Metamaterials show a considerable potential in the field of complex optimization of aerospace structures. To fully exploit this potential, the authors present a novel approach to modeling the structural response of a sandwich panel with metamaterial core and CFRP skins that could be used within a single-step optimization process. The proposed approach is illustrated using a model of a panel with aluminum honeycomb core. Obtained results confirm the high potential of the inclusion of the core optimization into the optimization framework. Simple preliminary validation utilizing the finite element analysis presented in the closure of this study yielded a satisfactory agreement with the results of the proposed analytical model. The maximum reached difference of five percent can be attributed to a different shape of deformation of the honeycomb core within the sandwich as opposed to a deformation of the honeycomb core alone. @en