The average price of a 7-day trip to Panama Canal Zone is $1,146 for a solo traveler, $2,058 for a couple, and $3,859 for a family of 4. Panama Canal Zone hotels range from $79 to $361 per night with an average of $140, while most vacation rentals will cost $120 to $440 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Marcos A Gelabert International Airport (PAC) are between $227 and $294 per person for economy flights and $712 to $923 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $68 to $100 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Panama Canal Zone, PA
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to PAC and stay in a Panama Canal Zone hotel:
- October 8th to November 18th (except the week of October 29th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Panama Canal Zone is usually mid November.
Average Panama Canal Zone Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $1,187-$1,736($170-$248 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $68 to $100 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $225 to $238 for economy
Lodging: $100 to $133 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $81 to $99 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $1,892-$2,786($270-$398 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $136 to $200 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $450 to $476 for economy
Lodging: $100 to $133 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $81 to $99 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $3,536-$5,348($505-$764 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $272 to $400 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $900 to $952 for economy
Lodging: $200 to $266 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $122 to $149 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Panama Canal Zone
How cheap can you make a vacation to Panama Canal Zone? The cheapest trip to Panama Canal Zone is about $79 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 6% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $20 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $65.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $555-$1,132($79-$162 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $30 to $60 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $225 to $238 for economy
Lodging: $65 to $79 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $60 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $990-$1,790($141-$256 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $60 to $120 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $450 to $476 for economy
Lodging: $65 to $79 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $60 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $1,920-$3,580($274-$511 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $120 to $240 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $900 to $952 for economy
Lodging: $130 to $158 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $30 to $84 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Panama Canal Zone cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Panama Canal Zone Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Panama Canal Zone.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $2,656-$7,716($379-$1,102 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $143 to $190 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $581 to $578 for first class
Lodging: $179 to $361 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $440 to $968 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $4,238-$9,624($605-$1,375 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $286 to $380 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,162 to $1,156 for first class
Lodging: $179 to $361 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $440 to $968 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Panama Canal Zone for a week is $8,476-$16,926($1,211-$2,418 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $572 to $760 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,324 to $2,312 for first class
Lodging: $358 to $722 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $616 to $1,549 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Panama Canal Zone Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Panama Canal Zone is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Panama Canal Zone due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Panama Canal Zone Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Panama Canal Zone hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Panama Canal Zone.
Flight Costs to Panama Canal Zone
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $294 average in mid to late August to a low of $227 in mid November. Median flight price is $234. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Panama Canal Zone our data includes 35 originating airports, and several airlines. The area has average variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Panama Canal Zone from an airport like Juan Santamaria International (SJO) in San Jose (Costa Rica) for an average $334 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Enrique Malek International (DAV) in David (Panama) at an average of just $222.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Saturday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Saturday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Panama Canal Zone, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $66, so you can easily save about 29% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Panama Canal Zone can easily cost $450 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $30 per person. Private tours can cost $900 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.