Copa’s Expansion to Boost Panama’s Economy with Tourism and Job Growth
The Panamanian flag carrier will expand its fleet, add new routes, and increase flight frequencies in an attempt to boost its own - and Panama's - global profile
Photo: Copa Airlines, Boeing 737 MAX 9. Courtesy of Enrique Perrella
Panama-based Copa Airlines has announced its plans for expansion in 2023, further strengthening the Central American country’s position as the ‘Hub of the Americas.’
Under its expansion plans, the carrier will add 15 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to its fleet, introduce at least three new routes, and boost the frequency of flights to several destinations in its network. As a result, according to Copa Airlines, it expects to serve 11% more passengers in 2023 than it did in 2022.
In addition to boosting the airline’s international network, the expansion aims to bring more tourists to Panama. Copa Airlines’ primary hub – Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport (PTY) – is a major connecting airport between destinations in North America and South America.
Photo: Copa Airlines, Boeing 737 MAX 9. Courtesy of Enrique Perrella
Under the ‘Panama Stopover’ scheme launched in 2019, around 216,000 visitors have entered the country while on layovers at the airport. A further 115,000 tourists are expected to take advantage of the program this year.
“Copa Airlines has been investing in Panama for more than 75 years, which has helped us become the leading airline in the region, turning the Hub of the Americas into Latin America’s preferred connection by facilitating connectivity and contributing in boosting the economic, social, and tourism sectors of both Panama and Latin America,” said Pedro Heilbron, Chief Executive Officer at Copa Airlines.
“To remain sustainable and thrive in the current complex and competitive environment, the airline seeks to boost its growth, generate jobs, and increase our direct contributions to the country’s economy.”
One part of Copa Airlines’ expansion plans is the addition of fifteen Boeing 737 MAX planes to its existing order that was made in 2015. The airline has invested around $2.1 billion in the new aircraft, which are expected to be delivered over the next five years. In addition, it expects to receive six Boeing 737 MAX 9s this year, taking its total fleet of aircraft to 99.
Photo: Tocumen International Airport, new Terminal 2. Courtesy of Enrique Perrella
Copa Airlines has also agreed to purchase eight Diamond DA40/42 aircraft for training purposes. These light aircraft will be equipped with state-of-the-art safety technology and use up to 50% less fuel than the training aircraft they are set to replace, enhancing Copa’s green credentials.
The Panamanian flag carrier is also adding three new destinations to its network later this year – Baltimore (BWI), Austin (AUS), and Manta, Ecuador (MEC). These will take Copa Airlines’ total number of destinations to 80 across 33 countries within the Americas.
The airline predicts it will serve more than 16 million passengers in 2023, with up to 328 daily flights by the end of the year.
Finally, Copa Airlines will continue its attempts to boost tourism in Panama, encouraging its passengers on layover flights to take time out to explore the country under schemes such as the ‘Panama Stopover’ program and the ‘Irresistible Panama’ marketing initiative.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.