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.
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.
🏨 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
This guide is super helpful! Keeping expenses under $1,200 while still experiencing incredible cultures and sights is totally the way to go. While dreaming of tropical getaways is fun, I've actually been saving up and researching New Zealand travel lately, which tends to run a bit higher than Central America. Still, finding these hidden gems and affordable hacks for spots like Panama makes smart globetrotting so much more achievable.