We first wrote about Copa Airways again in 2008, after I first flew right down to Panama for the MV Discovery Panama Yacht Cruise. I’ve since been again a number of instances and flew on Copa to there and in addition onward to Peru. Whereas the airline received’t blow you away just like the expertise of Emirates or Singapore Air may, whenever you evaluate it to your different choices for getting right down to international locations in Latin America, Copa undoubtedly scores above the typical.
For a lot of Latin America, this airline is your best option, particularly if you happen to can’t purchase a enterprise class ticket or rating an improve on one in every of its opponents. In comparison with any U.S. airline flying to Latin America, Copa affords a much better expertise in economic system, plus you possibly can earn Star Alliance accomplice miles to your journey. (That alliance contains United Airways within the USA and Air Canada as properly.)
Whereas Avianca went into chapter 11 in the course of the pandemic instances, with a corresponding decline in service, and two Mexican airways disappeared fully, Copa has really been in growth mode not too long ago. They ordered 15 Boeing 737 MAX planes in 2023 and expanded their route community to incorporate Baltimore, Austin, and Manta, Ecuador on the coast. In 2022 their earnings have been greater than they have been in 2019.
Copa Airways on the Crossroads of the Americas
One of many large benefits of flying on Copa is that they’re situated in Panama Metropolis at Tocumen Worldwide Airport, a simple flight in itself but in addition a great place to stretch your legs on the best way to South America. Regardless of the place you’re coming from and going to in South America, Panama Metropolis isn’t very far out of the best way. In the event you’re going someplace in Central America, there’s not a lot backtracking concerned.
If you wish to do greater than stretch your legs, Copa Airways affords a stopover program, the one formal one I do know of that’s working in Latin America. It’s not one with any main perks thrown in, however you possibly can e book a flight from A to B that permits you to get off the aircraft in Panama Metropolis, do some vacationer issues or handle enterprise, then get on the aircraft with out incurring additional prices. You possibly can e book all this forward of time on their common web page or this devoted one only for stopovers. You possibly can keep for twenty-four hours or as much as 7 days earlier than persevering with onward.
As you possibly can see from the Copa route map under, this can be a actually handy stopover on the best way to their different locations south of there. You might take a break in Panama after which proceed on to Colombia (11 areas!), Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, or Argentina. Copa is among the few airways that goes to Uruguay and Paraguay as properly. The Panama Metropolis luxurious motels are an ideal worth, so comply with that hyperlink and see which one appears like one of the best match.
What to Count on on a Copa Air Flight
I’ve flown Copa Air a number of instances in each enterprise class and economic system class and if you happen to’ve been on United Airways flights, the expertise goes to really feel acquainted. At one level, Continental Airways owned greater than half of Copa however over time via varied modifications and mergers, that holding dropped to 10% with United. Nonetheless, they’ve related logos, related cabin shows, and are each a part of Star Alliance.
Economic system class is a step above what you often get on a United worldwide flight as of late although. On long-haul flights, they serve full meals and complimentary drinks, together with alcoholic drinks. Shorter flights could serve snacks, particularly the routes utilizing the 19 small Embraer planes, however will nonetheless deliver via a spherical of drinks. Newer planes have seatback leisure and restricted TV and music choices. The 737-800 planes will often have charging plugs as properly.
Sure, you get actual meals together with your flight. In each case there was a selection of two dishes (corresponding to pancakes or an omelette for breakfast) and I noticed different passengers getting their kosher or vegetarian meal. Pillows and blankets are offered and there may be an in-flight journal in English and Spanish.
In economic system class, seat pitch is common at 31 inches and most seats are 17 inches vast. There’s additionally an Economic system Additional stage that gives some separation and a location close to the entrance, however no more legroom in response to SeatGuru.
Enterprise Class is a combined bag, so verify to see what you’re getting earlier than paying to improve. On some flights the Copa enterprise class seats solely have a pitch of 38 inches and so they’re simply three inches wider than an economic system seat. On some brief flights the seats might not be wider in any respect. Different layouts present 49 inches, nevertheless, which lets you stretch out much more for an in a single day flight. In all circumstances they’re leather-based and also you’ll get an amenity package of some form.
The most recent Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane variations are most well worth the improve to enterprise class. Copa calls these “Goals” and so they really recline to a fully-flat mattress, with 16 or 12 of them configured. They arrive with energy shops and a 16-inch in-flight leisure display.
In any other case, enterprise class received’t wow you with leisure facilities, particularly for the reason that older jets have these little pop-up screens for every seat that come out of the armrest, however the service and meals have been each glorious in my experiences. You often solely have 5 to fifteen different folks competing for the flight attendant’s consideration and so they’ll serve you a a number of course meal (or two) with actual silverware and many to drink. You possibly can even attempt some Panamanian rum on the best way down.
Copa Flight Offers From North America
Copa flies from a number of cities in Canada, the USA, and Mexico, so you could have them in your record if you happen to’re wherever close to these locations. I’ve flown them from Florida and Mexico Metropolis. Right here’s a take a look at among the economic system class promotional fares they’re promoting as I write this:
Orlando to Panama – $529
Miami to Panama – $390
DC to Lima – $397
Toronto to Lima – $616
NYC to Guayaquil, Ecuador – $293
Austin to Buenos Aires – $498
However what about enterprise class? Are you able to discover a good worth on these? Effectively I did some spot checks on Copa’s website and located just a few attractive affords:
Miami to Santiago, Chile – $1,524
Montreal to Panama Metropolis – $1,543
Mexico Metropolis to Buenos Aires – $2,449
These are non-refundable at that value, however an ideal deal in case your plans are strong contemplating that two of the three will not be even double the price of an economic system seat on the similar time. Don’t neglect: when you’ve got a enterprise class ticket you possibly can verify two baggage in order for you and also you additionally get entry to the good Copa Membership lounge in Panama Metropolis, full with showers even.
Another excuse to get that biz class Copa ticket is you verify in on the airport in a a lot shorter line, which brings us to the criticism you hear probably the most from different vacationers: the widely awful check-in or bag drop expertise.
The principle disadvantage to Copa is the constantly lengthy traces to verify in. Get to the airport loads early if you happen to’re in economic system class. This isn’t distinctive to them after all, however I heard two frequent vacationers grumble that the title needs to be “Cola Airways,” the joke being that “cola” is a phrase for tail or line in Spanish. In the event you’ve received excessive sufficient elite standing on a Star Alliance accomplice or a ticket within the entrance of the aircraft, you possibly can leap this line and save an enormous period of time. Checking in on-line beforehand might help in some airports as that places you in a special line which may be shorter. Or simply journey with a carry-on suitcase.
The precise check-in course of has all the time been easy and pleasant for all of my flight legs, nevertheless, and my checked baggage arrived intact on the opposite finish. The gate brokers are refreshingly useful in comparison with their legacy U.S. airline counterparts. The web site works properly and has some good versatile date features. Use that first after which go to the United website to e book if you wish to money in miles or be constructive you’ll get the right credit score promptly.
The flight attendants on my flights have been pleasant, bi-lingual, and attentive. They smiled, they communicated, and so they appeared to genuinely need their prospects to fly with them one other time. Once more, a refreshing change from the norm as of late.
The Panama Metropolis airport is getting steadily higher on a regular basis, with extra meals choices lastly becoming a member of the seemingly endless stream of duty-free retailers and a brand new terminal wanting flashy. It’s brighter, cleaner, and extra trendy every time I go to.
General, Copa Airways is a strong, dependable airline that typically affords higher service for a greater value than its opponents. Typically you will discover fairly priced enterprise class tickets for half what the U.S. large 3 are charging.
So, when we have now a selection, we’re reserving on Copa Airways, particularly if flying from one of many many U.S. markets they’re serving now. We like the general expertise, the monetary stability, and the truth that we will earn factors that go into the identical account as from our United flights. Examine your choices right here.
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