Cardholders can now use their miles with Copa Airlines ConnectMiles as the latest addition to Capital One's transfer partners. You will earn points to redeem on Copa, and more than 1,150 worldwide destinations with Star Alliance, and grab a trip from 17 U.S. cities to over 65 destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The new partnership comes with a limited time 30% transfer bonus until December 1, 2026 as well. How it works, how ConnectMiles are becoming easier to earn and some of the best collecting tips.

How the 30% Transfer Bonus Works

Now, you can easily transfer Capital One miles to Copa's ConnectMiles program. The default transfer ratio is 2 to 1.5, where 750 ConnectMiles are awarded for 1,000 Capital One Miles transferred.

To celebrate the partnership, Capital One is giving a 30% transfer bonus until December 1, 2026. That's a nice improvement to 975 ConnectMiles for 1,000 Capital One miles, or pretty close to 1-for-1.

Example: If you transfer 50,000 Capital One miles during the promotion, you will be awarded 48,750 ConnectMiles instead of 37,500. That's an additional 11,250 miles for the same Capital One miles.

You can transfer before the bonus expires, which is December 1, 2026, so it's advisable to make the choice before the cut-off date. Transfers are typically non-refundable, so it's important to have a trip planned in mind before transferring miles.

The exchange of ConnectMiles is getting more convenient.

Capital One is not the only program to have recently launched Copa. On October 25, 2026, Citi ThankYou Rewards also announced that Copa will be a transfer partner, allowing cardholders to earn more miles with the Panama based airline. ConnectMiles also has other partnerships, including Rove Miles and Marriott Bonvoy, but with different transfer ratios.

There weren't many options other than flying, purchasing miles and using the shopping partners to earn ConnectMiles until recently. Now there are a few more destinations, such as transfers from two of the biggest credit card rewards programs in the United States. That really is a change for a program that was difficult to access by travelers in the United States.

Events & Travel > Southwest Airlines > Use ConnectMiles Without Flying Copa

It's not necessary to use Copa flights to earn ConnectMiles. Copa belongs to the Star Alliance, meaning that miles can be used to book flights with other airlines, including United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa and ANA. That includes high quality seats in the cabins, e.g. Lufthansa.

There's also a set award rate which means you'll know how much an award flight should cost, if available. Below are some examples of one-way awards.

• It costs $12,500 for an economy ticket within the U.S. or Canada.
• U.S. or Canada to Central America or the Caribbean: 15,000 miles economy/30,000 miles business
• Economy from the U.S. or Canada to northern South America is 20,000 miles, business class 40,000 miles
• A non-stop flight from the U.S. or Canada to Europe has a 30,000 mile economy class fare and 70,000 mile business class fare.
• The business class fare from the U.S. or Canada to Japan is 75,000 miles, while first class is 110,000 miles.
• For those who prefer to fly Copa themselves, the cost of one-way economy tickets from the U.S. to Panama begin at 17,500 miles while business class tickets start at 30,000 miles.

You can use a fixed chart to plan easier as you can calculate the cost beforehand rather than estimating a moving price. For travellers that don't like dynamic pricing, that predictability is definitely a benefit.

The Panama Stopover

Copa also provides a stopover program which allows flyers to stay in Panama for up to 15 days before traveling to their final destination, at no extra airfare cost. That gives the opportunity to go to two places for the price of one.

It can be a mere addition to a traveler's trip when they are headed to Central or South America or are destinations on a Star Alliance network airline. A great way to explore a new destination without overspending on the trip.

Before transferring, check for any holes, nails, or other broken surfaces.

If you are interested in transferring your Capital One miles to ConnectMiles, ensure that the award is available and compare the price with other Star Alliance award programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles. The 30% bonus sounds great, but it won't necessarily make ConnectMiles the best price to travel.

It takes a few minutes to compare programs but can save a lot of miles! But if a flight is cheaper by other providers, then the bonus might not be worth it for Copa. Rather than tell yourself that the bonus is to be taken for granted, remember that it is an extra helping.

• Determine who should take the lead over the transfer.Identify those who should be the lead.
• This offer is applicable for a couple of types of travelers.
• Anyone with a card who's in the market for a trip to Central America, the Caribbean or northern South America
• If a traveller wishes to reserve an award with a partner airline from the Star Alliance alliance they can do so.
• Anyone seeking to visit two places in one trip during the stopover in Panama.
• If you don't see any of these in your plans, there's no hurry. A bonus is not worth claiming unless it coincides with a trip that you really want to make.

The Bottom Line

Capital One is rolling out yet another way for cardholders to use their miles to book travel through the Star Alliance network, with Copa Airlines as its latest transfer partner. The 30% transfer bonus until 1st December 2026 is a nice promotion, particularly if you have a dream destination of a flight to Central or South America or you're planning to book a Star Alliance partner award.

Just be sure to check availability and compare prices before you transfer and be sure the flight you want is available before you transfer any miles.