I thought this will be useful for travelers interested in the amazon.

Copa will fly from its hub Panama to Iquitos, avoiding the current mandatory stop in Lima
http://www.peruthisweek.com/news-191...hts-this-year/

This is the second international airport not located in Lima, after Cusco that receives flights from Bolivia. Not sure if it will receive flights from other countries in the next future, or they will wait to open the new Cusco airport at Chincheros (2014 or 2015).

I hope they modernize the airport and add some stores and/or restaurants. I was there a couple of years ago, and as far as I can remember, there was not much to do while waiting for a flight.

It has been modernized. All airports managed by "Aeropuertos del Peru" look far better than 2 or 3 years ago. New bathrooms, counters, furniture. Unfortunately they have not added many restaurants, shops, entertainment. They do have free wifi.

The list of airports managed by ADP is here
http://www.adp.com.pe/front/servicio...ntAeropuerto=5

I see Chachapoyas is on the way of being reactivated. That will give the opportunity to appreciate one of the not so popular peruvian wonders: Kuelap

That is good to know. My kids want to go back and do another excursion through the Amazon. They enjoyed very much when we went there in 2010 and we might go again next year.

That is good news. Thanks, Villavic. My only complaint about travel to Peru is the often inconvenient connection time at LIM. LIM is so much nicer than it used to be, but I'd still rather not spend so many hours there, and that's frequently what happens. Any chance to bypass the connection is a good one to take.

Now if they can only get the new CUZ up and running. I write for a guidebook publisher, and every edition of our guide to Peru, we say: "A new airport serving Cusco is on the drawing board and is scheduled to open between Chinchero and Urubamba in 20** or 20**." Every edition, we keep pushing the date back. I do notice that land is getting snapped up for development out in the Sacred Valley in anticipation of the new airport being built.

Unfortunately that's true. I hope they will announce the definitive date soon, as the LIM second runway too (it's predicted to be ready by 2014... or 2015?)

Actually, I'm thinking Peru has 5 international airports: AQP, CUZ, IQT, LIM, PIU.

My mistake about CUZ, I meant it receives flights from Bolivia.

There were few international airports 20 years ago, including Iquitos. Not sure why they closed the international connections then.

Yes doing a deeper research I find Arequipa has Sky Airline and other small airlines flights to Chile. And it's an "Aeropuerto International". However I don't know why is not so promoted and there are no LAN, Copa, or Taca flights (or US airlines).

Piura does not show the "Aeropuerto International" title in the Corpac website, though I see there were some TAME flights to Ecuador. But Aeropuertos del Peru website includes only LAN, Peruvian and TACA as regular airlines (and I think those are domestics) for the Piura airport.

In general there are no main connections to other Peru airports, from international large airlines. Due to weather conditions, some international airlines land in Pisco or Chiclayo instead of Lima but those are exceptional landings. But thinking in regular flights, there is no advertisement of direct flights to other peruvian destinies. The Copa to Iquitos is the first one I read in a long time.

interesting addition to Copa's network but seems a bit bizarre - sort of like Singapore Airlines adding Ayers Rock to its destination list.
I suppose the distances are shorter and smaller planes are used by Copa ex-Panama. Maybe there is abig enough market in people who only want to fly in for an Amazonian adventure. They do fly Manaus-Panama as well I think so could market USA-PTY-IQT-cruise-MAO-PTY-USA all in trips

I don't know if I'd use the word bizarre but yes I was surprised Iquitos was the first airport to be advertised as a new international destiny. As I read the strategy is to promote eco and adventure trips, and probaby the market research has defined it would be an advantage to fly to peruvian jungle, from US or Europe, thru Panama.

Iquitos is not a hub within Peru, so if tourists in Iquitos want to go also to Cusco, Puno, or Arequipa, they should go to Lima anyway. Of course this can change, but I've not read about any increase of flights from IQT to other peruvian cities.

By odd coincidence, I was just speaking with someone who flew Copa Iquitos - Panama a few weeks ago... reason: beach vacation.

Now that I'd say it's bizarre!! ha haa

The city is excited with the first arrival this saturday, as music and dances will be the welcome at the airport.

The ceremony will take several details, as there will be a special issue of the Cocama Cocamilla, who won one of the categories of the latest music and dance festival of San Juan (the biggest holiday in the region), the music will be played with the typical instrument: the manguar�

Iquitos welcome party to Copa