Compare 2 loyalty programs for San Francisco to Panama City award flights, with economy seats from 20,000 points.
San Francisco to Panama City is a long-haul US–Panama route where nonstop award space exists, but every best-priced seat connects. Just two programs price the route, and the cheapest economy award is 20,000 points through United MileagePlus. Routing flexibility is a real lever on this route: the same program can price two different connections very differently. Every SFO–PTY award below is broken out program by program.
Best one-way award prices per airline over the next 12 months.
| Airline | Economy | Premium economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 United AirlinesUA | 20,000Lowest | 150,000Lowest | 83,600pts | 100,000Lowest |
 AviancaAV | 22,000pts | Not available | 38,500pts | Not available |
 Copa AirlinesCM | 22,000pts | Not available | 35,000Lowest | Not available |
 JetBlueB6 | 45,000pts | Not available | Not available | Not available |
When award seats between San Francisco and Panama City price cheapest over the next year.
| Month | Cheapest award (points) |
|---|---|
| Nov 2026 | No award data |
| Dec 2026 | No award data |
| Jan 2027 | No award data |
| Feb 2027 | 20,000 |
| Mar 2027 | No award data |
| Apr 2027 | No award data |
| May 2027 | No award data |
| Jun 2027 | 38,500 |
| Jul 2027 | 38,500 |
| Aug 2027 | No award data |
| Sep 2027 | No award data |
| Oct 2027 | No award data |
4 airlines with award seats between San Francisco and Panama City, nonstop or connecting.
AviancaAVJetBlueB6Copa AirlinesCMUnited AirlinesUAWhat to know before booking San Francisco to Panama City with points.
About 3,320 miles, roughly 7h10 nonstop. Panama City is 2 hours ahead of San Francisco (3 while San Francisco is on standard time). Award data window: November 2026–October 2027, with calendar prices for three months.
San Francisco to Panama City is served by Avianca, JetBlue, Copa Airlines and 1 more, offering multiple options for award travelers. Compare 2 loyalty programs to find the best value for your points. Award prices start from 20,000 points in economy. Use our search tool to check real-time award availability on this route.
At about 3,320 miles from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Panama City's Tocumen International Airport (PTY), a nonstop runs roughly 7h10, give or take with the winds. The data logs a small share of nonstop options (less than 1% of the total), yet the cheapest award in each cabin connects.
San Francisco–Panama City runs over seven hours in the air, long enough that the cabin shapes the whole booking. The economy floor connects once; check how long the layover runs. Listed taxes on the cheapest economy seat, about $7, look incomplete for an international departure, so confirm the cash cost at checkout. Moving up to business costs about 1.8 times the economy points. Flexible bank points can reach United MileagePlus; confirm the space first, since transfers can't be undone.
United MileagePlus wins economy at 20,000 points. Air Canada Aeroplan takes business class at 35,000 points. United MileagePlus' 100,000-point first-class fare connects; treat it as mixed-cabin until each segment's cabin checks out. Air Canada Aeroplan takes over at business class, so the right currency depends on where you want to sit.
Every cabin floor on this route connects, and the cheapest award in every priced cabin sits on United Airlines (Star Alliance). The business-class floor is a Star Alliance partner award: Air Canada Aeroplan prices United Airlines seats on the long-haul leg. With just four airlines holding award seats here, a route alert catches new space faster than rechecking each carrier.
Departing the San Francisco area, San Jose (SJC) comes in only slightly higher at 22,000 points in economy against the 20,000-point floor, making it a sensible check when SFO awards dry up. Flexible on where you land? San Francisco to Amsterdam starts from 13,000 points at last check.
Alternative corridors travelers consider alongside San Francisco to Panama City.
From 4,000 ptsBusiness 18,500 pts
From 4,900 ptsBusiness 21,000 pts
From 5,000 ptsBusiness 19,300 pts
From 5,000 ptsBusiness 23,000 pts
From 8,000 ptsBusiness 43,600 pts
From 8,087 ptsBusiness 30,000 pts
Common questions travelers ask about the San Francisco to Panama City route.
