Copa Airlines Launches First Commercial Flights with Boeing 737 MAX 8

Copa Airlines has conducted its first commercial flights with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, the smallest version of the MAX operated by the company to date. Among the first routes are those connecting Panama/Tocumen with Miami (MIA) and San José de Costa Rica (SJO).

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The first aircraft, registered as HP-9801CMP, was received on July 3, 2024. According to the airline’s website, it is configured with 166 seats divided into three classes: 16 in business, 24 in premium economy, and 126 in economy.

On July 30, the MAX 8 made its first flight, connecting Panama with Miami under flight CM 485 and returning with flight CM 227, then continuing to San José from Panama. Since then, it has maintained this rotation between the two destinations from Tocumen International Airport.

According to the Cirium platform, Copa Airlines plans to receive another five aircraft of the same model soon, progressively replacing its nine Boeing 737-700s.

In total, it has 39 Boeing 737 MAX pending delivery, where Copa Airlines will have to choose between -8 and -9 according to its needs. Additionally, it has an order for fifteen MAX 10, the longest version of the MAX.

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Comparison with the MAX 9

Copa Airlines has been operating with Boeing 737 MAX 9 since August 2018, of which it currently has 32 aircraft. They are configured with an innovative business class called Dreams, where the seats fully convert into beds. The MAX 8 will not be equipped with this configuration, although they will feature premium economy, offering intermediate comfort between business and economy class.

In addition to Miami and San José, the MAX 8 is expected to fly to: Asunción, Atlanta, Belo Horizonte, Cali, Cancun, Guatemala City, Chicago, Curaçao, Lima, Medellín, Punta Cana, Porto Alegre, Quito, Rosario, San Salvador, Santo Domingo, and Tegucigalpa.

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Cover photo: @ca350