My additional comments:
1 - UG's are fare and status based as far as what I know.
Agreed
2 - As a 1K you have a pretty good chance to receive a complimentary UG although on that long of a flight, I would probably use miles. Did you book it though COPA.COM?
Agree. Though, as a 1K I have missed a few upgrades between IAD-PTY and PTY-MEX, so I would not count on it. Use the RPU's if it is really important to you.
3 - I recently came back from Santiago on COPA and burned only 1 (yes, 1) Regional RPU on 2 segments. This should be easy if you call UA and ask for the Star Alliance desk.
I definitely would not count on the companion upgrade. If it were important to me, I would at least use the RPU for them.
Getting the RPU applied is a little bit of a pain. Here is a thread with info about how to do it is the *A desk does not know. Scroll down to post #10.
Link: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...-rpu-copa.html
4 - Don't know - never flew COPA on coach - always booked on coach but always was UG...
As noted in other posts here, I have changed from being a dedicated exit row flyer and moved to the bulkhead. -700's generally do NOT have the cutout, and -800's do. If I am on a -700, I take an aisle seat so that I can access the overhead.
Row 18, in my experience, has recline, though it may be limited a little.
Also, the seat map does not tell you much. Many COPA flyers do not get an assignment until checkin. I always look here:
Link: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...vailability.do