---
iata: PAC
name: Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (Albrook)
city: Panama City
country: Panama
lastUpdated: '2026-09-02'
officialWebsite: 'https://www.aeronautica.gob.pa/'
sources:
  - 'https://www.aeronautica.gob.pa/'
  - 'https://www.tocumenpanama.aero/'
  - 'https://www.airpanama.com/'
quickFacts:
  - IATA PAC / ICAO MPMG — also called Albrook Marcos A. Gelabert
  - Panama City’s close-in domestic/regional airport; not Tocumen (PTY)
  - 'Primary airline: Air Panama; short-haul domestic and limited regional routes'
  - Single compact terminal next to Albrook Mall and the national bus terminal
  - City-center access in ~10–20 minutes vs 45–90+ to PTY
  - Minimal airside amenities — plan food and lounge needs before security
bentoTips:
  - label: Timing
    title: Arrive 75–90 minutes before domestic departure
    detail: >-
      Peak pinch is roughly 05:30–08:00 and late afternoon; evening flights are
      usually calmer. Do not treat it like a 30-minute walk-up airport if you
      have checked bags.
    summary: >-
      PAC is small, but Air Panama check-in and bag drop still queue hard at
      morning bank times.
    category: timing
  - label: Terminal
    title: One terminal — do not confuse PAC with PTY
    detail: >-
      Wrong airport is a 45–90 minute mistake across the city. Confirm PAC on
      your ticket and pin Albrook before you request the car.
    summary: >-
      Rideshare and taxi drivers default to Tocumen; always say “Albrook /
      Marcos Gelabert (PAC).”
    category: terminal
  - label: Food
    title: 'Eat at Albrook Mall, not airside'
    detail: >-
      Clear security only when you are ready to stay airside — turnaround for a
      real meal is awkward once you are through.
    summary: >-
      Airside food is thin; the attached mall has far better options 5–10
      minutes from check-in.
    category: food
  - label: Live checks
    title: Recheck Air Panama schedule the night before
    detail: >-
      Confirm flight status in the airline app/WhatsApp channel and build buffer
      if you have a same-day bus or Bocas boat connection.
    summary: >-
      Domestic timings and equipment swap more often than big-hub carriers;
      same-day surprises are common.
    category: status
lounges: []
waterOptions:
  - kind: purchase
    name: Kotowa / café bottles
    zone: landside
    price: Buy bottled water at landside cafés before security
    summary: >-
      PAC is a single compact terminal with no confirmed public bottle-fill
      stations. Buy sealed water landside (Kotowa and the food court) before you
      clear security.
    location: Landside cafés and food court near check-in
    terminal: Main Terminal
    isBestValue: true
  - kind: purchase
    name: Airside snack counter bottles
    zone: airside
    price: Bottled water sold at limited airside counters
    summary: >-
      After security, options shrink to a couple of snack/coffee counters. Do
      not count on gate-numbered refill fountains — those belong to Tocumen
      (PTY), not PAC.
    location: Small airside departures hall
    terminal: Main Terminal
airportistScore: 5.8
slug: pac
region: North America
---
> Markdown for [/airports/pac](/airports/pac). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy.

- [HTML page](/airports/pac)
- [Lounge directory](/airports/pac/lounges.md)
- [Sitemap](/sitemap.md)

# Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (Albrook) (PAC)
Panama City, Panama · North America
PAC wins on location—10–20 minutes from the city and steps from Albrook Mall and the national bus terminal—but airside life is bare-bones, so eat before security and never let a driver take you to Tocumen instead.
## Airportist Score

**5.8 / 10**
- Comfort: 4.0
- Navigation: 8.5
- Food: 4.0
- Transport: 8.5
- Disruption resilience: 5.5

## At a glance

- Passengers: Under 1M (domestic/regional)
- Terminals: 1 compact terminal
- Typical security: 12 min
- On-time: 74%
- Disruption: minor

## Best for

- Domestic and short regional hops on Air Panama
- Bus-to-plane itineraries via Gran Terminal
- Travelers who want city-center access without the PTY slog

## Watch out for

- Rideshare/taxi drivers defaulting to Tocumen (PTY)
- Almost no real meal options once you clear security
- Morning check-in and bag-drop queues on Air Panama
- Same-day schedule and equipment swaps on domestic flights

## More intel

- [Lounge directory](/airports/pac/lounges.md) (free)
- [Getting there](/airports/pac/getting-there.md) (free)
- [Amenities](/airports/pac/amenities.md)
- [Traveler tips](/airports/pac/tips.md)
- [Water](/airports/pac/water.md)
- [Full guide](/airports/pac/guide.md)
- [Disruptions](/airports/pac/disruptions.md)
- [Reviews](/airports/pac/reviews.md)