Copa Airlines to Launch Flights to Raleigh-Durham

DALLAS — Copa Airlines (CM) announced today a new route between Panama City airport (PTY) and Raleigh Durham (RDU) in North Carolina. This will be RDU's first non-stop regular flight to Central America.

The flight will begin operations on June 21, 2024, with four weekly flights on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Flight CM466 will leave PTY at 8:56 in the morning and arrive in North Carolina at 2:28 in the afternoon. On the way back, flight CM467 will leave RDU at 4:20 PM and arrive in Panama at 7:46 PM.

These flights will be operated by the airline's Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft, seating 160 passengers, including 16 in business class. The airline also has numerous Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on order, which may eventually replace the older New Generation (NG) variants.

CM has ordered over 80 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Photo: Brandon Farris/Airways

North American Expansion for Copa

With this new route, RDU will serve 25 destinations in North America, including 17 in the US, eight in Mexico, and two in Canada. The airline is expanding its network in this strategic market: flights to North America represent more than 18% of the airline's capacity this year, according to airlinedata.com.

The Panamanian flag carrier expanded a lot last year, announcing new North American routes to Baltimore (BWI), Maryland, and Austin (AUS), Texas. The airline hopes to develop its hub by offering connecting flights across the Americas.

RDU's passenger numbers in 2023 have exceeded the 2019 levels. Photo: Courtesy of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority

RDU Airport Development

With this new route and airline, RDU airport continues expanding the list of its non-stop destinations. CM joins other major foreign carriers such as Air Canada (AC), Lufthansa (LH), and Air France (AF), which already serve the North Carolinian airport.

The airport has had a very busy year in 2023, with 14.5 million travelers. This allowed the airport to break the record it had set in 2019 when the facility welcomed 14.2 million people. In 2023, the airport welcomed four new airlines and offered 25 new destinations.

Michael Landguth, the president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, said, "We expect another year of growth and expansion in 2024 as we add new airlines, destinations, and dining options that will elevate the airport experience for our guests.”

Featured image: Copa airlines serves 17 destinations in the US, including Fort Lauderdale (FLL) in Florida. Photo: Alexander Schraff/Airways