Copa Airlines Launches Raleigh-Durham to Panama City Route

Updated: February 6, 2024, 9:36am CST

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Copa’s 16th U.S. Destination: Raleigh-Durham
About Copa Airlines
Final Thoughts

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Copa Airlines, the Panamanian flag carrier, has announced an exciting (but interesting) route.

Here’s what you need to know.

Copa’s 16th U.S. Destination: Raleigh-Durham

Copa Airlines announced that it would add Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to its route map, launching a new nonstop flight from Panama City (PTY).

The route begins on June 21, 2024, and will take place 4x weekly. Copa says it chose the Raleigh-Durham region, known as North Carolina’s “Research Triangle,” for its close access to universities, technology, and innovation hubs.

“The introduction of the new Raleigh-Durham route not only promotes cultural exchanges within the Americas but also encourages and deepens tourism and business ties between Latin America and the Research Triangle area,” said Dennis Cary, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Copa Airlines. “This new route also provides the opportunity for more American tourists to enjoy the wonders of Panama.”

With this new route, Copa now serves 16 U.S. destinations, including Atlanta (ATL), New York (JFK), and Washington (IAD).

While flights don’t appear to be loaded into Google Flights just yet, a search on Copa’s website shows cash flights available starting at $468 round-trip in economy or $1,625 in business class for dates this July.

You’ll also find awards starting at 15,000 Copa Airlines ConnectMiles one-way in economy. Take a look at our guide to the best ways to redeem Copa ConnectMiles for maximum value, which includes award flights on Emirates, Singapore, Lufthansa, and more!

Bottom Line:

Copa Airlines also announced 2 new routes from its base in Panama City: Tulum, Mexico (TQO) and Florianopolis, Brazil (FLN), in addition to RDU.

About Copa Airlines

Copa is a storied airline that has operated for nearly 80 years. The airline connects Panama City with 85 destinations in 32 countries across North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Today, Copa operates a fleet of 23 Boeing 737-800 Next Generation and 29 Boeing 737 MAX-9 aircraft. Both are 2-cabin aircraft, but the MAX-9 offers the lie-flat Dreams Business Class in a 2-2 configuration, a rare feature on MAX jets.

Copa plans to fly its 737-800 aircraft on the new Raleigh-Durham to Panama City route.

Final Thoughts

Copa is adding service from Raleigh-Durham, which is excellent news for travelers in the region as they will no longer have to connect through Atlanta to get to Panama.

Finally, Copa is one of the cheapest ways to fly to Central and South America, so this new route gives travelers more options to connect to Central and South America!