Playón Chico Airport (PYC)

Playón Chico Airport is a small public airfield serving Ukupseni, also known as Playón Chico, in the Guna Yala comarca of Panama. It provides an essential domestic air link between the central San Blas archipelago and Panama City, with scheduled flights operated by Air Panama to Albrook.

The airport sits on the mainland adjacent to Ukupseni island, which lies about 100 metres offshore. A pedestrian bridge connects the airfield to the island village, and travelers heading to outer islands and lodges continue by motorized dugout canoe from the nearby water’s edge. The facility has a single runway and a compact passenger terminal.

As a small regional airport, Playón Chico has basic facilities, including a sheltered waiting area and simple check-in counters, rather than the shops and services found at larger airports. Visitors are advised to carry cash and arrive early, as travel in the region is informal and weather-dependent.

Although remote, the airport makes the Guna Yala coastline reachable by a short scheduled flight from Panama City, avoiding a much longer overland and boat journey. It serves as a practical gateway for the Guna community and travelers visiting island lodges and beaches.