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Copa Airlines’ Panama Stopover Surpasses 200,000 Visitors in 2025, Consolidating Hub of the Americas as a Tourism Engine

Dergam Mousa

In 2025, Copa Airlines’ Panama Stopover program reached a new operational and commercial milestone: more than 200,000 passengers decided to extend their connection in Panama to turn a layover into a tourist visit. This figure not only marks an annual record but also exceeds the estimated goal for the year by 8% and represents a 25% growth compared to 2024.

These results confirm the maturity of a strategy that integrates air connectivity, international promotion, and public-private coordination, providing a direct impact on the country’s economy.

Sustained Growth

During 2025, the average stay remained at approximately three days, a key indicator from both a tourism and economic perspective. This period of stay generates direct consumption in hotels, restaurants, shops, and tour operators, reinforcing the multiplier effect of connection traffic.

Pedro Heilbron, CEO of the airline, noted that these results demonstrate how a strengthened Hub of the Americas allows a layover to be transformed into more tourism for the country. He further emphasized that this performance is the result of coordinated work with authorities and private sector allies, which translates into more visitors, a stronger sector, and job creation.

→ Copa Holdings Closes 2025 with Net Profits of US$671.6 Million

Strategic Coordination with Tourism Authorities

The program’s performance in 2025 is the result of collaboration between Copa Airlines, the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), and PROMTUR Panama. This joint effort has enabled Panama to be positioned in strategic markets and strengthened its international promotion, integrating air connectivity as a central axis for tourism development.

Since its launch in 2019, the program has succeeded in getting more than 730,000 travelers to include Panama in their itineraries. It currently has the support of more than 80 allies from the tourism sector, expanding the range of experiences and the commercial reach of the initiative.

Experiences that Consolidate the Destination’s Appeal

Among the main attractions valued by passengers using the Panama Stopover, the following stand out:

These elements reinforce the country’s positioning as an authentic, diverse, and competitive destination, aligned with the expectations of various international traveler profiles.

Two Destinations for Price of One: The Operating Model

The program allows passengers in transit through the Hub of the Americas traveling with Copa Airlines to enjoy two destinations for the price of one. Travelers can extend their stay in Panama at no additional cost to their airfare.

The commercial value proposition is clear: offering two destinations for the price of one by capitalizing on Panama’s strategic position as the region’s main air connection hub. This model not only optimizes the use of the route network but also converts connectivity into a tangible tourism asset. For the aviation industry, it represents a case of effective integration between a connection hub and a destination development strategy.

A Program in the Consolidation Phase

The growth seen in 2025 confirms the sustained evolution of the Panama Stopover and the increasing interest of international travelers in making Panama an active part of their journey.

More than just a promotional tool, the program is consolidating itself as a structural component of the country’s connectivity and tourism ecosystem, proving that an efficient hub can become a direct catalyst for economic activity and international positioning.

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