WestJet has just announced its plans for the upcoming 2024/2025 winter season, and chief among them is its largest-ever winter flight schedule from Edmonton (YEG).
The upcoming winter timetable, set to officially begin on October 27, 2024, will see the Alberta-based carrier increase its capacity from Edmonton by up to 20%.
As a result, the city will have direct access to 16 destinations in Canada, nine US destinations (including Hawaii), and five destinations in Mexico.
WestJet Boosts Service from Edmonton for Winter 2024
WestJet is beefing up its Edmonton flight schedule this coming winter season. As per the International Airline Transportation Association (IATA), the 2024 Northern Hemisphere winter season for airlines starts on October 27, 2024 and ends on March 29, 2025.
Over that period, WestJet will increase its overall capacity in Edmonton by 20% compared to Winter 2023. What this looks like is that the airline will operate 313 flights from Edmonton each week.
Notably, WestJet is launching winter services between Edmonton and Ottawa (11x weekly), as well as Edmonton and Montreal (5x weekly). Previously, both of these routes had only been operated in the summer season.
Here’s a list of WestJet’s planned domestic services out of Edmonton:
- Edmonton (YEG) – Ottawa (YOW)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Montreal (YUL)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Winnipeg (YWG)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Vancouver (YVR)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Abbotsford (YXX)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Regina (YQR)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Victoria (YYJ)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Saskatoon (YXE)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Kelowna (YLW)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Comox (YQQ)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Calgary (YYC)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Toronto (YYZ)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Fort McMurray (YMM)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Grand Prairie (YQU)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Halifax (YHZ)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Yellowknife (YZF)
Among transborder services, WestJet has highlighted that it will be continuing its daily Edmonton–Atlanta flights into the winter. These Atlanta flights are meant to connect to the services of WestJet’s strategic partner, Delta Air Lines.
Here’s a list of WestJet’s planned transborder services out of Edmonton:
- Edmonton (YEG) – Atlanta (ATL)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Las Vegas (LAS)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Minneapolis (MSP)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Phoenix (PHX)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Palm Springs (PSP)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Orlando (MCO)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Honolulu (HNL)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Maui (OGG)
Lastly, for services to Mexico, WestJet will be mounting more flights to Cancun and Huatulco. Both destinations will see one more weekly flight compared to last winter, upping their frequency to 9x weekly for Cancun and 3x weekly for Huatulco.
Here’s a list of WestJet’s planned services to Mexico out of Edmonton:
- Edmonton (YEG) – Huatulco (HUX)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Cancun (CUN)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Los Cabos (SJD)
- Edmonton (YEG) – Mazatlan (MZT)
WestJet Cements Itself as Edmonton’s #1 Carrier
As WestJet increases capacity out of Edmonton this winter, the carrier is cementing itself as the number one carrier servicing Alberta’s capital, providing 50% of its air travel.
Most of Air Canada’s services link Edmonton with its hubs in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. As a result, WestJet remains the sole carrier on many non-stop routes from Edmonton, especially to the US and smaller Canadian cities, such as Regina and Comox.
Furthermore, we’re continuing to see how two of Canada’s largest airlines are establishing their respective turfs – Air Canada for most of Eastern Canada, and WestJet for most of Western Canada.
For the past few years, WestJet has been boosting its services out of its primary hub in Calgary, while also increasing capacity from Edmonton. Air Canada has been launching new services out of Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, and paring down its domestic, transborder, and international routes from Calgary.
WestJet is also in the process of integrating Sunwing into its mainline operations, which will establish a stronger presence to leisure destinations departing from Toronto and Montreal, amongst other cities.
Conclusion
For the winter season, WestJet has highlighted that it will be increasing its overall capacity in Edmonton by 20%.
As announced, the carrier will fly direct between Edmonton and 16 destinations in Canada, nine destinations in the US (including Hawaii), and five destinations in Mexico.
This boost will cement the carrier as the number one airline in Alberta’s capital, providing 50% of its air travel.
If you are flying Edmonton to Ottawa, Toronto, or Montreal, try flying Porter – I have yet to meet someone who was disappointed flying on one of their Embraer E2s