WestJet is preparing for a busy few months of route additions, with nine international corridors set to join its growing network from December onwards. These new routes are primarily leisure-focused, serving short-haul international destinations and giving Canadian travelers a chance to sample much-needed winter sun during the colder months. They are spread across six Canadian bases.

According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, WestJet is Canada’s second-largest airline, with 14,669 flights set to depart from the country’s airports this October. This puts it comfortably ahead of third-placed Porter Airlines (6,750), while Air Canada sits out in front (24,883). Calgary International Airport (YYC) is its top base, with 4,881 departures, so we’ll start our analysis there.

Two New Routes From WestJet’s Busiest Base

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Both of Calgary’s new international additions will join the WestJet network in December. On the long-haul front, WestJet has penciled in 27 rotations between Calgary and São Paulo Guarulhos Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU) in Brazil between December and January, with these flights operating up to three times a week. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is its aircraft of choice.

Closer to home, WestJet’s other December addition from Calgary is Mérida International Airport (MID) in Mexico. These flights will run for longer, with their season lasting until early April, but their lower frequency (just one rotation a week) means that just 16 round trips have been penciled in using the 737-800.

John Weatherill, WestJet’s EVP and CCO, recently commented on the winter expansion.

“We are excited to offer more ways for guests to trade their 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 options.”

A Pair Of Pairs

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WestJet will operate two new international routes from two more Canadian airports this winter. One such facility is Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) in Manitoba. From there, passengers can also look forward to short-term leisure coverage, such as weekly flights to Puerto Plata (POP) from December to early April.

These services are set to be operated by 737 MAX 8 narrowbody twinjets, with this model also dominating WestJet’s coverage on its new route from Winnipeg to Philip SW Goldson International Airport (BZE) in Belize City. The carrier will serve this route weekly from December until mid-April, with the 737 MAX 8 operating all but one rotation. The exception is a 737-800 service in December.

Elsewhere, WestJet also plans two international additions from Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) in the coming few months. Unlike those covered so far, these will not overlap. Instead, its 737 MAX 8s will fly weekly from Québec City to Roatán (RTB), Honduras, from December to early April, then switch to Samaná, Dominican Republic, until at least September.

Three Singles

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Three more Canadian airports have one new international WestJet route to look forward to in the coming months. First, it plans to link London International Airport (YXU) in Ontario with Montego Bay (MBJ) in Jamaica weekly from mid-December to early April. Most rotations will use the 737 MAX 8, but one in January will use the 737-800. Both models have 174 seats.

Elsewhere, the carrier has an even shorter season planned for its new Regina-Los Cabos route in Mexico, with flights running only from December to late March. These will use the 737-700 (once), 737-800 (twice), and 737 MAX 8 (13 times). Finally, Saskatoon will have weekly flights to Mazatlán, Mexico, from mid-December to early April using 737-800s and MAX 8s.