🛫 Terminal 1 — The Original

Airlines: The international wing of Copa Airlines (Star Alliance), American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Iberia, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Aeroméxico, Latam, plus regional ops. Most US/Europe long-haul departs from here.

Layout: 34 contact gates spread across a horseshoe shape. Walk time check-in to furthest gate: 10–15 minutes. Connected to T2 by a covered airside corridor — 5–8 minute walk. Mainline check-in is on Level 1 of the central concourse; departures Level 1 too.

📥 Terminal 2 — The 2019 Expansion

Airlines: Much of Copa’s Latin America regional fleet, JetBlue Caribbean, Spirit’s former routes (now operated by Copa, JetBlue and others post-collapse), some seasonal operators. Fully ramped in 2024 after a slow ramp from the 2019 opening through pandemic disruption.

Layout: 20 contact gates plus 4 remote stands. Single-storey, modern (2019 build), with cleaner finishes than T1 and a better duty-free area. Walk time within T2: 5–8 minutes.

180-Day Visa-Free Stamp · Longest in LATAM

EU/UK/US/CA/AU/NZ passports get up to 180 days visa-free on arrival — the longest tourist allowance in any LATAM country. Officer at immigration enters the days granted on the stamp. Politely ask for the full 180 if your itinerary needs them. Officers default to 90–180 depending on perceived itinerary; 180 is the legal maximum. No paper card to keep. Overstaying carries a fine, escalating with duration; resolve at Migración office in El Cangrejo before exit.

USD = Currency · Cards Everywhere

Panama is dollarised since 1904. USD is the legal-tender currency; the Balboa (PAB) exists only as coins (1, 5, 10, 25, 50 cents and B/.1) and is fixed 1:1 to USD. No FX needed coming from the US; bring your existing dollars. Cards work in tourist Panama: Casco Viejo, Bella Vista, Costa del Este, Punta Pacífica, Amador Causeway. Smaller restaurants in interior provinces sometimes prefer cash but accept cards in tourist hubs.

No EES, No ETIAS, No Tourist Refund

Panama is not in any visa-waiver scheme requiring online pre-registration. The EU’s EES and ETIAS apply only to the Schengen area — Panama is not affected. There is no tourist VAT/ITBMS refund at PTY. The 7% ITBMS on goods is included in the price. Panama Hat (which is actually Ecuadorian) and Ron Abuelo are duty-free standouts; we cover them in Section 5.

⭐ Official Airport Taxis — Flat Zone Rate

PTY runs licensed taxi desks immediately past Customs in the Arrivals hall. Pay at the desk, get a slip, dispatcher hands you off to the next car. The price is fixed by destination zone — no haggling, no meter surprises. White cars with red license plates only (Panamanian taxi colour code). All accept card.

📱 Uber, InDriver, Cabify — Cheaper, Fully Legal

Uber, InDriver and Cabify all operate at PTY. Pickups happen at a T1 Level 1 designated app zone, signposted “Aplicaciones”. Uber is fully legal in Panama — no driver awkwardness like Cartagena’s grey area. Apps are typically 30–50% cheaper than the official desk for the same trip. T2 has its own app pickup zone on Level 1.

🚌 The Metro Bus — US$1.25 Possible But Slow

Panama Metro Bus route 100 connects PTY to the city for US$1.25 (paid by Metrobus card, not cash). It runs frequently 05:00–22:00 with stops at Albrook bus terminal (45–60 min), Costa del Este (35 min), and 5 de Mayo Metro station. The catch: no luggage racks, gets crowded at peak hours, and Albrook is far from most tourist hotels. Skip it for the airport transfer with luggage; useful only for budget backpackers travelling on into Casco Viejo via the Metro.

✈️ Connecting Through PTY — The Copa Two-Bank System

Most travellers experience PTY as a Copa connection between LATAM cities. Copa runs two daily flight banks: a morning bank (06:00–10:00) when ~50 flights converge for connections, and an evening bank (17:00–22:00) for the second wave. Connection times of 60–90 minutes are standard; Copa schedules around the banks so most connections are smooth. Transfer doesn’t require leaving the airside; same security carries through.

✨ Copa Club T1 (international airside, status only)

Sancocho de gallina is Panama’s national dish — a clear chicken broth with culantro, ñame (yam), and yuca, served with a side of white rice. La Concepción at the T1 food court does a credible airport rendering for ~US$8–12 a bowl. The McDonald’s and Starbucks are at the same food court; skip them — you can have those anywhere.

Panama produces some of the world’s most expensive coffee — the Geisha varietal from Boquete in Chiriquí province has won the Best of Panama competition multiple times and routinely sells for US$300–1,000/lb at auction. Café Duran at PTY food court does proper Panamanian single-origin (try the Boquete single-origin) for ~US$3–5. The smaller Café Ruiz kiosk in T1 international concourse is where serious coffee enthusiasts go — including some Geisha lots, US$8–15 per cup. Skip the airport Starbucks.

Ron Abuelo Centuria (Panama’s flagship aged rum, US$30–55/litre at duty-free) and Ron Abuelo 7 Años are the export-gift defaults. Seco Herrerano is Panama’s sugarcane spirit — the local equivalent of pisco/cachaça, US$18–25/litre, definitely an acquired taste. Whole-bean Boquete coffee (Café Ruiz, Café Duran), single-origin Geisha for the splurge. “Panama Hats” are actually woven in Cuenca, Ecuador (the global misnomer is from Panama Canal exports), but PTY duty-free sells nice ones for US$30–200 depending on weave grade. Authentic Panama mola (indigenous Guna textile) panels at the Plaza Las Tinajas stand — certified, but compare to Casco Viejo prices first.

Pio Pio is Panama’s answer to Pollo Campero — quick fried chicken with rice and beans for ~US$6–10. Cuatro at the T2 food court does empanadas de pollo, ropa vieja, and ceviche on a quick-counter format, US$4–9 per item. Both open from 05:00 to last departure. Useful if you have a 90-minute connection and need fast food that’s actually local.

Spirit Airlines collapsed in May 2026 and no longer operates any flights, including FLL/MIA/MCO – PTY. Copa absorbed most of the FLL–PTY market share via its existing daily ops; American picked up MIA–PTY frequencies; JetBlue runs FLL–PTY 4x weekly. PTY-bound traffic is now almost entirely on Copa, American, JetBlue, Delta and United. Old Spirit PTY tickets are essentially worthless — check your travel insurance for airline-insolvency coverage.

Panama City’s wet season runs May to November; the dry season December to April is sunny and pleasant. Daily afternoon thunderstorms 14:00–17:00 in wet season are normal; they’re short, intense, and pass within 30–90 minutes. Morning ops are usually clear. Schedule outbound flights for morning slots in wet season; afternoon flights are more likely to delay. Temperature is consistent year-round: 25–32°C daytime, 23–25°C overnight, humidity 70–90%.

Unlike most LATAM cities, Panama City tap water is safe to drink — Panama’s water utility (IDAAN) maintains drinking-quality standards across the urban area. This includes airport washroom taps. Bottled water airside is still common (~US$2–3 for 500 ml) and most travellers prefer it for habit, but it’s not necessary. Hot drinks (coffee, tea) are obviously safe. Outside Panama City — Boquete, Bocas del Toro, San Blas — bottled water is recommended for visitors’ stomachs even if locals drink the tap.

For Panama City and tourist areas: Airalo, Holafly, GigSky and Saily all work fine — ~US$10–20 for 5–10 GB / 14 days. For travel beyond — Bocas del Toro, San Blas, Boquete — buy a local SIM. Mas Móvil has the best coverage in the interior; Plus (formerly Cable & Wireless) is strong in Panama City and the Caribbean coast. The Mas Móvil kiosk at PTY arrivals takes a passport and 10 minutes; ask for the “Plan Turista” bundle (~US$20 for 30 days unlimited domestic data).

Panama City’s tourist core — Casco Viejo, Bella Vista, El Cangrejo, Punta Pacífica, Costa del Este — is among Latin America’s safer urban districts, with active police presence and tourist police circuit. Avoid Calidonia (especially after dark), Curundu, San Miguelito, El Chorrillo. The single biggest rule: do not hail street taxis; use Uber, InDriver, Cabify only. Panama City Metro is well-policed and safe at all hours. The PTY airport itself has standing security.

Panama’s service-industry tipping convention is more American than Latin American due to canal-era US presence. 10–15% in restaurants is expected; many bills include “servicio sugerido 10%” or 15% — check before adding more. Taxi drivers don’t expect tips on metered or zone-fare rides; round up if generous. Hotel porters: US$1–2 per bag. Tipping in USD is fully normal since the country uses USD as currency.