In what's billed as a major boost to connectivity between Latin America and Southern California, Copa Airlines has launched a new flight route directly linking San Diego with Panama City, Panama. The service which is touted to improve access to nearly 50 destinations within Latin America through connections at Copa's Hub of the Americas®, flies from Tocumen International Airport and touches down at San Diego International Airport, offering a new gateway for travelers looking to venture south, as reported by the San Diego International Airport website.
Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines, emphasized the strategic significance of the route, stating, "The launch of our San Diego route marks a significant milestone in solidifying our connectivity on the West Coast of the United States." He mentioned that the airlines' expansion caters not just to the increased demand for various travel needs but also strings together cultural and economic ties between regions—assertions backed up by Kimberly Becker, President and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, who expressed excitement over the potential increase in business and leisure travel to Central and South America made possible by this development she told the San Diego International Airport website.
Underpinning the city's ongoing relationship with Latin America, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria spoke of the historical and cultural bonds, pointing out the advantages such as enhanced tourism and strengthened economic exchange, "As sister cities, we share a rich history and cultural connection—from our enduring friendship to the very naming of Balboa Park," Gloria remarked when discussing the introduction of the direct flight between San Diego and Panama City as a "major win" for the region in an interview with the San Diego International Airport website.
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