Copa Airlines Strengthens Its Connectivity with Direct Flights to PVR and the Riviera Nayarit

Copa Airlines {NYSE: CPA}, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A., and a member of the Star Alliance global network, has announced that starting on December 16, 2018, it will begin a twice-weekly direct flight between Panama City and the Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport serving the Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit region. This will be its fifth destination in Mexico. 

This allows travelers better connectivity to 78 destinations in 32 countries in North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean via Panama City’s Hub of the Americas. Meanwhile, Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit will increase its tourism and commercial potential thanks to the possibility of connecting with Copa Airline’s ample network of destinations.  

Mauro Arredondo, General Manager of Copa Airlines in Mexico, said: “Mexico is an important market for Copa Airlines to continue developing and offering world-class quality service, connectivity, and punctuality. The Panama-Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit route will strengthen the development of the tourism sector as well as commercial and investment opportunities with this important region of southeast Mexico.” He added: “With this new route, the Hub of the Americas at Panama’s Tocumen International Airport will continue to consolidate as the most efficient and best-connected airline hub on the American continent.” 

Marc Murphy, Managing Director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Bahía de Banderas Hotel and Motel Association said: “The new Panama-Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit route will be very beneficial for Latin American tourists, as it avoids the multiple connections they needed to take to arrive in our destination. This reduces flight times, distances, and costs, while it also ensures a stronger commercial interest on behalf of the South American wholesale agencies.”

For his part, Javier Aranda, Managing Director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust, emphasized that “after years of joint promotional efforts to generate better awareness in South America of Banderas Bay and its multiple attractions we’re now seeing results with the start of this new direct flight with such a prestigious business partner as Copa Airlines.”

The Copa Airlines flight will begin with a twice-weekly frequency on Thursdays and Sundays, departing from Panama City at 9:05 a.m. and arriving at the Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit airport at 1:25 p.m. (local time). The return flight departs the same day from Puerto Vallarta at 3:40 p.m., arriving in Panama City at 8 p.m. (local time). The route will operate on a Boeing 737-700 aircraft with room for 12 first class passengers and 112 in the main cabin.

With the addition of Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, Copa Airlines now services five destinations in Mexico: five daily flights between Panama and Mexico City, seven daily flights to Cancun, one daily flight to Guadalajara, and four weekly flights to Monterrey. This ample coverage has made Copa Airlines a leader in connectivity to the Republic of Mexico. 

Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia, both subsidiaries of Copa Holdings, are top passenger and cargo airlines in Latin America. They currently offer service to 78 destinations in 32 countries in North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Throughout its 70 years in uninterrupted service Copa has made Panama’s Hub of the Americas the connectivity leader in Latin America. It has one of the youngest and most modern fleets in the industry comprised of 100 aircraft: 80 Boeing 737 Next-Generation and 20 Embraer-190, and 90% on-time arrivals—one of the best indicators in the industry. 

It’s thanks to this punctuality that Copa Airlines was recognized by FlightStats for the fifth year in a row as “The most punctual airline in Latin America,” and by London’s Official Airline Guide and “The fourth most punctual airline in the world” from numbers obtained in 2017. In 2016, the company was awarded “Top Airline for Mexico and Central America” at the World Travel Awards. 

Copa Airlines is part of the Star Alliance, offering its clients the possibility of travel to 1,330 airports in 192 countries with access to over 18,500 flights a day. Copa also codeshares with Air France, KLM, United Airlines, Aeroméxico, Iberia, Lufthansa, Turkish, Emirates, Asiana, Avianca, GOL, TAME and Cubana. Visit www.copa.com for reservations, secure ticket sales in seven different currencies, Web Check-In, boarding pass print-outs and more information on flight policies and immigration requirements. 

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The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Bahía de Banderas Hotel and Motel Association (AHMBB) reaffirm their commitment to working intensely to attract more and better tourism to Mexico’s Pacific Treasure with the support of the Government of the State of Nayarit via the Tourism Promotion Trust (Fiprotur).

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With this new flight, Copa Airlines is supporting the commercial and touristic development of Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit.

Thanks to this new route, travelers from adjacent cities and regions won’t have to travel to the country’s main cities to connect with Latin America and the Caribbean.