Mexican carrier Volaris has confirmed it is just days away from finalizing a codeshare agreement with Copa Airlines, a move aimed at strengthening its regional presence and expanding its destination portfolio beyond the domestic market.
According to Holger Blankenstein, Volaris’ Executive Vice President, as quoted by FlightGlobal, the agreement is expected to be signed by the end of April. This strategic partnership will connect Copa Airlines’ extensive route network, centered around its hub in Panama City, with Volaris’ broad domestic footprint, which includes more than 40 destinations across Mexico.
The joint operation would allow Copa passengers easier access to secondary Mexican cities, beyond the country’s main urban centers. At the same time, Volaris customers would gain seamless connections to Central America, South America, and the Caribbean through Copa’s well-established trunk routes—among the most comprehensive in the region.
Currently, Copa Airlines serves Mexico with 37 weekly flights to Cancún, 42 to Mexico City, 5 to Guadalajara, and 4 to Monterrey. Volaris, including its subsidiaries in Costa Rica and El Salvador, operates regional services to Bogotá, Guatemala City, Lima, San Salvador, San Pedro Sula, and San José, Costa Rica, with around 140 weekly flights.
This agreement marks another step in Volaris’ strategy to grow international alliances. The airline already maintains similar partnerships with Frontier Airlines in the U.S. and Iberia in Europe, providing connectivity and shared operations in key markets. The Iberia agreement, in place since 2024, allows travelers to reach 25 Mexican cities via connections through Mexico City.
The timing of the alliance also comes as Volaris faces a challenging financial environment. The airline posted a net loss of $51 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to a $33 million profit in the same period last year. Quarterly revenue fell by 12% to $645 million, reflecting a dip in demand in the VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) travel segment between the U.S. and Central America—one of its key markets.
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Nevertheless, the airline has assured that its current operations in Central America will remain unaffected, and that flights in the region will continue as normal. From a commercial standpoint, the partnership with Copa offers access to new markets without the need to significantly expand its fleet or launch new routes independently.
The codeshare agreement is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to take effect in the coming weeks, once the necessary administrative and technical procedures are completed.
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