WestJet announces expanded winter schedule with more sun destinations than ever before Français
This winter, WestJet will operate 305 total routes and serve 62 Latin American, Caribbean, and US sun destinations, delivering more affordable opportunities for Canadians to escape the cold and enjoy sun-filled getaways. With both flight-only options through WestJet, and vacation packages through Sunwing Vacations Group, WestJet leads sun travel from Canada.
"Canadians want value while escaping the cold, and WestJet's 2025/2026 winter schedule delivers on both affordability and choice," said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "By expanding our sun network, strengthening key routes and growing strategically across Canada and internationally, WestJet is coming through for Canadians by connecting them to the destinations they love at prices they can afford. In fact, 71 per cent of WestJet's non-stop services are currently priced lower than they were in 2024."
New destinations and routes
The schedule adds new destinations Panama City, Panama; Guadalajara, Mexico; Tepic (Nayarit), Mexico; Havana, Cuba; and Managua, Nicaragua. The schedule also marks Mexico City's first winter season of operation since becoming a year-round service.
Seat capacity across the Latin America and Caribbean region is scheduled to grow by six per cent, with popular vacation hotspots like Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Mexico in focus for new route growth.
New routes
Peak frequency
Start date
End date
Calgary – Cozumel
1x weekly
December 20, 2025
April 11, 2026
Calgary – Puerto Plata
1x weekly
December 14, 2025
April 12, 2026
Vancouver – Liberia
1x weekly
December 12, 2025
April 24, 2026
Montréal – Samaná
2x weekly
December 11, 2025
April 12, 2026
Québec City – Montego Bay
1x weekly
December 6, 2025
April 11, 2026
Thunder Bay – Punta Cana
1x weekly
December 16, 2025
April 7, 2026
Winnipeg – Liberia
1x weekly
December 19, 2025
April 25, 2026
Returning routes for Winter 2025/26
Samaná, Dominican Republic, previously offered only through Sunwing Airlines, will now be offered by WestJet, connecting guests to one of the Caribbean's fastest-growing eco-tourism regions, known for its pristine beaches and natural beauty. WestJet also returns service to four additional routes, while restarting seasonal service to dozens of Canada's favourite winter destinations.
Strengthening Asia connectivity
In addition to sun expansion, WestJet is continuing its growth in international markets. Service between the airline's global hub in Calgary and Tokyo (Narita) will increase from three to seven flights per week, enabling daily connectivity to Asia and contributing to 18 per cent year-over-year in intercontinental growth.
"We're prioritizing flexibility, optionality and value to meet Canadians' demand to visit warm weather destinations. With a peak of over 4,300 weekly departures to 106 destinations planned this winter, there's something for everyone!" added Weatherill.
WestJet's full winter 2025/26 schedule is available for booking from July 14, 2025.
Additional quotes
Panama City (PTY) – Gloria De León Zubieta, Minister of Tourism of Panama.
"We are pleased to welcome WestJet's upcoming service between Calgary and Panama City, which represents more than a new route, it is an opportunity for Panama to further connect with a high value market like Canada and continue positioning itself as a strategic hub in the region. This connection supports our national goal of attracting more international visitors, and showcasing Panama as a destination that bridges continents, cultures, and opportunities," stated Gloria De León Zubieta, Minister of Tourism of Panama.
"This new direct service from Calgary represents much more than just an air connection: This is the result of years of work in conjunction with WestJet, a strategic airline in the Canadian market and a key player in the international expansion of the Riviera Nayarit. Thanks to the new Riviera Nayarit International Airport and historic levels of investment in the regional infrastructure, we can now offer a modern, efficient gateway that is perfectly connected to Mexico's top destinations such as Sayulita, Tequila, Punta Mita, and San Blas, with travel times shorter than ever before.
The region is undergoing an unprecedented transformation: tourism is growing, investment is flowing, and we are laying the foundations for sustainable, inclusive, and high-value development in Nayarit."
Tepic/Nayarit (TPQ) – Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero, Governor of Nayarit
"We are pleased to announce the launch of a new direct route between Calgary and the Tepic–Riviera Nayarit International Airport, operated by WestJet. This historic flight marks the first direct connection between Canada and the state of Nayarit, representing a major milestone in the expansion of international tourism to the region. This new route makes it easier for Canadian travelers to explore the rich cultural heritage, stunning natural landscapes, and sunny beaches of the Riviera Nayarit and the entire state. We look forward to welcoming more visitors to experience the warmth, beauty, and vibrant traditions that make Nayarit a truly unique destination."
Guadalajara (GDL) – Raúl Revuelta Musalem, CEO of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico
"The launch of this new route to Calgary, operated by a renowned airline like WestJet, not only expands travel options but also drives an increase in tourist arrivals to the state of Jalisco. In line with our expansion plans, we continue to create optimal conditions for Guadalajara Airport to position itself as a strategic hub for operations targeting the Canadian market," said Raúl Revuelta Musalem, CEO of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico.
Havana (HAV) – Cuban Aviation Corporation
"The Cuban Aviation Corporation enthusiastically welcomes the announcement of WestJet's operations to Havana this winter. This new service represents a significant step in strengthening ties between Canada and Cuba, and will facilitate the access of more Canadian visitors to the Cuban capital, contributing to the recovery and revitalization of the national tourism sector.
We warmly welcome WestJet and wish it every success in this new era, convinced that its presence will contribute to the sustainable growth of tourism and aviation in Cuba."
WestJet Cargo – Amanda Ierfino, Vice-President of Sales & Cargo, WestJet
"WestJet's 2025/2026 winter schedule marks a pivotal moment for our growing belly cargo operations," said Amanda Ierfino, WestJet Vice-President, Sales and Cargo. " With expanded capacity and increasing momentum, we expect strong cargo demand across new routes to Guadalajara, Managua, Samaná and Havana. The launch of daily service to Tokyo is particularly exciting, as it presents robust two-way trade potential in high-value sectors such as electronics, automotive components, machinery and premium perishables like seafood and fresh fruit."
About WestJet
WestJet took to the skies in 1996 with just over 200 employees and three aircraft operating service to five destinations. Since then, WestJet has pioneered low-cost travel in Canada, cutting airfares in half, and increasing the flying population in Canada by more than 50 per cent. Following integration with Sunwing in 2025, more than 14,000 WestJetters support nearly 200 aircraft and connect guests to more than 100 destinations across North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.
As a major Canadian employer that includes WestJet Airlines, Sunwing Vacations Group and WestJet Cargo, the WestJet Group is Canada's leading low-cost airline and largest vacation provider, with a united purpose of providing affordable and accessible air and vacation travel to Canadians.
Learn more about WestJet at westjet.com/en-ca/who-we-are (also available in French)
Follow WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet
Follow WestJet on X at x.com/westjet and x.com/WestJetNews
Follow WestJet on Instagram at instagram.com/westjet/
Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
35 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
China extends visa-free entry to more than 70 countries to draw tourists
WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreign tourists are trickling back to China after the country loosened its visa policy to unprecedented levels. Citizens from 74 countries can now enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, a big jump from previous regulations. The government has been steadily expanding visa-free entry in a bid to boost tourism, the economy and its soft power. More than 20 million foreign visitors entered without a visa in 2024 — almost one-third of the total and more than double from the previous year, according to the National Immigration Administration. 'This really helps people to travel because it is such a hassle to apply for a visa and go through the process,' Georgi Shavadze, a Georgian living in Austria, said on a recent visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. While most tourist sites are still packed with far more domestic tourists than foreigners, travel companies and tour guides are now bracing for a bigger influx in anticipation of summer holiday goers coming to China. 'I'm practically overwhelmed with tours and struggling to keep up' says Gao Jun, a veteran English-speaking tour guide with over 20 years of experience. To meet growing demand, he launched a new business to train anyone interested in becoming an English-speaking tour guide. 'I just can't handle them all on my own' he said. After lifting tough COVID-19 restrictions, China reopened its borders to tourists in early 2023, but only 13.8 million people visited in that year, less than half the 31.9 million in 2019, the last year before the pandemic. 30 days for many in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Mideast In December 2023, China announced visa-free entry for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. Almost all of Europe has been added since then. Travelers from five Latin American countries and Uzbekistan became eligible last month, followed by four in the Middle East. The total will grow to 75 on July 16 with the addition of Azerbaijan. About two-thirds of the countries have been granted visa-free entry on a one-year trial basis. For Norwegian traveler Øystein Sporsheim, this means his family would no longer need to make two round-trip visits to the Chinese embassy in Oslo to apply for a tourist visa, a time-consuming and costly process with two children in tow. 'They don't very often open, so it was much harder' he said. 'The new visa policies are 100% beneficial to us,' said Jenny Zhao, a managing director of WildChina, which specializes in boutique and luxury routes for international travelers. She said business is up 50% compared with before the pandemic. While the U.S. remains their largest source market, accounting for around 30% of their current business, European travelers now make up 15–20% of their clients, a sharp increase from less than 5% before 2019, according to Zhao. 'We're quite optimistic' Zhao said, 'we hope these benefits will continue.' Group, a Shanghai-based online travel agency, said the visa-free policy has significantly boosted tourism. Air, hotel and other bookings on their website for travel to China doubled in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year, with 75% of the visitors from visa-free regions. No major African country is eligible for visa-free entry, despite the continent's relatively close ties with China. North Americans and some others in transit can enter for 10 days Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Those from 10 countries not in the visa-free scheme have another option: entering China for up to 10 days if they depart for a different country than the one they came from. The policy is limited to 60 ports of entry, according to the country's National Immigration Administration. The transit policy applies to 55 countries, but most are also on the 30-day visa-free entry list. It does offer a more restrictive option for citizens of the 10 countries that aren't: the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Indonesia, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Sweden is the only high-income European country that didn't make the 30-day list. Ties with China have frayed since the ruling Chinese Communist Party sentenced a Swedish book seller, Gui Minhai, to prison for 10 years in 2020. Gui disappeared in 2015 from his seaside home in Thailand but turned up months later in police custody in mainland China. ___ Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu and video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
New WestJet routes unveiled—with noticeable absence of U.S. locales
Calgary Watch Calgary-based WestJet has rolled out its winter schedule, adding five new destinations for sun-seekers—none of them in the U.S.
Canada Standard
2 hours ago
- Canada Standard
Could new pipelines shield Canada from U.S. tariffs? The answer is complicated
It should come as no surprise that United States President Donald Trump's tariff threats have renewed interest in building pipelines that don't rely on access to the American market. Almost four million barrels of crude oil cross the Canada-U.S. border each day, generating revenue of more than $100 billion per year - a quarter of Alberta's GDP. A February survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that half of Canadians believe the federal government isn't doing enough to expand pipeline capacity. Meanwhile, two-thirds said they would back reviving the Energy East project - a cancelled pipeline that would have transported oil from western Canada to New Brunswick and Quebec. But would new pipelines truly insulate Canada from the threat of U.S. tariffs? And how much new pipeline capacity is necessary? Despite the apparent urgency of approving new infrastructure projects, these questions remain surprisingly unexplored. In a recent paper I co-authored with researcher Jotham Peters, which is currently under revision, we applied formal economic modelling techniques to parse through the costs and benefits of new pipelines, and in particular to understand the role of American tariffs in shaping these costs and benefits. In a worst-case scenario where the U.S. follows through on its threat of a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian oil exports, Canadian producers could lose as much as $14 billion in annual revenue - roughly a 10 per cent decrease. Simply put, Canada's existing pipeline network severely limits access to markets other than the U.S., and as a consequence oil producers bear the full brunt of American tariffs. But what if Northern Gateway and Energy East - two previously cancelled pipelines that would have brought Canadian oil to tidewater - had been built? If Northern Gateway and Energy East were operational in 2025, Canada would be more resilient, but not completely immune, to U.S. tariffs. Instead of a $14 billion loss, tariffs would reduce annual revenue by $9 billion. Ultimately, the combined capacity of Northern Gateway and Energy East, which would be 1.625 million barrels per day, pales in comparison to the four million barrels per day of existing pipeline capacity connecting Canadian producers with American refineries. Closing this gap would require an expansion of east-west pipeline capacity far beyond the cancelled pipelines of the last decade. So have the recent shifts in U.S. trade policy fundamentally altered the economic case in favour of new east-west pipelines? As with most economic analyses, the answer is complicated. On the one hand, any progress that mitigates the significant cost of U.S. tariffs are likely dollars well spent. Building new pipelines strengthens the bargaining power of Canadian producers, which carries an additional benefit of potentially increasing the return on each barrel sold to our southern neighbour. There's also a long-term capacity issue. Existing pipelines may reach their limit by 2035. In the absence of new pipelines, any new production after 2035 would either need to be transported by rail at a higher cost, or left in the ground. On the other hand, if the U.S. never follows through on tariffs on energy exports - or if future administrations do not share Trump's affinity for chaotic trade policy - Canada could end up right back where it started when these projects were cancelled. All pipelines carry some economic benefit, but such benefits were not enough in 2016 and 2017 to warrant the construction of the Northern Gateway and Energy East pipelines. The elephant in the room is whether a significant expansion in pipeline capacity could realistically be achieved at reasonable cost. Recent evidence suggests it could be a challenge. The Trans Mountain expansion project, for instance, was initially estimated to cost $5.4 billion in 2013. By the time it was completed in 2024, the final price tag had ballooned to $34 billion - a cost overrun of 380 per cent when accounting for inflation. The Coastal GasLink pipeline, which transports natural gas, faced similar issues. It was initially projected to cost $4 billion in 2012 and was completed in 2023 at a final cost of $14.5 billion, with an inflation-adjusted overrun of 180 per cent. While some of these costs were circumstantial - a major flood affected Trans Mountain, for example - increased efficiency in pipeline construction is necessary for the economic benefits of new pipelines to be realized, regardless of U.S. trade policy. While our research explores the economic impact of new pipelines in the face of U.S. tariffs, we acknowledge there are other issues that need to be considered. Chief among them is ensuring Canada meets its constitutional obligation to consult First Nations on decisions, like natural resources projects, that affect their communities and territories. Although this lies beyond our area of expertise, it will inevitably be an important element of consideration for any new pipeline developments. Read more: The complicated history of building pipelines in Canada The environmental impacts of new pipelines are another key concern. These impacts range from local exposure to oil spills to upstream greenhouse gas emissions associated with oil production. While these varying and complex impacts are also beyond the scope of our current work, future research should focus on quantifying the potential environmental impacts of new pipelines. Our research cannot say whether any new pipeline project is good, bad or in Canada's national interest. But we can help Canadians reach an informed decision about how changes in U.S. trade policy may or may not alter the economic case for new pipelines in this country. While Canada would undoubtedly be in a stronger position to respond to U.S. tariffs were Northern Gateway and Energy East operational in 2025, it would still find itself significantly exposed to Trump's tariff threats. Fully removing this exposure would require not one but seven pipelines equivalent to Northern Gateway. Whether that's a goal worth pursuing is a broader question - one we hope our research can help Canadians and policymakers reach on their own.
