In 1969, Copa Airlines began operations in Colombia, landing in Barranquilla. Since then, it has transported millions of passengers, connecting Colombia with more than 70 international destinations in the region, maintaining its firm purpose of shortening distances and connecting the entire continent. Currently, there is a daily offer of more than 4,250 seats available.
With its operation from 11 cities in Colombia, the company shows its commitment to the connectivity of the main and secondary regions of the country with international destinations in America and the Caribbean through the Hub of the Americas® located at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama from where the airline operates more than 350 daily flights.
“It is a source of great joy to celebrate our 55 years of operation in Barranquilla, our first home in Colombia, where we have grown and evolved to better connect the country with the rest of America. We want to thank all the travelers and customers who have trusted our products and services. More than fifty years later, we continue with the same passion to continue offering the best travel experience and promote air connectivity, tourism and business development not only in this city, but in the country,” says Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Holdings.
Five decades serving Colombians
Copa Airlines has operated uninterruptedly for these 55 years, contributing significantly to the development of tourism and business in the city and the country. The operation began with one destination (Barranquilla) and three weekly frequencies. Today, the airline flies from 11 cities with nearly 200 weekly frequencies to Panama, thus consolidating operations in the country. Currently, Colombia is the second country with the most destinations in the entire Copa Airlines network, after the United States.
In the last four years, Copa Airlines has added 14 destinations and expanded its international route network, with new destinations such as Cúcuta and Santa Marta in Colombia. The cities that stand out the most in the country in terms of the number of frequencies are: Bogotá with 57 weekly frequencies, followed by Medellín with 54 and Cartagena with 29. Cali and Barranquilla complement this network with 24 and 10 weekly flights, respectively, consolidating a robust offer of international connections.
Why should Colombians fly with Copa?
Diego Bermúdez, Regional Sales Manager for the Andean Countries at Copa Airlines, says that “at Copa Airlines, we firmly believe in the synergy between an excellent route network that translates into better connectivity to explore a greater number of destinations throughout the continent and also a world-class service that allows Colombians to “reconnect with the joy of flying.”
Copa Airlines has been offering world-class service to Colombians for five decades. Some of the highlights include:
Onboard service includes refreshments, regardless of the route or fare chosen by the passenger.
Carry-on baggage is always included, regardless of the route or fare chosen by the passenger.
Travelers will be able to enjoy the best comfort when traveling with Copa Airlines, as it offers reclining seats and good legroom on all its aircraft.
To ensure travelers have a superior experience, the airline offers Business Class on all flights.
With Copa Airlines, travelers on the continent can enjoy the best connectivity, as it has fast connections through the Hub of the Americas® in Panama, with more than 350 daily flights from the Hub to more than 80 destinations in America and the Caribbean. During the connection, passengers do not have to complete immigration or customs procedures during the connection, and their luggage is checked in until the final destination.
It was recognized in 2023 by the renowned company Cirium as the most punctual airline in Latin America, making it the most awarded airline for punctuality in America in the last decade.
Colombians can enjoy Panama Stopover, a program that allows them to make a stopover in Panama between one and six nights, with the same ticket and at no additional cost on the airfare, even if their final destination is another. Recently, new measures were announced to strengthen and improve the Program. Among the new features that they will be able to enjoy is the alliance with hotels, restaurants and local attractions, as well as the renovation of the website that provides them with more interactive planning tools for their stay in Panama, during the ticket reservation process.
ConnectMiles is the Copa Airlines loyalty program where travelers accumulate miles every time they travel. In this way, Colombians can redeem them for their future trips on Copa Airlines or on any program of the 24 additional airlines that are part of the global Star Alliance network, which reaches more than 1,300 destinations in 193 countries.
Source: Copa Airlines.