Got 1 min? Copa Airlines to connect Panama City to Tulum

April 16, 2024

People enjoy the sand and sea on the beach in Tulum — "The Christmas holidays have always attracted people to Mexico,” said SiteMinder regional manager Alfredo Rodríguez. (Mara Lezama/X)

A new direct Copa Airlines flight has been announced from Panama City to Tulum.

Beginning on June 26, Copa will operate four weekly flights to the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport from Panama City on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Panama’s Copa Airlines currently flies to Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

“The new route to Tulum, Mexico, consolidates the airline’s presence in Mexico with five destinations, providing a faster and more convenient alternative for traveling to this renowned tourist destination in the Riviera Maya,” Panama-based Copa Airlines said in a statement.

The new flight will become the fifth destination for the airline in Mexico, joining Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Tulum is also the third international destination announced by Copa this year, along with Florianopolis, Brazil, and Raleigh-Durham, United States.

Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines, said that “this strategic expansion […] promotes cultural exchange in the region but also encourages and deepens tourism and business ties in the United States, Mexico and Brazil.”

Tulum, Quintana Roo, is one of Mexico’s most popular beach destinations. Before the Tulum airport opened in December 2023, travelers had to make a 1.5-hour drive from the airport in Cancún. The new airport has made international travel to the Riviera Maya hotspot more accessible for tourists.

According to Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama, during the April 6-12 vacation period, the state saw over 2,000 international flights and over 500,000 tourist arrivals.