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Still alive at 11:42 AM ET on May 7, though fewer dates than at midnight.
I tweeted this deal first from @MileValueAlerts. Follow @MileValueAlerts on Twitter and follow these directions to get a text message every time I tweet from that account. I tweet from @MileValueAlerts only a few times a month because it is designed to be used only for the best and most limited-time deals–like mistake fares–so that you aren’t bombarded by text messages.
Travel from New York (JFK) to San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL) for $202 roundtrip on Copa Airlines by July 31.
Contents:
- When are the $202 fares?
- Why El Salvador?
- Layover Trip to Panama Canal
- Mileage Earning
- Best Credit Card to Buy the Ticket
- Copa Baggage Policy
$202 Roundtrip from New York to San Salvador
Sample Dates: June 5 – June 13 on Copa
Search on ITA Matrix by calendar of lowest fares for acceptable trip lengths.
Hover over a date with $202 roundtrips.
Select the number of nights you’d like the roundtrip to be.
You cannot book on ITA Matrix. Instead note the dates and search on copaair.com.
Any flights you find on ITA Matrix should be able to recreate on copaair.com. Here is a sample itinerary from Friday June 5 until Saturday June 13 for $201.63 all in.
I do not see good deals for one way awards.
You cannot use these fares for a trip to Panama. If you miss any flight, say Panama to El Salvador, the rest of your ticket is canceled.
Why El Salvador?
El Salvador is a small country that you can really explore in a short amount of time or use as a base to visit other nearby countries in Central America.
I had fun going out at night in San Salvador and eating pupusas on the street. I also visited the beautiful Coatepeque Caldera on my trip. Here are Lonely Planet’s top places to visit in the country.
Panama Canal Layover
On the sample itinerary above, the layover in Panama City is 5.5 hours on the way to El Salvador, just enough time to visit the Panama Canal like I did a few weeks ago.
Mileage Earning
These are T class fares from Copa. United offers 50% mileage earning on Copa T fare.
Great Circle Mapper has the roundtrip at 5,844 miles flown, so you’d earn 2,922 United miles by crediting your ticket there.
Best Way to Buy the Ticket
You should definitely purchase your Copa ticket with a credit card that imposes no foreign transaction fees. Your top choice should be the Citi Prestige® Card, since it comes with a $250 Air Travel Credit every calendar year that will cover the purchase of this ticket. If you haven’t used the credit yet, buy this fare with your Prestige, and you will receive an offsetting credit on your next statement: a completely free ticket!
Even if you’ve already used your $250 credit for this year, the card offers 3x on all airfare purchases.
See my review of the Citi Prestige Card which explains its many benefits like it annual $250 Air Travel Credit, 50,000 point sign up bonus, access to the American Airlines Admirals Clubs and Priority Pass lounges, 3x points per dollar on air travel and hotels, and a $450 annual fee.
My second choice would be the Citi ThankYou® Premier Card, which offers 3x on all travel and gas purchases and also has no foreign transaction fees. The card comes with 50,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months.
Copa Baggage Policy
You can take one carry on and one personal item for free. You can have two checked bags of up to 50 pounds each for free. (Full policy.)
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
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