Panama City Layover: What to Do in 5 to 24 Hours

A Panama City layover is a great chance to add a mini vacation to your trip, since Tocumen Airport is close to town and rideshares are affordable. We’ve been through Panama City several times, so we know how to make the most of a few hours or an overnight stay. Here’s what to do based on how much time you have, from a spa afternoon to exploring the historic district, plus the beach resort we love for a Panama stopover on the first or last night of a trip.

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👉 Spending a few days in the city? Check out our Perfect Panama City Itinerary for First-Time Visitors.

How Much Time You Need for a Panama City Layover

You can leave the airport with 5 hours if your really adventurous. With 6 hours, you have time to leave for a relaxing afternoon at the Hilton Panama or a meal and a rooftop drink in Casco Viejo, the historic old town. With 8 hours or more, you can add a walking tour of Casco Viejo or an Uber to the Panama Canal at the Miraflores Locks. With an overnight layover, you can book a hotel in the city or spend the night at a beach resort. If you have less time, the Copa Club at Tocumen is a spacious place to wait, though the buffet was disappointing for Copa’s hub.

Pro Tip: Tocumen is close to town, but the drive can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and where you want to go. Be sure to build the commute times into your plans in both directions.

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Panama Airport to Panama City

You can take public transportation from Tocumen into the city, but rideshare is very affordable and faster. We use Uber for everything in Panama City, including the airport, and rides around town usually cost us $5 to $12. If you’d rather have someone waiting for you, you can pre-arrange a private transfer through sites like GetYourGuide or Viator. Pro Tip: Use Uber instead of hailing taxis, especially after dark.

Copa Layover: What to Know About Your Bags

Tocumen is Copa’s hub, so if you’re connecting in Panama City, there’s a good chance you’re flying Copa. Copa typically handles checked bags like this:

• Layover under 24 hours on one reservation: Copa typically checks your bags straight through to your final destination, so you don’t need to collect them in Panama City.
• Overnight layover or 24 hours or more: You’ll need to retrieve your checked bags from customs and recheck them for your next flight.
• Official Panama Stopover program: You collect your bags during your stopover.
• Separate tickets: You must collect your bags and check them in again yourself.

If you’re heading to the Hilton or a resort (more on that below), it’s easy to take your carry-on with you, and you may want it for a bathing suit and a change of clothes. If you’re only going to Casco Viejo (Panama City’s historic district), there are luggage storage operators on the bottom floor of Terminal 1. Check their hours before you leave the airport to make sure they work for your layover.

👉 Flying Copa? Read our Copa Airlines business class review, including our experience in the Copa Club at Tocumen and how to book a free Panama stopover.

5-Hour Panama City Layover: One Quick Stop

If you’re really adventurous, you can leave the airport on a 5-hour layover, as long as you stick to one stop. Head straight to the Panama Canal at the Miraflores Locks, or go straight into Casco Viejo for one food and drinks spot. If you pick Casco Viejo, we’d recommend a rooftop to get the most out of your short visit.

Planning Tip: The drive from Tocumen can take 45 minutes or more each way (especially to the canal), so keep an eye on the time and head back early if needed.

6-Hour Panama City Layover: Hilton Panama or Casco Viejo

With 6 hours, pick one of these stops and enjoy it without rushing:

Relax at the Hilton Panama

If you’re short on time, the Hilton Panama is 15 to 30 minutes from Tocumen (depending on traffic) in the Miami-style area of the city along the water. The lobby is gorgeous with views of the water, there’s a casino, and you can take a walk along the waterfront across the street if you want to get your steps in. The hotel has several restaurants, and the lobby bar, Blue Bar, is a great spot for a burger.

There’s an excellent and affordable spa at the hotel with services available to non-guests. We booked a couples massage that came with spa access, bubbly, and a fruit and cheese platter, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. You can also get a day pass to the pool for $65 through ResortPass. The pool was crowded when we were there, so the spa and lobby bar were our favorite parts of the hotel. But it would be nice on a sunny day with fewer people.

Eat and Drink in Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo, the historic old town, is just 10 minutes farther than the Hilton. It’s a colonial district on a small peninsula, with plazas, churches, shops, and rooftop bars. Try some local dishes, like the fried chicken at Fonda Lo Que Hay, and end with a rooftop cocktail somewhere with an amazing view, like Sama Sky Lounge, before you head back to the airport.

8-Hour Panama City Layover: Add a Walking Tour or the Panama Canal

With 8 hours or more, you have time to see more of the city. If you have two to four hours in Casco Viejo, add a walking tour to the activities listed above. Walking tours in Casco Viejo range from $50 for group tours per couple to $200 for a private tour. If you’re looking for a guided, private experience in Panama, we highly recommend WithLocals.

You can also take an Uber to the Panama Canal at the Miraflores Locks. We paid about $12 for a round-trip Uber and $14 per person for entry to the canal museum, or about $40 for the two of us. We paid our Uber driver to wait for us. Try to time your visit for when a ship is passing through the locks. It’s pretty cool!

Long or Overnight Layover in Panama City: Where to Stay

If you have an overnight layover, you can stay close to the airport, in the historic district, or at a beach resort:

• Hilton Panama is the easiest pick if you’re short on time. It’s 15 to 30 minutes from Tocumen, with the spa, pool, lobby bar, and several restaurants on site.
• Tántalo Hotel & Roofbar is a funky boutique hotel in Casco Viejo that we also like.
• Dreams Playa Bonita Panama is an all-inclusive resort about an hour to 90 minutes from the airport, depending on traffic. We loved the pools and spa, and we booked two nights with 40,000 Chase points.
• The Westin Playa Bonita Panama is also on Playa Bonita, about an hour to 90 minutes from the airport.
• If you’re looking for a more local neighborhood, try the Hyatt Regency Panama City in the lively area known as El Cangrejo. We had a blast in this neighborhood on our first trip to the city many years ago.

Just to set your expectations:

Playa Bonita isn’t the greatest beach, but it’s definitely fun if you want to unwind at a resort on the first or last night of your trip. You can also get day passes at either the Dreams or Westin resort through ResortPass, ranging from $89 to $115 depending on the access you want. If you book the Westin Playa Bonita day pass or the Dreams Playa Bonita day pass, make sure you have plenty of time to get to and from the airport and still enjoy the property.

Planning Tip: If you book Copa directly, you can add a free Panama stopover of a few nights between flights. 👉 Our Perfect Panama City Itinerary covers how to spend three days or more in the city.

Panama City Layover Tips

• Plan for traffic: The drive from Tocumen can take 15 to 45 minutes, so give yourself extra time on the way back.
• Use Uber: It’s affordable and faster than public transportation, and generally safer than street taxis after dark.
• Pack a swimsuit: If you’re going to the Hilton or a beach resort, keep a bathing suit and a change of clothes in your carry-on.
• Check your bags: On a Copa itinerary with less than a 24-hour layover, your bags are usually sent through to your final stop. We don’t usually check bags, but this makes it so much easier for a layover. But for longer layovers, stopovers, or separate tickets, you’ll need to collect your bags and recheck them.
• Check storage hours: The luggage storage on the bottom floor of Terminal 1 has set hours, so confirm them before you leave the airport.

Panama City Layover FAQs

How Long of a Layover Do You Need to Leave Panama City Airport?

We’d plan on at least 6 hours to leave Tocumen for the Hilton Panama or Casco Viejo. With 8 hours or more, you can add a walking tour of the historic district or the Panama Canal.

Can You Leave the Airport on a 5-Hour Layover in Panama City?

Yes, if you’re adventurous and stick to one stop. Head straight to the Miraflores Locks, or go into Casco Viejo for one food and drinks spot, ideally a rooftop to soak in the views. Leave plenty of time for traffic on the way back, since the drive can take 15 to 45 minutes (or more from the canal).

How Do You Get From the Panama Airport to Panama City?

Uber is the easiest way. It’s affordable and faster than public transportation, and the drive takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and where you’re going. You can also book a private transfer through GetYourGuide or Viator.

Do You Have to Recheck Bags on a Copa Layover in Panama?

Not usually. On a single reservation with a layover under 24 hours, Copa typically checks your bags through to your final destination. For an overnight layover or 24 hours or more, a Panama Stopover, or separate tickets, you’ll need to collect your bags and recheck them.

What Can You Do on an 8-Hour Layover in Panama City?

With 8 hours, you can take a walking tour of Casco Viejo, have a meal and a rooftop drink, or take an Uber to the Miraflores Locks to watch ships pass through the Panama Canal.

What Is the Difference Between a Panama Layover and a Panama Stopover?

A layover is a connection of less than 24 hours between flights. A Panama stopover is a longer stay for a few nights, and Copa lets you add one for free when you book directly with the airline.

Have you had a layover in Panama City? Tell us how you spent it in the comments.