Introduction
What to do
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Panama City travel guide

Panama City Tourism | Panama City Guide

You're Going to Love Panama City

With a population of 36,484, Panama City is a must-see destination in Florida, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Panama City has to offer.

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When to visit Panama City

Panama City in February
Estimated package price
$102
2 travelers
Flight to Panama City
3 nights at hotel
Panama City in February
Estimated package price
$102
2 travelers
Flight to Panama City
3 nights at hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Panama City in July, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 44.6 °F, with an average temperature of 53.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 7.9″. In contrast, May is usually the driest month of the year in Panama City, with an average rainfall of 2.8″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Panama City

Plane

When flying to Panama City, you’ll arrive at Panama City NW Florida Beaches (ECP), which is located 16 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Panama City include American Airlines, Southwest and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Panama City departs from Austin and takes around 1h 58m.

Car

Another option to get to Panama City is to pick up a car rental from Pensacola, which is about 95 miles from Panama City. You’ll find branches of Turo and Ace, among others, in Pensacola.

Plane

When flying to Panama City, you’ll arrive at Panama City NW Florida Beaches (ECP), which is located 16 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Panama City include American Airlines, Southwest and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Panama City departs from Austin and takes around 1h 58m.

Car

Another option to get to Panama City is to pick up a car rental from Pensacola, which is about 95 miles from Panama City. You’ll find branches of Turo and Ace, among others, in Pensacola.

Airports near Panama City

ECPPanama City NW Florida Beaches
PNSPensacola
VPSValparaiso Destin-Ft Walton Beach

Airlines serving Panama City

Lufthansa
Good (8,035 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,524 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,019 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,400 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,223 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,596 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,778 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,580 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,729 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,804 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,114 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,401 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (12,446 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,981 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (2,922 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,920 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (1,219 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,834 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,217 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,499 reviews)
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Where to stay in Panama City

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Quality Inn & Suites and Comfort Inn and Suites Panama City North. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Panama City, with prices from $57 to $980 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Panama City are about 4% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Panama City by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Panama City

Most booked hotels in Panama City

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Hyatt Place Panama City Beach/Beachfront
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, 2064 reviews)
$222+
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Holiday Inn Panama City By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 436 reviews)
$127+
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Tru by Hilton Panama City Beach
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 301 reviews)
$95+
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Hampton Inn & Suites Panama City Beach-Beachfront
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1481 reviews)
$197+
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La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Panama City
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1314 reviews)
$85+
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Casa Loma Panama City Beach - Beachfront
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 4842 reviews)
$162+
View

Renting a car in Panama City

Renting a car in Panama City costs $71 per day, on average, or $283 if you want to rent if for 4 days. Alamo, Avis and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Panama City is the Budget branch at 6300 West Bay Parkway, which is 16 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Panama City.

Expect to pay $4.81 per gallon in Panama City (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $57.69 and $76.92. Compact (Nissan Sentra or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Panama City, while also 37% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Panama City costs $71 per day, on average, or $283 if you want to rent if for 4 days. Alamo, Avis and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Panama City is the Budget branch at 6300 West Bay Parkway, which is 16 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Panama City.

Expect to pay $4.81 per gallon in Panama City (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $57.69 and $76.92. Compact (Nissan Sentra or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Panama City, while also 37% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Panama City

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$45/day

Intermediate

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$45/day

Economy
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