Panama City PTY: The Hub That Connects the Americas
Most people connecting through Panama City are on their way somewhere else. That's the mistake. PTY is 25 minutes from Casco Viejo — one of the best-preserved colonial neighborhoods in the Americas. And Americans don't need a visa.
Getting out of the airport
Taxis from Tocumen International to Casco Viejo run around $25-30 and take 25-35 minutes depending on traffic. Uber works in Panama City. No bus is fast enough to bother with on a layover. Split a cab if you're traveling with anyone.
Visa situation
US passport holders enter Panama visa-free for up to 180 days. No form, no stamp, no cost. Show your onward ticket at immigration and walk through. This is the easiest visa situation in Latin America.
What 6 hours gets you
Casco Viejo is small and walkable. The Cathedral Plaza, the ruins of the original Panama City, and the seafront Amador Causeway are all within a 15-minute walk of each other. Eat patacones ($4) from any street cart. The view of Panama City's skyline from the causeway is better than anything inside an airport lounge.
If you have 10+ hours
The Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal are 20 minutes from Casco Viejo. Watching a container ship squeeze through the lock is one of those things that doesn't sound impressive until you're standing there. Worth it.