WestJet expands winter sun routes

Since July 2026 WestJet has rolled out a series of seasonal nonstop flights to warm destinations for Canadian travellers seeking winter sun. Initial announcements covered weekly services from Winnipeg to Belize City, Mérida, San José del Cabo and Punta Cana, plus an Ottawa‑Liberia link, and a Calgary‑Mérida flight operating from 17 December 2026 to 1 April 2027.

In late July, WestJet added a seasonal São Paulo–Calgary route using a Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliner, running from 15 December 2026 to 14 February 2027 and targeting western Canadian tourists heading to the Brazilian hinterland and nearby mountain resorts. The airline highlighted business‑class, premium‑economy and economy cabins for the long‑haul service.

The same period saw Air Canada unveil five new winter‑season nonstop routes, linking Toronto and Montreal to Roatán (Honduras) and Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), and adding seasonal flights to Mérida, Mazatlán and other Caribbean locales. These additions broaden the overall Canadian airline offering of direct warm‑weather vacations throughout the northern winter.

Collectively, the expansions reflect a coordinated effort by Canadian carriers and tourism ministries in the Caribbean, Mexico, Belize and Brazil to capture growing demand for beach and sunny‑climate travel during Canada’s cold months.