The deflection behavior of the fiber-metal laminated structures is envisaged in this research using higher-order deformation kinematics and large (finite) deformations of geometries via Green–Lagrange strain. The panel governing equation is derived using variational principle and solved numerically considering the nonlinear finite element (FE) steps. The necessary responses are obtained using in-house MATLAB computer code and compared with an in-house simulation model (prepared in ANSYS) and experimental data (using in-house experimental set-up). The results are verified and agree with the published data available in the open domain. The proposed model results show better consequences compared to the simulation results. The detailed responses are computed for the variable geometrical conditions (i.e. aspect ratio, end support, side-to-thickness ratio), loading and stacking sequences, including the metal layer placing. The inferences indicate the importance of nonlinearity in the framework of a higher-order kinematic model for analysing the metal laminated structure.