Since June 27, 2023, Copa Airlines has been flying between Panama and Manta. Because this flight has been in operation for one year, Informativo Digital Manabita has published a post on Facebook with interesting data:

• The service to Manta International Airport started with 3 weekly flights. Due to higher-than-expected demand, the frequency has been increased to 4 flights per week.
• The occupancy percentage has been higher than 80% in the first year of operation.
• The flights carried more than 39,000 passengers in the first year. This is considerably more than the 12,000 passengers that Copa Airlines projected for the first year.
• The main feeders for this flight are New York City, Miami, Panama, and Havana.

Copa Airlines is based in Panama City and is a member of the Star Alliance, which includes member airlines such as United Airlines and Lufthansa. Copa Airlines operates with a hub-and-spoke model, with the modern airport in Panama City serving as the hub. The airline specializes in connecting places in North and Central America with destinations in South America.

Airlines with a hub-and-spoke system usually offer convenient connections at the hub. The biggest complaint from passengers is that this is not the case for the flights to Manta. The layover time is too long for most destinations in the USA. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't use these flights, but before booking, you should make sure that the layover time is acceptable for you. As alternatives, you can fly from Guayaquil International Airport (accessible by land travel) or Quito International Airport (accessible by taking an Avianca or LATAM flight to Quito).