Copa

Copa Airlines (CM) is a Star Alliance member based in Panama City (PTY). Its Hub of the Americas is the connecting point for an enormous share of travel between North, Central, and South America. Copa flies an all-737 fleet, so think of it as the reliable connector that opens up dozens of Latin American cities to your Star Alliance miles.

Which miles can you use to book Copa Airlines?

Because Copa Airlines is in Star Alliance, you can book its award space with partner miles, including:

United MileagePlus: no fuel surcharges, and united.com is also the easiest place to search
Air Canada Aeroplan
Avianca LifeMiles: often the cheapest, no surcharges
Turkish Miles&Smiles

How to search for Copa Airlines award space:

The easiest place to search is the United Airlines website. United displays Star Alliance partner availability, including Copa Airlines, and you can search without holding any miles.

Step 1

Step 2

Select the Book Travel box and fill in your trip details:

Select either Round Trip or One Way
Enter your departure and arrival city. For Copa Airlines, think routes through Panama City (PTY), like JFK-PTY-EZE or LAX-PTY-GIG
Enter your dates
Select the number of passengers
Select Award Travel

Then click Search.

Step 3

Pick the flight option that fits your schedule. Watch the connection times carefully, as some options have very long layovers.

If you would like to search a different day, use the calendar to scan nearby dates. Copa runs multiple daily banks through Panama City, so if one connection is full, a flight a few hours later often has space.

Make sure you select the Saver Award, as standard awards cost far more miles and usually can’t be booked with partner programs anyway.

Step 4

Choose your preferred flight and open its details. Write down the following information: flight number, dates, and cabin class.

Step 5

Now book with the program your miles live in. If it’s United miles, book right there on united.com. For other programs (Aeroplan, LifeMiles, Miles&Smiles), check their website first, since most can book Star Alliance partners online now. If the flight doesn’t show, call the program and read the agent the exact flights you found. They should be able to see and book the same space for you.

Tips before you book

The screenshots above show an older United site design. Menu names have shifted slightly, but the flow (log in, award search, pick saver space) is unchanged.
Copa’s 737 MAX 9s have proper lie flat business seats on longer routes, while older 737s have recliners. Check the aircraft type before spending extra miles on business class.
If united.com shows nothing, cross-check the same route on aeroplan.com. Partner sites occasionally disagree on the last seat or two.