Review: Copa Club Business Class Lounge Terminal 1 Panama City Tocumen
Intro
Following an intriguing flight onboard the Copa Airlines 737 Max 9 with lie-flat beds, I had about 4 hours to kill in Panama City Tocumen Airport. I found that there were two Copa lounges at their main hub online and decided to check them out. For this review, we will be looking at the worst of the two lounges, the Copa Club in Terminal 1.
All in all, I recommend trekking over to the lounge in Terminal 2. The lounge in terminal 1 is better than sitting in the terminal, but it isn't anything to write home about.
Let's get into it!
Location & Access
Finding the lounge is a bit of a hassle. There are barely any signs, and there is only a small logo on the outside.
However, I am going to provide you all with some useful information (that's the point of this blog😉). If you are departing from Terminal 1, head left once you clear the main security checkpoint, and it will be about 100 meters on your right-hand side (see, I can still be English).
If you headed into a walkway that starts to turn a corner, you have gone too far. For a better sense, if you see a staircase heading downstairs, the sign is right next to that!
In regards to access, I was granted access due to my Business Class ticket to Belize, as well as the inbound from Los Angeles. However, access should be open to those who hold Star Alliance gold status as well! The best part, they take priority pass!
Food & Drink
How do I put this without sounding too harsh? The food and drink are abysmal (I am sorry, Copa).
This is the whole platter that was on display for lunch! Dead serious.
Of course, I indulged in a cheeky bagel, which wasn't too bad. At least there is cream cheese!
Okay, the food was shocking, but the mimosas weren't too bad (minus the 7$ a bottle of sparkling wine). Later on in this review, I'll chat about the service, which was phenomenal!
I did partake in multiple mimosas, coffee, and water. CHAMPOFFEE!
The bar wasn't horribly stocked. Amaretto, Jack Daniels and Smirnoff to name a couple of the options.
The coffee wasn't too shabby, albeit a bit on the weaker side. Honestly, plastic cups? Are we being serious?
However, this is where I might lose my s***. Do you mean to tell me that if someone is paying over a grand for a business class ticket, there is a water fountain??? No bottled water??? That is poor form, Copa.
Sadly, it was so busy at the lounge that I was unable to get many pictures of the seating without anyone in it (privacy and respect concerns). It is mostly just functional seating in one main room (mostly)
The Views
The best part of the lounge is the views! Even if the lounge in Terminal 2 is 100x nicer, you can see planes landing and taking off from the Copa Club in Terminal 1.
It's always a treat to witness this. However, be prepared to wait for a seat by the window as it's really that busy😂.
To add a small note regarding amenities. Toilets are located near the entrance, along with storage for bags. There are no showers! However, there is free wifi!
Service
As much as I think this lounge has room for improvement in many areas😳, I also think that I could not have asked for better service throughout my time here.
When I left and came back, the front ushered me past the queue to get in, and with so many people coming and going, this was a nice touch.
The bartender was incredible, always offering to top up my drink whenever it was running low.
Overall, the staff were extremely friendly!
Final Thoughts
The Copa Club in Terminal 1 isn't the best lounge in terms of hard products or food and drink. However, I liked the fact that the priority pass was accepted and the amazing service of the staff in the lounge! Add that on with the tarmac views and it doesn't make for a bad time. Be sure to stay tuned for my review of the Copa Club in Terminal 2!
Drop a comment, would love to hear your thoughts!
