Copa Airlines Adds Baltimore and Austin to Panama City Routes

Beginning July 6, 2023, Copa Airlines is adding Baltimore, Maryland, and Austin, Texas, to its route map, providing more options for passengers to connect onward to South America. The new routes to Austin and Baltimore will be the first time Copa has served these cities, and it provides another Star Alliance option for travelers in those regions.

Baltimore to Panama City

Baltimore (BWI) will be Copa’s second destination in the Washington, D.C. region, with the airline already providing daily flights to Washington-Dulles (IAD). Baltimore, just north of D.C. is usually a much cheaper airport to fly out of, though it’s a great option for people in the Philadelphia region to come down to since Copa doesn’t serve that area.

The Copa flight to Panama City, Panama, will fly on this schedule:

• Depart Baltimore (BWI) 4:22 p.m. — Arrive Panama City (PTY) 8:22 p.m.
• Depart Panama City (PTY) 9:07 a.m. — Arrive Baltimore (BWI) 3:07 p.m.

This flight will be operated on a Boeing 737 aircraft featuring a 16-seat business class cabin, 12 extra-legroom economy class seats and 132 traditional economy class seats. The flight runs on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

Austin to Panama City

Austin is a major tech and startup capital and is a focus city for several airlines. Austin (AUS) has undergone an expansion in recent years, most recently with Lufthansa’s service to Frankfurt.

The Copa flight to Panama City will fly on this schedule:

• Depart Austin (AUS) 3:32 p.m. — Arrive Panama City (PTY) 8:16 p.m.
• Depart Panama City (PTY) 9:18 a.m. — Arrive Austin (AUS) 2:02 p.m.

Like Baltimore, this flight will also be operated on a Boeing 737. This flight will run Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

The Value of Copa

Copa is actually an overlooked airline when it comes to traveling to South America. Copa offers a “Panama Stopover” program where you can stop in Panama City for several days before continuing on to South America, and also provide a great midway connecting point, allowing travelers from the U.S. to stretch their legs before getting on another aircraft to fly south.

While Copa’s onboard product does leave a bit to be desired, the stopover point is nice for flights that are quite long.

Final Thoughts

Travelers in the D.C. area and Austin will have a new option to fly to Panama City and further south. Copa’s fares are usually quite reasonable, so these are nice options for folks looking for cheaper fares to Latin American countries.