Copa Airlines to resume flights from TPA to Panama in January

Copa Airlines will soon resume flights to Panama from Tampa International Airport – restoring Tampa Bay’s connection to Central and South America.

Direct flights to Panama City (PTY) restart on Jan. 8, 2021. They will operate twice weekly, on Mondays and Fridays.

The last TPA flight to the Panamanian capital departed on March 22, just before pandemic-related restrictions halted international travel.

Copa Airlines first launched service to Panama from TPA in December 2013 and its success in the Tampa market led the airline to expand to daily service by 2018. Since then, thousands of passengers have flown the route as a connector for major cities in Latin America, including destinations such as Guayaquil and Quito in Ecuador, Bogota and Medellin in Colombia, Costa Rica, Lima, Peru and others.

“We are very excited to resume our nonstop flight from the Tampa Bay area to Panama and offer passengers the most convenient and easy connectivity with countries in Latin America again,” said Fernando Fondevila, Copa’s North America Commercial Regional Manager. “We encourage our customers to visit Copa’s website and check the latest updates and available destinations or call your preferred travel agency.”

This flight marks the third scheduled international route to resume at TPA since late March, following those of Nassau, Bahamas and Cancun, Mexico. Charter service to Havana, Cuba aboard World Atlantic Airlines also resumed in November.

“We are grateful to see Copa Airlines return to Tampa International Airport and restore this important connection to Central and South America,” said Chris Minner, TPA’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “Copa is a tremendous partner for Tampa Bay and their commitment to bringing back international service shows their confidence in the resilience of our region.”

Panama currently has some travel regulations in place, including the requirement of a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival. Passengers should consult with the Panama Ministry of Health before booking a trip.