Kosher food at Tocumen airport and on flights to Panama

Is there kosher food at Tocumen airport?

Yes, a little, and all of it is airside, past security. Kosher Shevet Ahim, the agency that publishes Panama’s list of certified kosher establishments,¹ covers four outlets at the airport. None of them is a supervised kitchen, so plan on snacks and sealed food rather than a meal.

The airport’s directory also shows a grab-and-go outlet between gates 216 and 218, the same spot as the certified shop.⁶ At Starbucks, order only drinks on the certifier’s list; food and anything else there is outside it.⁴ We found no kosher certification for the duty-free shops. A sealed product there is only as reliable as its own label, so look for a hechsher you use.

Which terminal will I be in?

Copa and United normally use Terminal 2, and American, Delta and Air Canada are listed in Terminal 1, but some airlines use both, so check your boarding pass.⁷ That matters here: the kosher shop, Krispy Kreme and Starbucks are in Terminal 2, and Coffee Bean is in Terminal 1.⁶ A free shuttle runs between the terminals from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM,⁸ and the airport also lists a connecting corridor between them.

We found no published opening hours for any of the certified outlets. On a very early or very late flight, assume they may be closed and carry your own food.

Do the lounges at Tocumen have kosher food?

Not that we could confirm. The airport lists five lounges: two Copa Clubs (one in each terminal), The Lounge and the Tocumen Royal Saloon in Terminal 1, and the Global Lounge in Terminal 2.⁹ Neither the airport, nor Copa, nor the certifier says that any of them serves certified kosher food or takes a kosher order. Treat a lounge as a place to sit with your own sealed food, and ask the staff about packaged items when you arrive rather than relying on it.

Does Copa Airlines serve kosher meals?

Only in Business Class. Copa offers its special meals, kosher (KSML) among them, in Business Class on flights longer than two hours, and only gluten-free in the main cabin, on certain routes. Order at least 24 hours before departure through Copa’s Call Center or a sales office; the meal is subject to availability.¹⁰

• Which flights: Copa offers special meals in Business Class on selected flights over two hours, subject to availability, and its nonstops from New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Toronto all run longer than that. Copa lists the departure cities with no kosher meal, and none of the US or Canadian gateways is among them.¹⁰
• Economy: no kosher meal. Copa says you may bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks to eat on board.¹⁰ Copa serves snacks on flights under 3½ hours and hot food on longer ones, so on a New York flight the hot meal served in economy won’t be kosher; pack enough for the whole flight.
• After you order: call back a few days before the flight to check the meal is still on the booking, and again if your flight changes.

What about American, United and Delta?

• United (Newark nonstop): United offers special meals, including a kosher meal from kosher caterers under rabbinic supervision, on flights over 2,000 miles; order at least 24 hours ahead on united.com or in the app.¹¹ Newark to Panama City is about 2,200 miles by our calculation, so it may qualify, but United says availability varies by route. Confirm with United after you order.
• American (Miami): American lists special meals in every cabin only on flights to and from Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand and a few other cities, and Panama is not on that list. If you are booked in First, ask Reservations whether your flight offers special meals; otherwise bring food. Orders close 20 hours before takeoff.¹²
• Delta: Delta has flown between Panama and US cities.¹³ Its special-meal page says special meals are offered on international flights and most domestic routes in Delta First, with advance notice, but not on flights leaving Panama City (PTY). A Delta kosher meal is possible at most on the way to Panama; bring your own food for the flight home.¹⁴
• Spirit, JetBlue and other low-cost carriers: we haven’t checked them; assume no kosher meal and bring your own.

Coming from Europe? Iberia, Air Europa, Air France, KLM and Turkish Airlines have all flown to Tocumen.¹³ On a long-haul flight, order the kosher meal with the airline that operates it and check its deadline, since we haven’t checked their meal pages.

What food can I bring through security and into Panama?

Leaving the US. Solid food (sandwiches, cooked chicken, cake, crackers, whole fruit) can go in your carry-on or checked bag. Anything liquid or spreadable counts as a liquid at security: hummus, yogurt, peanut butter, jam and soft cheese must be 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less in your carry-on, inside your quart-size liquids bag, or go in your checked bag.¹⁵¹⁶ Ice packs must be frozen solid when you reach screening; a slushy one is turned away. Baby food, formula and breast milk are allowed in reasonable amounts and are screened separately.¹⁵ The TSA officer has the final say.

Arriving in Panama. Panama’s food agency allows food for personal use of about 5 kg a person, or 10 kg for a family, as reported in 2024. Animal products must be in their original factory packaging, sealed and labelled; home-made food is not allowed; and you declare it on the traveler’s customs declaration.¹⁷ Agricultural inspectors with dogs check bags at Tocumen. In April 2026 they seized cheese, ham, salami, fresh fruit, dried beans and spices from passengers’ luggage.¹⁸

We found no official page from Panama’s food agency or its agriculture ministry setting out the rules for travelers, so treat the limits as approximate. The safe plan is sealed, labelled, factory-made food, no fresh produce, no home-cooked meat or cheese, and declare what you carry.

Flying home to the US. US Customs says all agricultural items, including food, must be declared. Meat, fresh fruit and vegetables are restricted, and undeclared prohibited items are confiscated and can bring a fine.¹⁹ Finish your fresh food before you land.

What should I pack for a travel day?

• For the flight: sandwiches or wraps, cut vegetables, cake or muffins, crackers and sealed snacks with a hechsher you use. A Panama City flight from New York is about 5½ hours; from Miami, about 3.
• For the airport on the way home: buy from a kosher restaurant or a kosher supermarket in the city the day before, or on the way. The Terminal 2 shop is a back-up, not a plan.
• For a late arrival: a full meal’s worth in your carry-on. Don’t count on the airport shop when you land; it is by the departure gates and publishes no hours.
• For children: more than you think, plus food for a delay. Baby food and formula are exempt from the liquids limit.¹⁵
• Liquids: keep dips and spreads in small containers, or check them.

Our packing list covers the rest of the suitcase.

What if I land late, or close to Shabbat?

By our estimate in the flights guide, the drive from Tocumen to Punta Paitilla is roughly 25 minutes with no traffic and much longer at rush hour. The official airport taxi charges $30 to Panama City for one or two passengers.²⁰ If you land late, check each place’s hours on our kosher restaurants and kosher supermarkets listings before you fly, including which ones deliver, and pick a hotel close to the kosher district on our hotels near synagogues list.

On a Friday, leave a wide margin for immigration, bags and traffic. Check candle lighting on our Shabbat times page, and use our flight search, which can hide any itinerary that travels on Shabbat or Yom Tov. To have food waiting, request Shabbat meals at your hotel from Shabbat Meals by Unpacked; we arrange it from certified caterers. The kosher food guide explains the local certification, and the flights guide has the nonstop routes.