Earlier today, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Copa Airlines announced the airline would begin service between Austin and Panama City, Panama, beginning this summer.

The flight will operate four times a week beginning on July 6, 2023. The flight will operate using a Copa Boeing 737-800.

There was a multiyear effort to secure this route with Copa Airlines. Executives from Copa visited Austin in 2021 and 2022 and were hosted by the Austin Chamber and Opportunity Austin and were provided data compiled by staff about the region and air service demand. Then late in 2022, staff from Opportunity Austin and the Austin Chamber, along with Visit Austin staff, airport executives, and members of our Air Service Task Force, traveled to Panama to make a formal pitch to Copa executives to bring service to Austin. We are proud that these efforts have created a new travel option for Austinites.

This new route will offer connections to over fifty-five destinations in Latin America, via Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. Copa Airlines airline, based out of Panama, will be the sixth international airline at AUS and the fourth new carrier to launch since 2020. AUS will become Copa’s 15th US destination. The airline serves a total of 80 destinations in 32 countries in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.