Request the Copa Airlines Stopover during booking or lose your 15 days in Panama

The program/policy
Copa Airlines’ Panama Stopover now lets travelers stay up to 15 days in Panama at no extra airfare cost, up from the old 7-day cap. It applies to new bookings only and you have to request it when you buy the ticket, so don’t assume you can add it later, honestly, that’s where people get tripped up.

The offer runs through Tocumen International Airport with Copa, in partnership with the Panama Tourism Authority and PROMTUR Panama and it’s aimed at turning a short connection into a real stay. The pitch is simple, spend more time on the ground, then spend more money too, which, surprisingly, is exactly what Panama wants.

Who it affects
Digital nomads get the clearest upside. Two weeks is enough to test neighborhoods, coworking spots, internet and daily costs before filing for Panama’s Digital Nomad Visa and tourists or expats can use the same window to scout the city without committing to a longer move.

The discounts are decent, not magical. Stopover passengers can get hotel deals up to 48% off, restaurant cuts of 20% to 25%, attraction discounts of 25% to 40% and car-rental savings as high as 75%, so the program can make a pricey airport connection feel a lot less painful.

What to do
Book with Copa, then select the stopover during ticketing, because the program only works if it’s included at purchase. Keep your reservation confirmation or stopover voucher email handy, along with ID, since that’s what partner discounts usually ask for.

If Panama is on your move list, use the stopover as a test run. The visa route still has real paperwork, the income bar sits at $36,000 a year from foreign sources and the first approval period is 9 months, extendable once, so this short stay is a smart way to check the fit before you commit.

Read our full Panama guide for the complete picture and check visa updates for more policy changes.