๐ต๐ฆ Contadora Island, Panama
Raul Arias Espinoza Airport (OTD), also known as Contadora Airport, is a small domestic aviation facility serving Contadora Island in Panama's Pearl Islands archipelago. The airport features a simple, open-air style terminal building designed to handle domestic arrivals and departures for the island's tourism sector. Its central location allows for immediate access to the island's various hotels and beaches, making it a convenient entry point for visitors.
The terminal infrastructure is minimal and focused on essential transit services, providing basic seating and check-in areas for passengers connecting to Panama City. While the facility lacks modern commercial amenities like retail shops or dining outlets, its compact size ensures a quick and efficient processing experience. Ground transportation from the terminal is unique, with most visitors utilizing pre-arranged golf carts or hotel shuttles to reach their destination.
Operationally, the airport features a single 2,297-foot asphalt runway (18/36) that spans the entire width of the island, with approaches at both ends conducted over water. Flights are restricted to daylight hours under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), as the field is not equipped with runway lighting. The primary carrier, Flytrip, provides regular links to Albrook International Airport, with strict luggage weight limits enforced due to the small aircraft used for these regional routes.
Contadora Airport (OTD) serves the beautiful Isla Contadora in the Pearl Islands of Panama. Most hotels and guesthouses provide a complimentary golf cart pickup for arriving guests Contadora is an island airport, so the flight is really about replacing a boat-and-ferry sequence with a short hop. Contadora is an island airport, so the flight is about replacing a boat-and-ferry sequence with a short hop.
The airport is located right in the heart of the island village The island is small enough that many destinations are also within a 10-15 minute walk from the airstrip. That works best when the hotel or island transfer is already waiting at the dock or airstrip. That is what makes the island airport worth using when the ferry or boat schedule is less convenient.
Ground transportation is primarily via golf carts, which are the main mode of travel on the island. Flights from Panama City (Albrook) take approximately 20 minutes and offer stunning views of the archipelago The airport is the first step into a very small tourist island, not a place to improvise the rest of the day. The airport is the first step into a very small tourist island, not a place to improvise the rest of the day.
โข Reserve a golf cart early if you want to explore Contadora independently.
โข Most Contadora hotels will meet you at the strip if you share your flight details.
โข The runway cuts through the island settlement, so watch for carts and pedestrians nearby.
โข Pack light, as the small aircraft serving the Pearl Islands have limited baggage capacity.
โข Contadora works best with a hotel transfer waiting, because the island airport is tiny.
Minimum domestic connection:
45 minutes
International connections:
90 minutes
Interline transfers:
120 minutes
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Last updated: April 2026 | Data Source: IATA and other airline sites and resources