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 occasions and flew on Copa to there and likewise onward to Peru. Whereas the airline gained’t blow you away just like the expertise of Emirates or Singapore Air may, whenever you examine it to your different choices for getting right down to international locations in Latin America, Copa positively scores above the typical.
For a lot of Latin America, this airline is your best option, particularly should you can’t purchase a enterprise class ticket or rating an improve on considered one of its rivals. In comparison with any U.S. airline flying to Latin America, Copa gives a much better expertise in financial system, plus you’ll be able to earn Star Alliance associate miles on your journey. (That alliance contains United Airways within the USA and Air Canada as effectively.)
Whereas Avianca went into chapter 11 throughout the pandemic occasions, with a corresponding decline in service, and two Mexican airways disappeared fully, Copa has really been in growth mode lately. 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 positioned in Panama Metropolis at Tocumen Worldwide Airport, a simple flight in itself but in addition an excellent place to stretch your legs on the way in which to South America. Irrespective of the place you’re coming from and going to in South America, Panama Metropolis isn’t very far out of the way in which. Should 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 gives 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’ll be able to e book a flight from A to B that lets you get off the airplane in Panama Metropolis, do some vacationer issues or care for enterprise, then get on the airplane with out incurring additional prices. You’ll be able to e book all this forward of time on their common web page or this devoted one only for stopovers. You’ll be able to keep for twenty-four hours or as much as 7 days earlier than persevering with onward.
As you’ll be able to see from the Copa route map under, it is a actually handy stopover on the way in which to their different locations south of there. You may take a break in Panama after which proceed on to Colombia (11 places!), Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, or Argentina. Copa is among the few airways that goes to Uruguay and Paraguay as effectively. The Panama Metropolis luxurious lodges are an important worth, so comply with that hyperlink and see which one seems to be like the most effective match.
What to Count on on a Copa Air Flight
I’ve flown Copa Air a number of occasions in each enterprise class and financial system class and should you’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 through the years by varied modifications and mergers, that holding dropped to 10% with United. Nonetheless, they’ve comparable logos, comparable cabin displays, and are each a part of Star Alliance.
Economic system class is a step above what you often get on a United worldwide flight nowadays 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 convey by 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 effectively.
Sure, you get actual meals together with your flight. In each case there was a selection of two dishes (resembling pancakes or an omelette for breakfast) and I noticed different passengers getting their kosher or vegetarian meal. Pillows and blankets are supplied and there’s an in-flight journal in English and Spanish.
In financial system class, seat pitch is common at 31 inches and most seats are 17 inches vast. There’s additionally an Economic system Further stage that gives some separation and a location close to the entrance, however no more legroom in accordance with SeatGuru.
Enterprise Class is a blended 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 they usually’re simply three inches wider than an financial system seat. On some quick flights the seats will not be wider in any respect. Different layouts present 49 inches, nonetheless, which lets you stretch out much more for an in a single day flight. In all instances they’re leather-based and also you’ll get an amenity equipment of some sort.
The latest Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane variations are most definitely worth the improve to enterprise class. Copa calls these “Goals” they usually 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 screen.
In any other case, enterprise class gained’t wow you with leisure facilities, particularly because the 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 individuals competing for the flight attendant’s consideration they usually’ll serve you a a number of course meal (or two) with actual silverware and many to drink. You’ll be able to even attempt some Panamanian rum on the way in which down.
Copa Flight Offers From North America
Copa flies from a number of cities in Canada, the USA, and Mexico, so you want to have them in your checklist should you’re anyplace close to these locations. I’ve flown them from Florida and Mexico Metropolis. Right here’s a take a look at among the financial 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? Nicely I did some spot checks on Copa’s website and located a couple of attractive gives:
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 worth, however an important deal in case your plans are strong contemplating that two of the three usually are not even double the price of an financial system seat on the similar time. Don’t neglect: when you have a enterprise class ticket you’ll be able to verify two baggage if you would like and also you additionally get entry to the great 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 strains to verify in. Get to the airport loads early should you’re in financial system class. This isn’t distinctive to them in fact, however I heard two frequent vacationers grumble that the identify ought to be “Cola Airways,” the joke being that “cola” is a phrase for tail or line in Spanish. Should you’ve acquired excessive sufficient elite standing on a Star Alliance associate or a ticket within the entrance of the airplane, you’ll be able to bounce this line and save an enormous period of time. Checking in on-line beforehand will help in some airports as that places you in a unique line which may be shorter. Or simply journey with a carry-on.
The precise check-in course of has all the time been easy and pleasant for all of my flight legs, nonetheless, 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 effectively 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 optimistic 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, they usually appeared to genuinely need their prospects to fly with them one other time. Once more, a refreshing change from the norm nowadays.
The Panama Metropolis airport is getting steadily higher on a regular basis, with extra meals choices lastly becoming a member of the seemingly never-ending stream of duty-free outlets and a brand new terminal trying flashy. It’s brighter, cleaner, and extra trendy every time I go to.
Total, Copa Airways is a strong, dependable airline that typically gives higher service for a greater worth than its rivals. Usually you will discover fairly priced enterprise class tickets for half what the U.S. large 3 are charging.
So, when we’ve got 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 are able to earn factors that go into the identical account as from our United flights. Examine your choices right here.
