**Air France is strengthening its Caribbean regional network with a new seasonal direct route between Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) and Panama City (Panama), starting December 11, 2026.** Operated twice weekly with an Airbus A320 configured with 170 seats, the service aims to facilitate connections from Fort-de-France and Cayenne while providing a gateway to the extensive network of Copa Airlines, Air France's partner, across Central and South America and parts of the Caribbean.
The new route is part of Air France's Caribbean Regional Network (RRC), which the airline describes as a "link between territories" to streamline exchanges. Two A320s based in Pointe-à-Pitre already operate year-round services connecting Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, Cayenne, Belém, Fortaleza (Brazil), and Miami. The Pointe-à-Pitre–Panama City service adds a direct outlet to Tocumen International Airport, a major Latin American hub and Copa Airlines' main base. The route is subject to regulatory approvals, as Air France notes.
Scheduled from December 11, 2026, to March 5, 2027, the service covers the Northern Hemisphere winter high season. Flights will operate on Mondays and Fridays (AF618 departing Pointe-à-Pitre at 16:30, arriving Panama City at 18:55) and Tuesdays and Saturdays (AF619 departing Panama City at 09:00, arriving Pointe-à-Pitre at 13:05). Flight times are approximately 3 hours 25 minutes westbound and 3 hours 5 minutes eastbound. The A320 features Business and Economy cabins and high-speed Wi-Fi, free for Flying Blue members.
Timings are designed to optimize connections from Fort-de-France and Cayenne via Pointe-à-Pitre, ensuring seamless travel for passengers from the French overseas territories. Panama City serves as a strategic hub, giving access to around fifteen destinations including Asunción, Georgetown, Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Quito, Havana, Lima, Managua, Montevideo, Port of Spain, Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, San Salvador, San José, and Tegucigalpa. Lionel Rault, Regional Director for the Caribbean at Air France-KLM, highlights that this route, along with recent openings to Belém and Fortaleza, reinforces Air France's leadership in connecting the Antilles and French Guiana to the Americas, supporting economic and tourism development.
For aviation students, this development illustrates how airlines strategically expand networks to leverage partner hubs, a key concept in route planning and airline alliances. Understanding such seasonal operations and hub-and-spoke connectivity is essential for ATPL and ATC trainees, as it impacts airspace demand, slot coordination, and passenger flow management.