Net employee defined benefit - Summary of Reconciliation of Net Employee Defined Benefit Liabilities (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Disclosure of net defined benefit asset (liability) [line items]
Beginning balance	$ 249	$ 5,091	$ 3,185
Current service cost	(2,393)	(2,192)	(2,105)
Interest (cost) income	25	92	24
Return on plan assets	374		483
Experience (loss) gain	(4,001)	(1,681)	(1,943)
Investment return		138	67
Actuarial changes arising from changes in financial assumptions	(1,028)	(1,874)	877
Employer contributions	1,709	1,903	4,780
Benefits paid	456	(79)	(209)
Adjustments	(7)	(1,149)	(68)
Ending balance	(14,332)	249	5,091
Past service cost	(457)
Curtailment / Settlement	2,026
Actuarial changes arising from changes in demographic assumptions	(11,285)
Defined benefit obligation [member]
Disclosure of net defined benefit asset (liability) [line items]
Beginning balance	(28,195)	(22,568)	(19,997)
Current service cost	(2,393)	(2,192)	(2,105)
Interest (cost) income	(706)	(887)	(642)
Return on plan assets	0		0
Experience (loss) gain	(4,001)	(1,681)	(1,943)
Investment return			0
Actuarial changes arising from changes in financial assumptions	(1,028)	(1,874)	877
Employer contributions	0	0	0
Benefits paid	6,573	1,007	1,242
Adjustments	0	0	0
Ending balance	(39,466)	(28,195)	(22,568)
Past service cost	(457)
Curtailment / Settlement	2,026
Actuarial changes arising from changes in demographic assumptions	(11,285)
Fair value of assets [member]
Disclosure of net defined benefit asset (liability) [line items]
Beginning balance	29,086	28,339	23,794
Current service cost	0	0	0
Interest (cost) income	731	979	666
Return on plan assets	374		483
Experience (loss) gain	0	0	0
Investment return		138	67
Actuarial changes arising from changes in financial assumptions	0	0	0
Employer contributions	1,709	1,903	4,780
Benefits paid	(6,117)	(1,086)	(1,451)
Adjustments	0	(1,187)	0
Ending balance	25,783	29,086	28,339
Past service cost	0
Curtailment / Settlement	0
Actuarial changes arising from changes in demographic assumptions	0
Other employee benefits liability [member]
Disclosure of net defined benefit asset (liability) [line items]
Beginning balance	(642)	(680)	(612)
Current service cost	0	0	0
Interest (cost) income	0	0	0
Return on plan assets	0		0
Experience (loss) gain	0	0	0
Investment return		0	0
Actuarial changes arising from changes in financial assumptions	0	0
Employer contributions	0	0	0
Benefits paid	0	0	0
Adjustments	(7)	38	(68)
Ending balance	(649)	$ (642)	$ (680)
Past service cost	0
Curtailment / Settlement	0
Actuarial changes arising from changes in demographic assumptions	$ 0

Assumption changes, net defined benefit liability (asset)

No definition available.

Name:	cpa_AssumptionChangesNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	cpa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Benefits paid, net defined benefit liability (asset).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpa_BenefitsPaidNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	cpa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Experience gain (loss), net defined benefit liability (asset).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpa_ExperienceGainLossNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	cpa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Investment return, net defined benefit liability (asset).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpa_InvestmentReturnNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	cpa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Withdrawals from plan by employer net defined benefit liability asset.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpa_WithdrawalsFromPlanByEmployerNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	cpa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The decrease (increase) in a net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from actuarial gains (losses) arising from changes in demographic assumptions that result in remeasurements of the net defined benefit liability (asset). Demographic assumptions deal with matters such as: (a) mortality; (b) rates of employee turnover, disability and early retirement; (c) the proportion of plan members with dependants who will be eligible for benefits; (d) the proportion of plan members who will select each form of payment option available under the plan terms; and (e) claim rates under medical plans. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph c
-Clause ii
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141_c_ii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2020-01-01

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ActuarialGainsLossesArisingFromChangesInDemographicAssumptionsNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from employee service in the current period. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2020-01-01

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_CurrentServiceCostNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAssetLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from settlements. Settlements are transactions that eliminate all further legal or constructive obligations for part or all of the benefits provided under a defined benefit plan, other than a payment of benefits to, or on behalf of, employees that is set out in the terms of the plan and included in the actuarial assumptions. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset); Defined benefit plans [member]; Actuarial assumptions [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2020-01-01

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GainsLossesArisingFromSettlementsNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from changes that the entity does not separately disclose in the same statement or note. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2020-01-01

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncreaseDecreaseThroughOtherChangesNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the passage of time. [Refer: Interest expense; Net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2020-01-01

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_InterestExpenseIncomeNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of deficit or surplus in a defined benefit plan, adjusted for any effect of limiting a net defined benefit asset to the asset ceiling. [Refer: Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 140
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_140_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2020-01-01

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_LiabilityAssetOfDefinedBenefitPlans
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from past service cost. Past service cost is the change in the present value of the defined benefit obligation for employee service in prior periods, resulting from a plan amendment (the introduction or withdrawal of, or changes to, a defined benefit plan) or a curtailment (a significant reduction by the entity in the number of employees covered by a plan). [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset); Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_PastServiceCostNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the return on plan assets, excluding amounts included in interest income or expense. The return on plans assets is interest, dividends and other revenue derived from the plan assets, together with realised and unrealised gains or losses on the plan assets, less any costs of managing plan assets and less any tax payable by the plan itself, other than tax included in the actuarial assumptions used to measure the present value of the defined benefit obligation. [Refer: Plan assets [member]; Net defined benefit liability (asset); Actuarial assumptions [member]; Interest expense (income), net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph c
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141_c_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2020-01-01

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ReturnOnPlanAssetsNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAssetAxis=cpa_DefinedBenefitObligationLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DefinedBenefitPlansAxis=cpa_FairValueOfAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DefinedBenefitPlansAxis=cpa_OtherEmployeeBenefitsLiabilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: