WestJet has unveiled its seasonal route schedule for the 2026–2027 winter season. The cornerstone of this network expansion is the inauguration of direct flights between Calgary and Mérida, located in the state of Yucatán, Mexico.
Operating once weekly starting December 17, this service will stand as the only direct, non-stop connection between the cultural and commercial hub of the Yucatán Peninsula and Western Canada. With this strategic move, the carrier is capitalizing on strong Canadian demand for safe, culturally rich destinations, offering seamless access to the region’s culinary heritage, architecture, and history.
In parallel, the Canadian carrier will boost regional connectivity by launching four additional weekly routes:
- Winnipeg – Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: Launching November 28, 2026.
- Winnipeg – Belize: Launching December 14, 2026.
- Regina – San José del Cabo, Mexico: Launching December 14, 2026.
- Ottawa – Liberia, Costa Rica: Launching December 20, 2026.
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Market Positioning and Fleet Optimization
The addition of these sectors aligns with a strategy aimed at efficiently deploying capacity during the peak demand months of the Northern Hemisphere winter.
“These additions support the growing demand for choices in Mexico and the Latin Caribbean, while sustainably expanding our schedule and managing our fleet through the busy winter travel period,” said John Weatherill, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer at WestJet. “We’re excited to offer more ways for our guests to swap snow boots for sandals in the destinations that matter most to them, and we look forward to the travel stories that will take off from these exciting new choices.”
With this announcement, WestJet reaffirms its position as Canada’s leading leisure airline for sun destinations. At the peak of the winter schedule, the carrier will connect 15 Canadian cities to 50 sun destinations, outpacing any other competitor in the market.
In terms of market share, the airline will retain top position by flight volume from Canada to Mexico, while maintaining its operational leadership with direct links to Belize and Liberia (Costa Rica). The airline noted that further capacity increases on its highest-yielding, mature routes will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Group Synergy: Sunwing Vacations Bolsters Tour Package Offerings
To support the overall growth of the WestJet Group as Canada’s largest tour operator, Sunwing Vacations introduced its full winter lineup, running from November 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027.
The vacation division confirmed three core vacation package offerings for the season:
- Winnipeg – Punta Cana: Operational from November 4, 2026 (previously served in 2025).
- Québec City – Roatán, Honduras: Operational from December 14, 2026 (previously served in 2025).
- Ottawa – Liberia: Operating for the first time starting December 20, 2026.
Additionally, Sunwing Vacations confirmed the return of packages to high-demand seasonal hotspots such as Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and the island of Roatán in Honduras. The complete schedule is now open for booking across its official channels.
The WestJet Group’s strategy for the 2026–2027 season reflects a fine-tuning of capacity allocation, leveraging its Calgary hub infrastructure to open unserved markets like Mérida, while utilizing direct point-to-point flights from secondary gateways (Winnipeg, Regina, Ottawa, and Québec City) to optimize Available Seat Kilometer (ASK) yields.
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