Seeing Panama City from a plane7 ★
A dense skyline on the Bay of Panama at the canal's Pacific entrance. Look for the arch of the Bridge of the Americas over the canal, the Amador Causeway, and ships anchored offshore waiting their turn.
27 of our routes pass it. Panama · rated 7 of 10
The easy pick
San Juan to Panama City: sit on the left, on the way down.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta to Quito | Left | 194 min after takeoff |
| Atlanta to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| Austin to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| Boston to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| Chicago to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| Fort Lauderdale to Guayaquil | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | 142 min after takeoff |
| Fort Lauderdale to Panama City | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | on the way down |
| Houston to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| Las Vegas to Panama City | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | on the way down |
| Los Angeles to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| Miami to Santiago | Left | 134 min after takeoff |
| Miami to Quito | Left | 136 min after takeoff |
| Miami to Lima | Right Best seat for the whole flight: left | 139 min after takeoff |
| Miami to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| New York to Santiago | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | 237 min after takeoff |
| New York to Lima | Right | 244 min after takeoff |
| New York to Quito | Right | 263 min after takeoff |
| New York to Guayaquil | Right | 268 min after takeoff |
| New York to Panama City | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | on the way down |
| Newark to Lima | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | 262 min after takeoff |
| Newark to Panama City | Left Best seat for the whole flight: right | on the way down |
| Orlando to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| San Diego to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| San Francisco to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| San Juan to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| Tampa to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
| Washington to Panama City | Left | on the way down |
From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day. Where the best seat for the whole flight is on the other side, you'd trade this sight for more elsewhere.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Panama City from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (23 of 27). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Panama City from a plane?
Near the airport, on the climb or on the way down, and mid-flight on longer routes: see the table for each route.
Can you see Panama City at night?
Yes, by its lights. The app scores lit places at night by how bright they are.
Do clouds matter?
Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.
More
Bridge of the Americas Panama Canal Bayano Lake Atlanta (ATL) Austin (AUS) Boston (BOS) Chicago (ORD) All routes