Travel Under $1200: Panama on a budget

This month, we’re headed to Panama for just $1046/person. Here’s when we’re going, where to stay, things to do and how to book it.

Remember: Flight and hotel prices fluctuate often and without warning, so be sure to book ASAP.

📍 Destination: PANAMA | Panama City, Panama 🇵🇦

Trip Dates: Wednesday, April 7 – Saturday, April 10 | 4 days, 3 nights

Total Budget: $1046/person, based on double occupancy for hotel; amount includes flight, hotel and listed activities

🛫 Flights

For this trip, our flight budget is $515 per person. This means some flights might be slightly lower or slightly over the amount, but we’ll generally stick to this number as a max. Be sure to calculate your individual total at the end.

We found some great roundtrip deals Here's how to book them:

From Raleigh, NC - $502 : From RDU on COPA 👉 Book this flight

From New Orleans, LA - $463: From MSY on COPA 👉 Book this flight

From Atlanta, GA - $515: From ATL on COPA 👉 Book this flight

From Chicago, IL - $416: From ORD on Avianca 👉 Book this flight

From Dallas, TX - $450: From DTW on Avianca 👉 Book this flight

From St. Louis, MO- $462: From STL on United 👉 Book this flight

From Miami, FL - $306: From MIA on Avianca 👉 Book this flight

From Washington, DC - $490: From IAD on United 👉 Book this flight

Book soon! Flight prices can change quickly.

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By the way, we found most of these flights through our Going membership. Going is a travel app that sends flight deals to places all around the world.

👉Learn more here.

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🏨 Where we're staying

I recommend staying at Hyatt Regency Panama City. It has good reviews on TripAdvisor and has rates within our budget.

• Room type: Standard Room

• Total w/ taxes and fees:  $692

• Price per person: $346

🗓 Things to do

For this trip, I'm including two activities within the budget. Here's how to book it:

• Red Cat Catamaran - $110: This six-hour tour includes an open bar, lunch, a covered catamaran and beautiful views all around.

• Guided City Tour - $75: There is lots of culture and history in Panama City, so a tour of the historic sites will yield great architecture, history and culture.

  
  

We've included a $10 tip for tour operators in each of these activities. Tipping is always optional (and feel free to increase as desired), but we included a small amount just in case!

💰 Budget Recap

Item	Cost
Flight	$515 (max)
Stay	$692 ($346/person)
Activities	$175
Total	$1046/person

🔁 Come back every month

Each month, we feature a new trip on a budget — so if this month’s location isn’t quite right, check back soon or subscribe to my newsletter for updates! And if you want to go somewhere specific within a $1200 budget, I can help plan it.

Affiliate Link Notice: Sometimes our articles include affiliate links. This means I might make a small percentage if you book or purchase through certain links. These links don't increase your price nor affect your booking.

Happy Travels,

Maddy