New Copa Airlines flight links Salvador to Panama

• Route debuts in January 2026 with four weekly flights;
• Panama is the main connection hub between South America, the Caribbean, and North America;
• Passengers will have access to more than 80 destinations in the Americas from the company’s hub.

June, 2025 – Salvador Bahia Airport, a member of VINCI Airports, announces the arrival of an international flight that will connect Salvador to Panama City, operated by Copa Airlines. The route will be inaugurated on January 7, 2026, with four weekly frequencies, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The flight departing from Panama City will leave at 4:03 p.m. (local time), arriving at Salvador Airport at 12:30 a.m. The return flight will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, departing at 1:30 a.m. (local time) and arriving in Panama at 6:45 a.m. (local time). Tickets will be available for purchase starting July 3, 2025.

With this operation, passengers will have easier access to Copa Airlines’ connection hub at Tocumen International Airport in Panama, which provides integration with more than 80 destinations across Central America, North America, and the Caribbean. The flight between Salvador and Panama City will last approximately 7 hours. From there, connections to cities such as Miami and Orlando, for example, can be made with layovers of up to 3 hours, ensuring a faster, more convenient trip with less waiting time to the final destination.

“The arrival of this new flight strengthens Salvador’s position in the international scenario and meets significant demand for connections with Central America, the Caribbean, and above all, the United States. In 2024, more than 80,000 passengers traveled between Salvador and these regions, about 70,000 of them to and from the U.S. Now, with a direct connection to Panama and easier connections, we will offer more convenience and efficiency for those traveling for leisure or business,” says Julio Ribas, CEO of VINCI Airports in Brazil.

For Copa Airlines’ Country Manager in Brazil, Raphael de Lucca, this flight reinforces the airline’s commitment to connecting the Northeast with international destinations. “We are very proud to announce Copa Airlines’ return to Salvador, reconnecting Bahia to our Hub of the Americas® in Panama and to more than 30 countries across the continent. This moment highlights the company’s commitment to Brazil and to strengthening the Northeast’s international connectivity, a region with enormous tourism and economic potential. We believe that this new route will be an important driver for cultural, commercial, and tourism exchange between Bahia and the Americas.”

According to Marcelo Freixo, President of Embratur: “Each new flight established to Brazil makes us more connected to the world and opens doors for new visitors to arrive in our country. Copa Airlines has been an important partner in Embratur’s work to expand air connectivity. With this route departing from Panama, Salvador and Bahia as a whole expand their possibilities to welcome even more foreign tourists and generate more jobs and income from tourism, which continues to thrive.”

VINCI Airports has extensive experience in developing international air connectivity and operates more than 70 airports worldwide. Since taking over operations in Salvador in 2018, the group has implemented strategies to expand routes and attract new airlines, consolidating the airport as an important hub in the Northeast.

About Salvador Bahia Airport

Located in the capital of the state of Bahia, Salvador Bahia Airport is VINCI Airports’ first concession in Brazil, which began operations on January 2, 2018. Since then, the Salvador Airport has incorporated global operational standards, seeking to provide greater efficiency, safety, and a better travel experience for its passengers. With an investment of R$ 700 million in modernization and terminal expansion, it has increased its capacity by 50%, serving up to 15 million passengers per year. In addition, it was recognized with the Ethnic-Racial Diversity Seal by the Municipal Secretariat for Reparations of Salvador for initiatives to combat institutional racism. Salvador Bahia Airport also stands out as the “Most Sustainable Airport in Brazil,” leading environmental preservation efforts.

About VINCI Airports

VINCI Airports, the world leader in private airport operations, operates more than 70 airports in 14 countries. Thanks to its expertise as a global integrator, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds, and manages airports, leveraging its investment capacity and know-how to optimize operational performance, modernize infrastructure, manage operations, and drive environmental transition. VINCI Airports was the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy in 2016, aiming to achieve net zero emissions across its entire network by 2050.