This summer, planes will be taking off from RDU (Raleigh Durham International Airport) and land in Panama City at Tocumen.  On Friday, the head of Copa Airlines talked to Raleigh business leaders about how they’ll make that happen.  Copa will become RDU’s 18th airline, and Panama City will be its 10th international destination when service begins in June.  The airline will begin making direct flights to Panama City on June 21. Travelers can make the trip to Panama City on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.  At just under 4 hours, this new direct flight makes Paris even more accessible for travelers in our region. "And when there's direct connectivity, people fly, people visit. People do business," Pedro Heilbron, Copa Airlines CEO said.  And those connected with the airport say, Panama has plenty to offer in return.  "We're excited about the connectivity because of our ag business here in North Carolina. They can sell their products and services," Michael Landguth, RDU President/CEO said.  This announcement is another in a series of new flights from the airport. Direct flights to Germany and Mexico are also coming to RDU in June and July.  This is the latest airline to contribute to RDU's expansion. In 2024, the airport saw a record breaking number of spring break travelers – 1.2 million. That’s almost a 7% increase from this past March.