What is Copa Airlines Cancellation Policy?

Copa Airlines’ cancellation policy depends on how and where the ticket was purchased, including the fare type, the timing of cancellation, and other essential services.  

In this guide, we will break down all the key components of the cancellation policy that help passengers understand their options that help them make informed decisions. 

What is Copa Airlines’ 24-hour cancellation policy?

Within 24 hours of making a reservation, travelers on Copa Airlines are free to cancel without incurring penalties. The 24-hour cancellation policy includes certain eligible criteria:

• The above policy applies to the tickets purchased through copa.com or via the “Book and Hold” payment option.
• It does not cover flight tickets booked through Copa Airlines’ contact center or airport offices. 
• Tickets bought fewer than seven days before the flight’s departure are not eligible for full refund. 
• Add-on services like seat selection, extra baggage fees are not eligible for cancellation within 24 hours of purchase. 
• Reservations that are purchased with miles are not covered. 

How Copa Airlines 24-hour cancellation policy works: The 24-hour grace period starts at the exact time the ticket is issued. In addition:

• Within these 24 hours, passengers can cancel and claim a full refund, including taxes, to their original method of payment.
• If you purchased services like car rentals and travel insurance, refunds for those services must be requested directly from the vendors. 

After a 24-hour grace period: If you cancel the flight after the 24-hour window, the cancellation is subject to the ticket’s fare rules and may incur a Copa Airlines cancellation fee. 

How Can Passengers Cancel a Copa Airlines Reservation?

You can cancel a Copa Airlines flight online, over the phone, or in person at the airport.The following are the comprehensive guidelines for every procedure:

Online cancellation:Navigate to the “My Trips” section of copa.com, and:

• Sign in to the Copa Airlines account or enter your reservation code (PNR) or 13-digit e-ticket number and the last name of the passenger. 

• Click on the ‘Find Your Reservation’ tab to retrieve your booking. 
• Select the flights that need to be cancelled.
• You will notice the refund amount and cancellation cost at the checkout page. 
• After cancellation, you would be provided a confirmation email. You can use the reference number, which starts with RFD,  to track the status of your refund here. 

Canceling by Phone: Find the Copa Airlines Contact Center number for your country under the “Call Centre” section, and

• If you want to talk to a Copa Airlines customer support agent, dial the number and follow the instructions.
• Keep the booking and passenger details ready.
• Request to cancel the flight.
• Share your booking details and confirm whether you want to claim a refund or travel credit.
• The agent will process the cancellation and provide a confirmation number that will help passengers track the refund. 

Canceling at the Airport: Locate the Copa Airlines ticket counter. To cancel a flight on the day of departure, you must do so three hours before departure.

• Please keep your reservation code and a valid ID handy for verification purposes. 
• Ask the airport’s representative to cancel the reservation. 
• The agent will inform you of any applicable fees or refund eligibility based on the fare rules. 
• Copa Airlines will handle the cancellation and provide a confirmation email. 

How much are the Copa Airlines cancellation fees?

Copa Airlines cancellation fees vary for family fares. In addition, the airline offers a free first change if requested at least 8 days before the outbound flight.

Also, the cancellation is permitted free of charge for Full Economy fare and Business Full fare. 

Condition	BASIC ECONOMY	CLASSIC ECONOMY	FULL ECONOMY	BUSINESS PROMO	BUSINESS FULL
330 to 8 days before flight departure	100 USD or 150 USD	1st change FREE50 USD or 75 USD	FREE	1st change FREE50 USD or 75 USD	FREE
7 to 0 days before flight departure	50 USD or 75 USD	50 USD or 75 USD	FREE	50 USD or 75 USD	FREE
NO-SHOW	250 USD	250 USD	250 USD	250 USD	250 USD

Below is the table outlining the cancellation penalty assessed by Copa Airlines to travel agencies under different scenarios:

Violation Type	Traditional GDS	Copa Connect NDC
Churning	85 USD per passenger	25 USD per passenger
Duplicates	85 USD per segment per passenger	Not applicable
Fake Names	75 USD per passenger	Not applicable
Pending Cancellation	85 USD per segment per passenger	Not applicable
Invalid Booking Class	75 USD per segment per passenger	Not applicable
Passive Segments	20 USD per segment per passenger	Not applicable
No-Show	90 USD per passenger	25 USD per passenger
Evasion of Ticketing Time Limit	85 USD per passenger	25 USD per passenger
Invalid Group Bookings	35 USD per passenger	10 USD per passenger
Unmarried Segments	360 USD per segment per passenger	Not applicable
Speculative Reservations	30 USD per passenger	10 USD per passenger
Missing Contact Information	5 USD per passenger	5 USD per passenger
Distribution Cost Surcharge	50 USD per ticket	Not applicable
Inventory Reactivation	300 USD per IATA or pseudo code	USD300 per IATA or pseudo code
Merchant of Records (Wholesalers Net Fare)	25 USD per ticket	USD25 per ticket
Use of Corporate Credit Cards	25 USD per ticket	USD25 per ticket
Unavailable Inventory Manipulation	1,000 USD per ticket	1,000 USD per ticket
Ticket Cancellation & Onward Travel Violations	Up to 5,000 USD per ticket	Up to 5,000 USD per ticket

In addition, 20% of the ticket value applies as administrative fees plus applicable taxes.

How much is the cancellation fee if the reservation is purchased through ConnectMiles?

The fee listed below applies to reservations that are redeemed with ConnectMiles. The Copa Airlines cancellation fees are applied for each passenger. 

The fee also varies with the ConnectMiles account status that was used to make the booking.

Below is the table outlining the cancellation fee for international flight tickets

International Award Services	Base	Silver	Gold	Platinum	Presidential
Cancel & Refund Miles (More than 7 Days)	100 USD	60 USD	No Fee	No Fee	No Fee
Cancel and Refund Miles (7 days or less)	150 USD	90 USD	No Fee	No Fee	No Fee

Below is the table outlining the cancellation fee for domestic flight tickets

Domestic Award Services	Base	Silver	Gold	Platinum	Presidential
Cancel and Refund Miles (More than 7 Days)	25 USD	20 USD	No Fee	No Fee	No Fee
Cancel and Refund Miles (7 days or less)	25 USD	20 USD	No Fee	No Fee	No Fee

How Does Copa Airlines Handle Refunds?

For cancellations beyond the 24-hour window, Copa Airlines processes refunds based on the fare family and fare rules. Understanding these rules helps passengers know what to expect when requesting a refund.

• Refundable fares can be partially or fully refunded, depending on the fare type. 
• Non-refundable fare retain their value against future travel credit. After the date of issuance, the credit is still valid for a year.
• Refunds are given using the same payment method, country, and currency as the original purchase.
• There may be non-refundable airport fees or certain taxes.

Flight ticket validity: Refunds must be issued within a year of the booking date. In addition:

• Any travel credit against a non-refundable fare is non-transferable. It has to be used by the original passenger for any future travel.

Special circumstances: Passengers can receive a complete refund for the unused portion of their ticket if Copa Airlines cancels or delays a flight by four hours or more. In addition:

• A death certificate is required for a refund claim.
• Any add-ons like seat selection, priority boarding fee, extra luggage fee, etc, are non-refundable.
• Refunds from services like hotel booking, car rental, and travel insurance must be requested directly from the vendor. 

How to check the refund status: Travelers can check their refund by going to copa.com. You would be provided a 13- or 14-digit case number starting with “RFD” (e.g., RFD-1234567890) 

Conclusion

Copa Airlines’ cancellation policy offers flexibility through its 24-hour cancellation policy as well as through Economy Fill or Business Full fares. By understanding how to cancel online, by phone, or at the airport, along with circumstances that offer refunds, passengers can make informed decisions and avoid any unexpected fees. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)