Paula M. Says:
I’ve read a lot of your articles about Panama’s Chiriquí province, and I like the idea of retiring to Boquete. I read recently that the airport in nearby David might start serving international routes to the U.S. Is that true?
IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch Says:
Hi Paula,
Boquete is a great option if you prefer the cool, lush mountains to the warmer, drier beach region. (Keep an eye out for your July issue of International Living for lots more on both sides of Chiriquí!)
It’s handy having an airport—and so many other services and amenities—right next door in David. The international flights rumor has persisted since the Enrique Malek airport was expanded some years back, and I expect they’re being revived now because a big runway rehab project was recently completed, too.
Technically, the David airport is an “international” airport—but that’s only because it receives flights from neighboring Costa Rica. All other flights are domestic and there are no official plans to welcome flights direct from the U.S. (I’ve checked many times over the years).
The airport would probably welcome chartered flights—the expansion lengthened the runway to accommodate larger planes—but there just isn’t enough demand to sustain regular commercial flights from the States or Canada.
There’s a sizable expat community in and around David… lots of international travelers living in Volcan, Boquete, along the coast… but it’s still relatively small. The entire province of Chiriquí is home to around 500,000 people.
The runway expansion did make it easier for Panama’s premier international airline, Copa, to start offering connecting flights from Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. Before, you’d have to land at Tocumen and use ground transport to get all the way across Panama City to the domestic airport in Albrook.
Now, if you want to, you can change planes in Tocumen and be on your way to David. Flights tend to be cheaper and have better luggage allowances than Air Panama flights out of Albrook.
If you live in Chiriquí, you’re just a connecting flight away from dozens of nonstop flights out of Tocumen (PTY). You can fly direct to St Maarten, New York, Montreal, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, and many, many other exciting destinations.
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