Spanish). Primicias. 27 July 2023.
- ^ a b Marie Ford (July 2025). "Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen amplía su conectividad: Copa Airlines inaugura nuevo destino en EE.UU. y Air Europa aumenta frecuencias hacia Europa". El Transmisor.
- ^ "Copa Airlines anuncia vuelos entre Panamá y Manta". 26 January 2023.
- ^ Manuela Navarro (6 January 2026). "Copa Airlines reinició vuelos hacia y desde Maracaibo tras operación militar de EE.UU" (in Spanish). Caracol.
- ^ "Copa Airlines inaugura nuevo vuelo a ciudad de México" (in Spanish). Oye Lo Bueno. 27 September 2022.
- ^ "COPA AIRLINES CUMPLE 35 AÑOS CONECTANDO A MIAMI CON PANAMÁ Y MÁS ALLÁ" (in Spanish). Negocios. 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Copa Airlines anuncia quarto voo semanal para Nassau, nas Bahamas" (in Portuguese). Panrotas. 25 April 2025.
- ^ Theodore Koumelis (17 December 2008). "Copa Airlines begins flights to Santa Cruz, Bolivia and Aruba". Travel Daily News.
- ^ "Saiba quais são as rotas e os voos já confirmados para a volta do aeroporto Salgado Filho em outubro". Diário gaúcho (in Portuguese). 22 August 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ "Copa Airlines increases nonstop flights to Trinidad from June". CNC3. 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Copa Airlines Adds Puerto Plata to Its Route Network in Dominican Republic". Aviación al Día. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Copa sumará Puerto Plata, el cuarto destino de sus rutas a República Dominicana". Perfil. 10 July 2025.
- ^ "Hola, Central America! Copa Airlines to fly direct from RDU to Panama". CBS17. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "Copa Airlines terá voo do Panamá para Salvador a partir de janeiro". Aeroin (in Portuguese). 3 July 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ "Nonstop flights to Panama to begin from San Diego Airport this June". NBC 7 San Diego. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ a b "Copa Airlines anuncia três novas rotas para América Latina". Panrotas (in Portuguese). 3 July 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ "St. Maarten, St Maarten (Dutch Part) SXM". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (1). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1000–1000. July 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
- ^ Emily Sanchez (8 December 2005). "Copa Airlines prepara vuelos especiales a Toronto por Mundial 2026" (in Spanish). Mi Diario.
- ^ "Copa Airlines Returns with flights between Curaçao and Panama". BES Reporter. 12 May 2021.
- ^ "COPA Airlines adding more flights from Panama to Curaçao". Curaçao Tourist Board. 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Delta Air Lines : expands in Panama City, launching new nonstop flights to Los Angeles, Orlando and New York". Marketscanner. 20 December 2021.
- ^ "Starting this Sunday, Iberia Will Fly Daily Direct to Panama City". Tourmag.com. 4 July 2014.
- ^ "Rutaca Airlines activa la ruta entre Barquisimeto y Ciudad de Panamá" (in Spanish). Informa Aereo. 10 December 2025.
- ^ "Llegó el primer vuelo de Turkish Airlines al Aeropuerto de Tocumen" (in Spanish). El Siglo. 4 May 2016.
- ^ "Turpial Airlines aumentará frecuencia de vuelos desde Venezuela hacia Colombia y Panamá". Retrieved 11 December 2025.
- ^ Rainer Nieves Dolande (22 May 2023). "United Airlines incrementa sus vuelos entre Newark y Panamá". Aviacionline.
- ^ "Regresan los vuelos entre Panamá y Venezuela: los horarios y frecuencias".
- ^ "WestJet announces expanded winter schedule with more sun destinations than ever before". Cision. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ Tocumen Airport Report 2004 Website Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Tocumen Airport Report 2006 Website Archived 14 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Tocumen Airport Report 2007 Website Archived 10 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Tocumen Airport Report 2008 Website Archived 31 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Tocumen Airport Report 2009 Website Archived 8 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Tocumen Airport Report 2010 Website Archived 11 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Tocumen Airport Report 2011 Website" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
- ^ Tocumen Airport Report 2012 Website Archived 7 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Tocumen Airport Report 2013 Website Archived 1 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "INICIO". Tocumenpanama.aero. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ "Memoria Anual 2015" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- ^ http://www.tocumenpanama.aero/transparencia/data_12-06-2017_081422/10.3/pdf/reporte_estadistico_2016.pdf [permanent dead link]
- ^ "Annual Report 2017" (PDF). Tocumenpanama.aero. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ "Estadísticas Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen Enero a Diciembre 2018" (PDF). Tocumenpanama.aero.
- ^ "16.5 million passengers drove Tocumen International Airport in 2019". Tocumenpanama.aero.
- ^ "Estadísticas Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen Enero a Diciembre 2020" (PDF). Tocumenpanama.aero.
- ^ "Estadísticas Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen Enero a Diciembre 2021" (PDF). Tocumenpanama.aero.
- ^ "Estadísticas Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen Enero a Diciembre 2022" (PDF). Tocumenpanama.aero.
- ^ "Ranking: Los destinos con más pasajeros en el aeropuerto de Tocumen-Panamá".
- ^ https://en.tocumenpanama.aero/index.php/noticias?start=5
- ^ "Ranking: Los destinos con más pasajeros en el aeropuerto de Tocumen-Panamá".
- ^ Accident description for OB-R-769 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 October 2023.
- ^ Accident description for CP-1375 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 October 2023.
- ^ Accident description for N280AT at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 12 October 2023.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
External links
Media related to Tocumen International Airport at Wikimedia Commons
Tocumen International Airport travel guide from Wikivoyage
