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 likewise onward to Peru. Whereas the airline gained’t blow you away just like the expertise of Emirates or Singapore Air would possibly, whenever you examine 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 most suitable option, particularly in the event you can’t purchase a enterprise class ticket or rating an improve on certainly one of its rivals. In comparison with any U.S. airline flying to Latin America, Copa gives a much better expertise in economic system, plus you may earn Star Alliance companion miles to your journey. (That alliance consists of United Airways within the USA and Air Canada as effectively.)
Whereas Avianca went out of business throughout the pandemic instances, with a corresponding decline in service, and two Mexican airways disappeared utterly, Copa has truly been in enlargement 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 had been greater than they had 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 straightforward flight in itself but in addition a superb place to stretch your legs on the way in which 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 way in which. In case 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 may guide a flight from A to B that permits you to get off the aircraft in Panama Metropolis, do some vacationer issues or deal with enterprise, then get on the aircraft with out incurring further prices. You may guide all this forward of time on their common web page or this devoted one only for stopovers. You may keep for twenty-four hours or as much as 7 days earlier than persevering with onward.
As you may see from the Copa route map beneath, this can be a actually handy stopover on the way in which to their different locations south of there. You could possibly 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 inns are an important worth, so comply with that hyperlink and see which one seems like the most effective 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 in the event 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 numerous modifications and mergers, that holding dropped to 10% with United. Nonetheless, they’ve comparable logos, comparable cabin shows, and are each a part of Star Alliance.
Economic system class is a step above what you normally get on a United worldwide flight today 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 carry by a spherical of drinks. Newer planes have seatback leisure and restricted TV and music choices. The 737-800 planes will normally have charging plugs as effectively.
Sure, you get actual meals together with your flight. In each case there was a alternative 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 supplied and there’s 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 degree 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 they usually’re simply three inches wider than an economic system seat. On some quick 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 equipment of some form.
The latest Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane variations are most well worth the improve to enterprise class. Copa calls these “Goals” they usually truly recline to a fully-flat mattress, with 16 or 12 of them configured. They arrive with energy retailers and a 16-inch in-flight leisure display.
In any other case, enterprise class gained’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 had been each wonderful in my experiences. You normally 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 lots to drink. You may even strive 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 that you must have them in your record in the event you’re anyplace close to these locations. I’ve flown them from Florida and Mexico Metropolis. Right here’s a have a look at a number of 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? Properly I did some spot checks on Copa’s web site and located a number 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 stable contemplating that two of the three usually are not even double the price of an economic system seat on the identical time. Don’t neglect: in case you have a enterprise class ticket you may verify two luggage if you would like and also you additionally get entry to the good Copa Membership lounge in Panama Metropolis, full with showers even.
One more reason 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 grievance you hear essentially the most from different vacationers: the commonly awful check-in or bag drop expertise.
The primary disadvantage to Copa is the persistently lengthy traces to verify in. Get to the airport loads early in the event you’re in economic 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. In case you’ve obtained excessive sufficient elite standing on a Star Alliance companion or a ticket within the entrance of the aircraft, you may soar this line and save an enormous period of time. Checking in on-line beforehand may help in some airports as that places you in a distinct line which may be shorter. Or simply journey with a carry-on.
The precise check-in course of has at all times 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 effectively and has some good versatile date features. Use that first after which go to the United web site to guide if you wish to money in miles or be constructive you’ll get the correct 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 clients to fly with them one other time. Once more, a refreshing change from the norm today.
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 outlets and a brand new terminal wanting flashy. It’s brighter, cleaner, and extra fashionable every time I go to.
Total, Copa Airways is a stable, dependable airline that usually gives higher service for a greater worth than its rivals. Typically yow will discover fairly priced enterprise class tickets for half what the U.S. large 3 are charging.
So, when we now have a alternative, 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. Test your choices right here.