Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Copa Airlines, a member of the global Star Alliance airline network, announces the start of direct operations between Panama City and Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit starting December 16, 2018, making it Copa Airlines' fifth destination in Mexico. With twice weekly flights, the airline will connect the Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport with the rest of the continent through the Hub of the Americas in Panama.

"Copa Airlines continues to reaffirm its confidence in Mexico and support the development of its commercial and tourism sectors by inaugurating a fifth local destination. This region of the Mexican Pacific will benefit from Copa's connectivity throughout the continent, with its extensive network of destinations that joins 79 cities in 32 countries," announced Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines. "We are pleased to announce this new route to Puerto Vallarta, an amazing destination that up until now did not have a direct connection with the rest of the Americas," he added.

"After several years of joint promotional work in Central and South America by Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit to generate a greater knowledge of the Banderas Bay area and its various attractions and world-class tourism services, the region has finally been rewarded with this direct flight from Panama to the Puerto Vallarta airport. This success is a result of the collaboration of a trusted commercial partner, Copa Airlines," said Javier Aranda, general manager of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust.

With this new twice weekly flight, Copa Airlines will promote tourism and commercial exchange in Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit.

"I am pleased to announce that after five years of hard work through multiple advertising and promotion campaigns in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Peru, as well as various negotiations with Copa Airlines, the Panama - Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit route is now a reality. With this new flight, multiple connections will be avoided, reducing time, distance and cost for Latin American tourists. The route will also ensure greater interest in the destination from South American wholesale travel agencies," said Marc Murphy, general director of the Tourism Authority of Riviera Nayarit.

The Copa Airlines flight will initially operate twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays, departing at 9:48 am from Panama and arriving at 1:40 pm.(local time) at the Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport. The return flight will also depart Thursdays and Sundays from Puerto Vallarta at 2:43 pm, arriving in Panama at 8:07 pm (local time). The route will be operated by a Boeing 737-700 aircraft with capacity to transport 12 passengers in Business Class and 112 in the main cabin.

The Panama City based airline currently offers direct flights to Mexico City, Cancun, Guadalajara and Monterrey. This broad coverage allows Copa Airlines to consolidate its position as one of the leading airlines in connectivity to the Mexican Republic.