Panama Tocumen Airport PTY

Panama Tocumen International Airport PTY - considered to be an 'Aerometropolis' - is the primary airport of the City & State of Panama, and is Central America's busiest Airport. In the last few years, it has modernized & expanded its terminal facilities, doubling capacity, and adding  a luggage sorting system, platforms, taxiways and new road - while still continuing expansion into the future. Panama Airport is growing by leaps and bounds - with ever increasing passenger counts.
At World Airport Awards 2015 Tocumen Airport received both the 'Best Airport' and 'Best Airport Staff' votes (in its passenger count category).

PTY Airport is located 24 km from Panama City, accessible via the South Corridor Toll Road (taking 20 minutes) or Avenida Domingo Diaz (via Tocumen) or via Tocumen (taking one hour). - both run northeast from the city. The Airport’s general information number is 238-2761.  NOTE: in August 2016, the new 2.6km access road with 2 lanes in both directions from the South Corridor opened.
With two long runways and a yearly estimated passenger count over 13million, Tocumen International Airport is hub to Copa Airlines and is served by a number of international airlines offering direct and connecting flights to all points of the globe.

Panama Tocumen International Airport has presently Terminal 1 with North Concourse, (while new Terminal 2 with South Concourse* is to open late 2017). Meassures have been taken recently to strenghten security within the terminal, including rigorous baggage inspection, and reducing permits to contractors working at the airport. 
  - Ground level 0 is the Arrivals level and houses Customs, Immigration and baggage claim, rental car counters, transportation;
  - Level 1 is the check-in level and houses airline counters security checkpoints and the tax-free area; - leading to 
  - Level 2 is the Departure level,  offering a good assortment of food & drink and retail concessions - leading to security check, passport control and access to the three concourses:  two small concourses at east & west ends, and access to the North Concourse* at  south-west end.  Level 2 also houses the Tocumen Royal Salon (a VIP lounge close to the gate areas; tel. 238 2600).  
      The North Concourse of T1 is a new 700-meter structure with modern baggage system, lounges, 11 gates and passenger air bridges (one for the large A380 plane), and a large commercial area housing retail concessions. Copa is the main occupant at the North Concourse.

Amenities and services at Terminal 1:  Currency exchange is available at level 1 and in the duty-free area; AMs are available on each level,  and Banco Nacional is on level 1.  A food court is available in the US sector; and there are plenty of restaurants & shops, including duty-frees.  For Lost & Found call +507 238-2938 or e-mail [email protected].

NOTE:
- While passenger numbers are on the rise (mainly due to COPA airline using PTY Airport as transfer point).  Current Terminal 's traffic congestion is being addressed by moving some flights to the new Rio Hato /Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) in Cocle (connected by a tunnel to the Pan-American Hwy.)  Rio Hato Airport has an advantage for some tourists as it is closer to Coronado & its Pacific beaches  (avoiding a 2-hour ride from Tocumen).  

- 'Fast Trak / Global Pass' is avalable to Panamanians and permanent residents and Americans, when total airport capacity will reach 20M passengers annually. 

    [ * New Terminal 2 with South Concourse under construction, with four levels, is to cover an area of 16,000 sq.meters and is to be interconnected by a 172-meter-long building allowing for easy transfer between T1 & T2.  T2 is to have a new baggage handling system between the 2 terminals - able to handle 7,200 bags per hour.   T2 is expected to open by mid-2018. ]