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Copa ConnectMiles is the loyalty program of Copa Airlines. Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, Copa Airlines began operations in 1947 and is one of the leading passenger carriers between the U.S. and South America. As of mid-2024, the airline serves 32 countries in the Americas. Whether or not you have flown on Copa Airlines, it may be worth your time to get to know its frequent flyer program, Copa ConnectMiles.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Copa Airlines ConnectMiles, including its advantages, airline partners, elite status, and how to earn and use ConnectMiles.
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Why Join Copa Airlines ConnectMiles
Copa Airlines' loyalty program is called ConnectMiles. In the U.S., this continually growing airline serves 16 cities from its hub in Panama City (PTY): Miami, Orlando, New York-JFK, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Denver, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Austin, Raleigh/Durham, and Baltimore. You can also fly to several other South American destinations via PTY on Copa.
Copa has received numerous awards, including Conde Nast's Reader's Choice and SkyTrax Best Airline in Central America and the Caribbean for nine consecutive years. If you fly to Central or South America or the Caribbean, it is worth considering Copa Airlines. Anyone can join the program at no cost by signing up on the Copa Airlines website.
Most importantly, since Copa is a member of the largest airline alliance, Star Alliance, ConnectMiles members have access to elite benefits on partner airlines and the ability to earn and use miles for rewards on both Copa Airlines and partner airlines. Additionally, because the Copa Airlines ConnectMiles program continues to offer fixed award charts for both Copa flights and partner award flights, ConnectMiles can be a versatile and flexible rewards currency.
Copa Airlines Partners
One of Copa Airlines' major strengths is the variety of airline partners whose flights you can book with ConnectMiles. Its partnerships include 29 airlines, offering access to more than 1,250 destinations worldwide.
Star Alliance partners
The Star Alliance currently consists of 25 member airlines, including Copa Airlines:
| Member Airline | Frequent Flyer Program |
|---|---|
| Aegean Airlines | Miles+Bonus |
| Air Canada | Aeroplan |
| Air China | PhoenixMiles |
| Air India | Flying Returns |
| Air New Zealand | Airpoints |
| ANA | ANA Mileage Club |
| Asiana Airlines | Asiana Club |
| Austrian Airlines | Miles & More |
| Avianca | LifeMiles |
| Brussels Airlines | Miles & More |
| Copa Airlines | ConnectMiles |
| Croatia Airlines | Miles & More |
| Egyptair | Egyptair Plus |
| Ethiopian Airlines | ShebaMiles |
| EVA Air | Infinity MileageLands |
| LOT Polish Airlines | Miles & More |
| Lufthansa | Miles & More |
| Shenzhen Airlines | PhoenixMiles |
| Singapore Airlines | KrisFlyer |
| South African Airways | Voyager |
| SWISS | Miles & More |
| TAP Air Portugal | TAP Miles&Go |
| Thai Airways | Royal Orchid Plus |
| Turkish Airlines | Miles & Smiles |
| United Airlines | MileagePlus |
Non-alliance partners
Additionally, Copa Airlines partners with the following carriers:
- Azul (Clube Azul)
- GOL (Smiles)
- Emirates (Skywards)
- KLM (Flying Blue)
How To Earn Copa ConnectMiles
The easiest way to earn ConnectMiles is by flying with Copa Airlines or any of its numerous partner airlines. Additionally, you can boost your ConnectMiles balance through various other methods, such as transferring hotel loyalty points, earning with corporate partners, purchasing miles, and more.
Fly with Copa Airlines
When flying with Copa Airlines, members earn miles based on the class of service and the distance flown. Members will earn:
- 1 award mile for every mile flown in economy class (except in basic economy, which earns 0.5 miles per mile flown).
- 1.75 award miles per mile flown on an economy full fare or business promo fare.
- 3 award miles per mile flown in full fare business class.
To determine the number of miles you would earn on a given flight, you would need to determine the actual mileage flown. You can do this using online tools such as Great Circle Mapper.
Fly with Copa's partner airlines
The number of ConnectMiles accrued by flying on Copa’s partner airlines depends on the specific partner, with each having its own award-earning chart. Each is based upon the class of service as determined by the airline fare code. See the individual earning charts for Star Alliance partners and other airline partners listed on the Copa Airlines ConnectMiles website.
Credit cards
Presently, there are no U.S. banks that offer co-branded credit cards for Copa Airlines, so it's hard to stockpile ConnectMiles via credit card. However, there is an exception to this.
Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Copa Airlines at a rate of 3:1, with a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points transferred. You could consider spending on or earning a sign-up bonus on one of the many Marriott credit cards to indirectly earn Copa ConnectMiles. But, since you're more likely to get a better value using your Bonvoy points to book a hotel stay, this workaround won't be for everyone.
Buying miles, ConnectMiles Accelerator, and ConnectMiles Plan
Copa Airlines allows its members to purchase up to two million miles annually, with a maximum of 100,000 miles per transaction. The price per mile varies based on the number of miles purchased and whether there's an active bonus.
Copa offers two ways to buy miles at a discount, although this is rarely a great deal. The accelerator feature allows members to pay to boost the miles earned from flights on Copa Airlines or partner airlines in the past three months. This can be done up to three times annually.
Another way to buy discounted miles is through ConnectMiles Plan. This is essentially a subscription service that sets up a monthly purchase of miles at a discounted rate and with bonuses.
Finally, Copa sometimes offers promotions that allow members to buy miles at a discount. Check out our dedicated post to see if there are any special offers to buy Copa miles now.
Booking hotels through ConnectMiles Hotels
If you're looking to boost your Copa ConnectMiles, you could consider booking a hotel through the airline's ConnectMiles Hotels portal, powered by Rocket Travel. Members will earn ConnectMiles for each stay booked through the portal.
Earning rates vary by property. But remember that if you are booking a hotel through a third-party vendor such as this one, you will not receive loyalty benefits from the hotel and won't earn hotel stay credits. Always cross-check the prices, as you can often get a better price by booking through the hotel directly.
Copa has several other partners that offer accommodation:
- Marriott Bonvoy: Members can choose to earn Copa ConnectMiles rather than Marriott Bonvoy points on stays. Earn 1-2 miles per dollar spent, depending on the property type. To change your earning preference, log into your Marriott account and locate the “Earning Preferences” menu.
- Booking.com: Simply add your Copa ConnectMiles number to your booking to earn 4 miles per dollar spent on your reservations.
- Barceló Hotels Group: Be sure to provide your Copa membership number at check-in when staying with this Latin American hotel group to earn 1 mile per dollar spent on your stay.
- Meliá Rewards: Similar to Marriott, members can choose to earn Copa ConnectMiles on their stay. Earn 1 mile for every 60 cents (USD) spent. Members can also convert 6 MeliáRewards points to 1 Copa ConnectMile.
Other ways to earn Copa miles
Members can earn miles when booking rental cars through Avis, Dollar, Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty. Copa also partners with several corporations to provide miles-earning opportunities, but note that most are available only in Latin America.
Miles sharing
Copa offers a way to share miles with minors in your household through their free Miles Sharing account. This allows one adult and up to four minors to pool miles. The minors must be immediate family members to take advantage of this program.
Related: How Families Can Work Together To Pool Points and Miles
Redeeming ConnectMiles
ConnectMiles embers can redeem miles for flights on Copa Airlines. Members also have the option to redeem miles for flights with Star Alliance and other partner airlines, upgrade seats, share miles with other members, or even donate them to support charitable causes.
Let's look at how you can redeem ConnectMiles and the value of each redemption.
Use ConnectMiles to book Copa award flights
Copa has two types of award redemptions: Saver and Standard. The number of points required for a flight is based on the travel zone, the class of service, and which type of award you are booking. Here are the rates for business-class, one-way awards on Copa Airlines:
| To/From | Mexico Saver/Standard | Panama Saver/Standard | Central America Saver/Standard | Caribbean Saver/Standard | Colombia Saver/Standard | Northern South America Saver/Standard | Southern South America Saver/Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. and Canada | 30,000/70,000 | 30,000/70,000 | 30,000/70,000 | 30,000/70,000 | 35,000/75,000 | 35,000/80,000 | 55,000/120,000 |
| Mexico | 20,000/40,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 25,000/50,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 25,000/50,000 | 40,000/80,000 | |
| Panama | 10,000/15,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 40,000/80,000 | |
| Central America | 20,000/40,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 20,000/40,000 | 40,000/80,000 | ||
| Caribbean | 25,000/45,000 | 25,000/45,000 | 25,000/45,000 | 40,000/80,000 | |||
| Colombia | 20,000/40,000 | 40,000/80,000 | |||||
| Northern South America | 20,000/40,000 | 40,000/80,000 |
As you can see, booking saver business awards from the U.S. to pretty much anywhere Copa flies offers great redemption value.
The economy award chart is as follows:
| To/From | Mexico Saver/Standard | Panama Saver/Standard | Central America Saver/Standard | Caribbean Saver/Standard | Colombia Saver/Standard | Northern South America Saver/Standard | Southern South America Saver/Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. and Canada | 17,500/30,000 | 15,000/30,000 | 15,000/30,000 | 15,000/30,000 | 15,000/30,000 | 15,000/30,000 | 25,000/30,000 |
| Mexico | 10,000/20,000 | 10,000/20,000 | 12,500/25,000 | 10,000/20,000 | 12,500/25,000 | 20,000/40,000 | |
| Panama | 5,000/10,000 | 7,500/15,000 | 7,500/15,000 | 7,500/15,000 | 10,000/20,000 | 20,000/40,000 | |
| Central America | 7,500/15,000 | 10,000/20,000 | 10,000/20,000 | 10,000/20,000 | 20,000/40,000 | ||
| Caribbean | 10,000/25,000 | 10,000/25,000 | 10,000/25,000 | 20,000/40,000 | |||
| Colombia | 7,500/15,000 | 20,000/40,000 | |||||
| Northern South America | 10,000/15,000 | 20,000/40,000 |
In addition to some decent saver award fares, Copa does not pass on fuel surcharges or carrier-imposed fees on award redemptions for either Copa flights or those booked on partner airlines. That means that the cash/fees portion of the ticket is quite reasonable.
For example, we found this flight option from Boston to Quito, Ecuador, bookable in Copa business class for 35,000 miles, and the fees are just $6.85 each way!
Use ConnectMiles to book partner award flights
Copa Airlines has separate award charts for its Star Alliance partners and non-alliance partners. The website has downloadable charts available. The best values are typically found when booking business-class fares.
Here are some of the sweet spots that you can get when booking partner flights with Copa ConnectMiles.
- 80,000 miles for an Emirates flight to Africa or the Middle East in business class is a good deal, but the real bargain here is the lack of fees tacked on. Booking through Emirates, you could pay nearly $1,000 in taxes and fees for a business class flight since it passes along fuel surcharges. However, with Copa ConnectMiles, it's usually under $50, with some routes as low as $10 in taxes and fees!
- U.S. transcontinental United flights in lie-flat business class are bookable for 25,000 miles. The same economy flights are available for 12,500 miles.
- Fly from the U.S. to the Maldives on Turkish Airlines in business class will cost you as little as 80,000 miles. That's an incredible rate for nearly 30 hours of travel.
Use ConnectMiles to upgrade your seat
If you would rather pay for your flight with cash and use miles to upgrade to a higher class of service, Copa allows members to do so on flights operated by Copa or Star Alliance airlines. The amount needed to upgrade depends on where you are traveling. See the upgrade charts listed on Copa's website for the specific mileage needed.
Other ways to use ConnectMiles
If you'd rather redeem your miles for something other than flights or upgrades, you can also donate them. Copa partners with Make-A-Wish Panama and the Gift of Life Foundation. Additionally, you can transfer your miles to loved ones.
Do Copa Airlines ConnectMiles Expire?
Copa ConnectMiles will expire if you have no qualifying activity in your account for a period of 24 months. Here's what Copa defines as qualifying activity:
- Earning miles on flights.
- Redeeming miles for award travel.
- Earning or redeeming miles with a commercial partner.
- Purchasing miles.
If you pool your miles with others, your expiration date will still be unique to you.
How To Earn Copa Airlines Elite Status
Copa, like most other airlines, has an elite status program. It's called PreferMember. This program offers five different elite-status tiers: Member, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Presidential. You can attain Member status by simply signing up for the ConnectMiles program. Or, you can qualify for higher tiers.
How to qualify for Copa PreferMember elite status
Moving up in the tiers requires travel on Copa Airlines or Star Alliance member airlines. To achieve the status at each level, you must earn the minimum qualifying miles or fly the qualifying number of segments. This chart shows the requirements for each level:
Every elite level requires at least four segments flown during that calendar year. These include connecting segments. Since most flights from the U.S. on Copa require a connection through Panama, this can often be achieved in one round-trip flight.
Copa Airlines PreferMember Elite Status Benefits
Frequent fliers who earn elite status through the PreferMember program are entitled to special benefits including lounge access, upgrades, luggage allowances, and mileage-earning bonuses. Below are the benefits available to members at each elite level:
| Level | Benefits on Copa Airlines |
|---|---|
| Silver | • Increased Saver award availability • 25% bonus miles earned on Copa flights • Reduced or waived fees: Call center bookings, late bookings, same-day change cancellation, and refund • One extra 50-pound checked bag in Economy Basic class • Two extra 70-pound checked bags in all other classes • Preferential check-in, security screening, boarding, and baggage handling • Complimentary premium seats and seat selection • Complimentary upgrades based on the fare family purchased (subject to availability) • PreferMember maternity leave benefit |
| Gold | All benefits included with Silver elite status, plus: • 50% bonus miles earned on Copa flights • Two extra 50-pound checked bags free in Economy Basic class • Three extra 70-pound checked bags free in all other classes |
| Platinum | All benefits included in Gold status, plus: • 75% mileage earning bonus • Three Connect Regional upgrades per calendar year (Available on Copa Airlines and United-operated flights in certain regions with fare restrictions) |
| Presidential | All benefits included with Platinum status, plus: • 100% bonus miles earned on Copa flights • Six Connect Regional upgrades per calendar year (Available on Copa Airlines and United-operated flights in certain regions; fare restrictions apply) |
In addition, members at the Gold level and above will receive Star Alliance Gold status, which gives members priority boarding, access to Star Alliance lounges, and priority check-in with Star Alliance airlines. Copa elite members at the Silver level do not get Star Alliance status but receive Priority Airport Standby on Star Alliance flights (when available) and Priority Reservations Waitlisting (also when available on Star Alliance partners).
Final Thoughts
Copa Airlines could be a good loyalty program for you if you are a frequent traveler within the Americas, particularly to Central or South America. ConnectMiles are well spent on Saver awards on Copa Airlines and for various flights with Copa's partners. A fixed-rate award chart means you can find outsized value on longer flights and premium cabin seats with Star Alliance member airlines. Furthermore, elite status can provide many valuable benefits when flying on both Copa Airlines and its Star Alliance partners.
That said, if you're purely interested in the program for the sake of earning and burning miles, you'll come away slightly disappointed. Outside of converting Marriott Bonvoy points to ConnectMiles, there are no co-branded cards open to U.S. applicants, and the program doesn't partner with any of the major transferable rewards programs. Because of this, the program makes the most sense for travelers who plan to fly Copa and its partners frequently.
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