Is it Safe to Fly to San Blas?
Yes it is completely safe. Panamanian aviation safety standards in place make flying in Panama as safe as it would be in the US or Europe.
We often receive questions in regards to flight safety such as, is it safe to take a flight to San Blas?
Catching a 40 minute flight from Panama City to the San Blas islands and stepping on the catamaran 50 minutes later in contrast to enduring a +4 hour road and water taxi transfers is an appealing upgrade chosen by most of our catamaran charter guests, but just how safe is is to catch a plane compared to taking the longer road transfer route?
Safety in both means of transport is excellent and there are no concerns to consider. Licensed road transfer operators and licensed private flight companies with commercially certified pilots are regulated and meet industry standards.
Comfort is another thing, but being comfortable or not on your road transfer has little to do with safety.
Flights and private planes to San Blas are subject to strict aviation rules like in the US or EU and planes are certificated periodically by the Panamanian Aviation Authority
Planes are nby the most part Cessna https://cessna.txtav.com/ which is the biggest, most trusted commercial plane manufacturer brand in their segment.
The captain of the plane will not fly if meteorological conditions are not 100% right or something is not in order. We have seen planes grounded simply because the volume of the VHF radio was not high enough or one of the tires was not with the right pressure, likewise, any new spare part or repair needs to pass an inspection by the Panamanian Aviation Authority. Strict aviation rules can occasionally cause delays in flights but gives assurance of a safe flight.
Only a handful of planes fly to San Blas since the runway at Corazon de Jesus delimits the type of aircrafts allowed to land. Best is to book your flight as soon as your catamaran charter reservation is fixed, thus avoiding having flight availability issues or awkward flying times.
You may alao use a road transfer to San Blas and we will adapt our sailing irineraey to your needs. Mixing transfer methods is also possible.
