In a significant move to enhance regional air connectivity, Copa Airlines has substantially expanded its operational footprint in the Dominican Republic. The Panamanian carrier has officially inaugurated new service to Puerto Plata while simultaneously reactivating its route to Santiago de los Caballeros, effectively doubling its presence in the country’s northern territories.
The inaugural flight to Puerto Plata’s Gregorio Luperón International Airport commenced operations on January 13, marking the airline’s third destination in the Caribbean nation. This was followed by the resumed service to Santiago’s Cibao International Airport on January 15, restoring vital air links between the agricultural heartland and Copa’s extensive hemispheric network. These developments bring Copa’s Dominican portfolio to four key destinations, including existing services to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana.
Pedro Heilbron, Chief Executive Officer of Copa Airlines, emphasized the strategic importance of this expansion: ‘Our new Puerto Plata route significantly strengthens our Caribbean network while creating substantial opportunities for tourism development, commercial exchange, and regional economic growth. This enhanced connectivity will provide northern Dominican communities with improved access to international markets across the Americas.’
The Puerto Plata service will operate tri-weekly with flights scheduled on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays utilizing the airline’s modern Boeing 737 fleet. Similarly, the reinstated Santiago route will maintain three weekly frequencies on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, facilitating both business and leisure travel to the Cibao region.
This network expansion introduces additional benefits for travelers through Copa’s innovative Panama Stopover program. Passengers can now incorporate an extended visit to Panama City at no extra airfare cost, creating new tourism synergies between Central America and the Dominican Republic. As a Star Alliance member operating one of the industry’s most modern fleets—featuring Boeing 737-800 NG and 737 MAX aircraft—Copa reinforces its reputation for operational excellence and punctuality, consistently ranking among global leaders in on-time performance.