WestJet restores transatlantic link to Cardiff with new Toronto service
November 21, 2025
WestJet is to launch a Toronto–Cardiff link next summer, restoring a transatlantic connection to Wales for the first time since 2008.
The route to the Welsh capital is one of the most notable additions in the airline’s initial 2026 network plans, and the first transatlantic service to the city since Canada’s Zoom Airlines went bust in 2008.
WestJet broadens its European reach
WestJet will operate the route four times weekly from 22 May 2026, putting Cardiff alongside several other new long-haul additions intended to broaden the carrier’s network from eastern Canada.
The airline confirmed the Cardiff launch as part of a wider package of international growth from Toronto and Halifax.
From Toronto Pearson, WestJet also intends to add services to Medellín in Colombia and Ponta Delgada, while reinstating Glasgow – previously served in 2022.
The expansion is enabled by the airline’s Boeing 737-8 MAX fleet, which has become the core of its long-range narrowbody strategy.
“Leveraging the extended range capability of our growing share of Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, WestJet is pleased to deliver a suite of new global destinations that are uniquely suited to our leisure strategy in Eastern Canada. The MAX can connect Eastern Canada to rich cultural destinations that guests want to travel to, and we are proud to be the airline that takes them there,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, WestJet Chief Executive Officer.
“Toronto Pearson International Airport serves as a natural connector for international travel, and we look forward to the two-way travel opportunities that will come from one of WestJet’s biggest investments in the region.”
Cardiff re-enters the transatlantic market
The reintroduction of a direct Canadian link into Cardiff marks a major development for the Welsh capital, which has been without a transatlantic service since Zoom Airlines’ short-lived operation in 2008.
WestJet’s decision aligns with a broader industry trend in which airlines increasingly deploy long-range single-aisle aircraft for underserved transatlantic markets.
The move also comes amid a strong period of transatlantic growth. United Airlines plans to open several new US–Europe markets in summer 2026, including Bari, Split, Glasgow and Santiago de Compostela, while JetBlue is adding new links to Barcelona and Milan from Boston.
Airlines on both sides of the Atlantic are leaning heavily on seasonal and leisure-led network strategies as demand remains robust.
Halifax strengthened as an Atlantic gateway
WestJet is also increasing its presence in Halifax, which the airline has been developing as a principal gateway to Europe.
The 2026 schedule will add seasonal flights from Halifax to Madrid, Lisbon and Copenhagen, while a new service to Detroit will bolster North American connectivity.
Further west, WestJet plans to launch weekly links from both Edmonton and Winnipeg to Reykjavik, opening new access to Iceland.
Complementing these additions are two new domestic services: Winnipeg–London (Ontario), operating three times weekly, and Vancouver–Penticton, flown with WestJet Encore’s Dash 8-400.
Alongside its network expansion, WestJet and Sunwing Vacations will convert several seasonal sun routes to year-round schedules from Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Calgary and Winnipeg.
The airline says the move reflects strong demand for leisure travel and provides greater stability across its long-haul and short-haul networks.
Featured image: WestJet
