After a busy couple of months filled with moving and home improvement projects, finding time for heavy board games has been a challenge. However, a shorter game that has truly captured my attention is Pan Am, a delightful experience that plays in about 60 minutes. It’s been a fun way to am travel world while staying at home.
Pan Am board game box showing the iconic Pan American World Airways logo and vintage aesthetic.
My recent games of Pan Am have been incredibly enjoyable. The game combines elements of worker-placement, bidding, and route building (and blocking!), all within a beautifully designed package. Despite the airline’s absence for nearly three decades, the iconic Pan Am logo instantly evokes the golden age of air travel. With personal travel limited these days, am travel world through the stunning destination cards included in the game is a real treat.
In Pan Am, players compete to establish an extensive air travel network. This involves bidding for airport landing rights, acquiring aircraft capable of longer flights, securing routes, and purchasing Pan Am stock. A key strategy is creating attractive routes that Pan Am will buy at a profit, allowing you to reinvest in your company’s growth. This offers a unique experience as you am travel world.
Selection of Pan Am event cards displaying various in-game effects and enhancing replayability.
The game spans seven rounds, each starting with the drawing of an event card. These events introduce rule variations for the round and impact Pan Am’s stock price. The ultimate objective is to accumulate the most Pan Am stock. While early stock purchases are advantageous when prices are low, limited initial income often makes this challenging. Am travel world through strategic investment.
Pan Am stock price tracker showing fluctuating values throughout the game.
In a 2-player game, each player begins with five engineers (this number adjusts based on player count). Players take turns placing engineers on action locations on the board. Some locations require bidding, with higher-valued spots indicating larger bids. A subsequent player can outbid you by placing their engineer on a higher-valued spot in that location. Your engineer is then returned, allowing you to place them elsewhere or bid higher in the original location on your next turn. Only one winner prevails at each biddable location.
Pan Am player board with engineers, destination cards, planes and starting cash
Other locations, such as routes, are resolved in placement order without requiring a bid. This makes claiming routes particularly competitive, as opponents may attempt to build before you and disrupt your plans. Establishing a route between two cities necessitates landing rights. These can be acquired by having an airport in one of the cities, possessing the city’s destination card, discarding a card from the same region as one of the cities being connected, or discarding two cards from a different region. Additionally, a plane from your fleet capable of flying the route is required. Placing the plane on the route increases your income based on its length. You can am travel world through careful planning.
The bidding mechanism in this game is a highlight. Even in a 2-player game, it creates a tight and tense atmosphere. Players might vie for a specific destination card essential for their desired route, or they might dedicate their action to securing the first route build of the round. Vigilance regarding opponents’ strategies is crucial!
Selection of Pan Am destination cards featuring various cities and their respective locations.
The Directives location allows players to draw directive cards, providing one-time or end-game bonuses that can be strategically powerful. This location also grants Priority Access for the subsequent round, allowing the player to place their pawn first before the first player takes their turn. It’s a great way to am travel world with strategic advantages.
Pan Am Directives deck showcasing the action of drawing a secret bonus card.
After each player places their engineers, each location is resolved in order, with bids paid as necessary. Inability to pay a bid necessitates selling Pan Am stock at half price to raise funds.
The final phase of each round is the Pan Am phase. Here, Pan Am expands along one of its routes, ideally intersecting with routes you have already established for sale. Selling a route to Pan Am yields a payout based on its length, and your plane is returned to your fleet. Although your income decreases, the substantial profit gain is usually worthwhile. Players then receive their income and proceed to the next round. The player with the most Pan Am stock after seven rounds emerges victorious. This mechanic adds a layer to the am travel world experience.
Pan Am game board showing airline routes across South America.
Pan Am is an exceptionally enjoyable game with visually appealing artwork. The game is readily available at Target for around $30. While physical travel might be limited, the game provides a delightful opportunity to dream of faraway destinations and am travel world from the comfort of home.
