Icelandair Joins Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, And More In Exploring ‘panama Stopover’ Program For Travelers With Up To 7 Days Without Extra Airfare

Published on February 7, 2026

By: Paramita Sarkar

Panama has introduced nan “Panama Stopover” program, giving travelers flying pinch airlines for illustration Icelandair, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, and others nan chance to widen their transit into a mini-vacation. This programme allows passengers transiting done Panama’s Tocumen International Airport to enactment successful nan state for up to 7 days without immoderate further airfare charges. With nan motto “Two Destinations, One Fare,” nan inaugural invites visitors walking to aliases from Panama to research nan country’s culture, beauty, and attractions while connected their measurement to their last destinations.

What is nan Panama Stopover Program?

The Panama Stopover programme is designed to pull travelers flying done Panama, offering them nan chance to enactment successful nan state for anyplace betwixt 24 hours and 7 days without incurring other airfare charges. The programme is marketed nether nan catchy slogan, “Two Destinations, One Fare,” positioning Panama arsenic not only a cardinal world transit hub but besides arsenic an enticing destination successful its ain right.

By allowing travelers to acquisition Panama’s vibrant cities, beautiful beaches, and lush rainforests, nan Stopover programme serves arsenic a unsocial recreation incentive. It taps into Panama’s premier geographical location arsenic a world relationship constituent and opens nan doorway for visitors to research a state known for its divers culture, world-famous canal, and rich | history.

Who Can Participate successful nan Panama Stopover Program?

The Panama Stopover programme is unfastened to world travelers who are connecting done Tocumen International Airport successful Panama City. To beryllium eligible, passengers must meet a fewer circumstantial criteria:

• Booking Requirement: The stopover must beryllium selected astatine nan clip of purchasing nan original hose ticket. Travelers cannot adhd a stopover for free aft nan summons has been issued, ensuring that nan programme is designed for travelers readying their trips from nan beginning.
• Travel Mode: Travelers must beryllium flying to aliases from Panama by air. The stopover connection is specifically for aerial travelers, not those arriving by onshore aliases sea.

This elemental process allows galore passengers transiting done Panama to return advantage of nan country’s tourism offerings without nan request for further readying aliases important other costs.

How Does nan Panama Stopover Program Work?

The Panama Stopover programme is designed to beryllium user-friendly and accessible. Here’s really nan programme works:

1. Booking nan Stopover: Travelers must petition nan stopover erstwhile booking their formation ticket. It is basal that passengers book their tickets pinch a participating hose that offers nan Panama Stopover.
2. Stay Duration: Once booked, travelers tin enactment successful Panama for anyplace betwixt 24 hours and 7 days during their layover. The first stopover is free of further airfare costs, offering travelers nan chance to research Panama astatine nary other charge.
3. Second Stopover: If a traveler wishes to extremity complete connected some nan outbound and return legs of their journey, they tin do so. However, a 2nd stopover comes pinch a fixed costs of astir USD $250 positive taxes.
4. Immigration and Entry Requirements: Travelers must comply pinch each modular Panamanian migration requirements. This includes holding a valid passport pinch astatine slightest 3-6 months validity and immoderate basal visas for entry. Passengers will beryllium leaving nan world transit area, truthful they must meet nan aforesaid introduction requirements arsenic visitors visiting nan country.

Once nan stopover is booked, travelers tin scheme their clip successful Panama, whether it’s a taste exploration of Panama City, a travel to nan celebrated Panama Canal, aliases a relaxing enactment astatine 1 of nan country’s beautiful beaches aliases nationalist parks.

Why Did Panama Launch nan Stopover Program?

The Panama Stopover programme is portion of a broader inaugural to capitalize connected Panama’s position arsenic a cardinal world transit hub. Each year, Tocumen International Airport processes complete six cardinal passengers, galore of whom are successful transit to different world destinations. By encouraging these travelers to walk a fewer days successful Panama, nan programme not only promotes tourism but besides helps administer nan economical benefits beyond nan airport.

Panama’s government, successful business pinch nan backstage sector, intends to displacement nan country’s image from conscionable a stopover constituent to a superior picnic destination. The state has overmuch to offer—rich biodiversity, taste landmarks, escapade tourism, and a increasing hospitality sector—and nan Panama Stopover programme invites world travelers to acquisition it firsthand.

What Are nan Key Benefits of nan Panama Stopover Program?

The Panama Stopover programme offers respective cardinal benefits, making it a highly charismatic action for travelers looking to maximize their recreation experience:

1. Cost-Effective Travel: The main use is nan opportunity to enactment successful Panama for up to 7 days without paying other airfare costs. This makes Panama an perfect spot for a speedy getaway, particularly for travelers flying to destinations successful nan Americas, Europe, aliases beyond.
2. Convenience: The stopover tin beryllium easy integrated into nan recreation readying process, arsenic travelers tin book nan stopover astatine nan aforesaid clip arsenic they acquisition their formation tickets. This convenience streamlines recreation readying and makes it easier for travelers to research Panama during their journey.
3. Tourism Boost: For Panama, nan programme provides an opportunity to dispersed nan benefits of tourism passim nan country. By encouraging layover passengers to sojourn section hotels, restaurants, and attractions, nan authorities hopes to stimulate nan section system and create caller opportunities for businesses successful Panama City and beyond.
4. Gateway to Adventure: Whether it’s visiting nan Panama Canal, hiking done rainforests, aliases exploring nan islands of Bocas del Toro, nan Panama Stopover offers travelers a chance to bask a assortment of experiences successful conscionable a fewer days, each while connected their measurement to different destination.

How Does nan Panama Stopover Compare to Other Global Stopover Programs?

Panama’s Stopover programme is portion of a increasing world inclination wherever airlines and tourism boards partner to connection stopover packages for travelers. Several different countries person implemented akin initiatives to boost section tourism by allowing passengers to enactment successful their cities for a fewer days astatine nary other airfare cost. Some of nan astir well-known programs include:

1. Icelandair (Iceland Stopover): Travelers crossing nan Atlantic tin extremity successful Iceland for up to 7 days without paying further airfare. Iceland’s tourism committee offers circumstantial itineraries for stopover travelers, ensuring they get nan astir retired of their clip successful nan country.
2. Qatar Airways (Qatar Stopover): Qatar’s stopover programme allows travelers to enactment for up to 4 nights successful Doha, pinch heavy subsidized luxury edifice rates. Qatar besides offers visa-free introduction for complete 100 nationalities, making it an easy stopover option.
3. Turkish Airlines (Stopover successful Istanbul): Passengers pinch a layover of complete 20 hours tin enactment successful Istanbul for free, pinch nan hose covering nan costs of edifice accommodation for 1 nighttime (Economy) aliases 2 nights (Business Class). Shorter layovers are supported pinch free guided metropolis tours.
4. Singapore Airlines (Singapore Stopover Holiday): The Singapore Stopover Holiday package offers a scope of stopover benefits, including discounted tours and entree to typical offers for passengers pinch layovers betwixt 5.5 and 24 hours.

The Panama Stopover programme offers akin advantages by allowing travelers to break up their travel pinch a short enactment successful a beautiful and culturally rich | destination, each without nan further disbursal of other airfare.

Conclusion

The Panama Stopover programme is an fantabulous inaugural that offers travelers nan chance to research Panama during their layover without incurring further airfare costs. With its rich | culture, divers landscapes, and humanities landmarks, Panama is quickly becoming a must-see destination for travelers flying done Central America. Whether you’re looking for adventure, relaxation, aliases taste exploration, Panama offers thing for everyone—making it nan cleanable extremity connected your adjacent world journey.

By making nan astir of Panama’s cardinal location and vibrant tourism offerings, nan Panama Stopover programme opens up a world of possibilities for world travelers and strengthens Panama’s position arsenic a premier picnic destination.