WestJet is sharpening its focus on Atlantic Canada for summer 2025, unveiling new domestic routes and a significant capacity boost through Halifax that will reshape how Canadians move across the country and connect onwards to Europe. With fresh nonstop links from the Prairies to Nova Scotia, the return of a key cross-country corridor, and more frequent flights on established routes, the airline is positioning Halifax Stanfield International Airport as a powerful domestic and transatlantic gateway at the heart of its evolving network strategy.
What WestJet Has Announced for Summer 2025
The cornerstone of WestJet’s latest network update is a trio of new domestic routes that all pivot on Halifax. Beginning in late June 2025, the airline will launch entirely new nonstop services from Saskatoon and Regina to Halifax, while also reinstating summer flights between Vancouver and Halifax. These additions are scheduled to roll out just as peak travel season begins, underscoring how crucial the Atlantic hub has become to the carrier’s summer plans.
On top of the new routes, WestJet is reinforcing existing domestic links that feed into Halifax. The airline will substantially increase frequencies on its Halifax services from Winnipeg and Edmonton, and boost flying between Calgary and Deer Lake in western Newfoundland. Taken together, these moves represent one of the most concentrated domestic expansions the airline has made in Atlantic Canada in recent years, and signal a deliberate effort to match the region’s growing role in WestJet’s long-haul ambitions.
WestJet is also adding new domestic connectivity for St. John’s, introducing flights between Winnipeg and the Newfoundland and Labrador capital for summer 2025. While not Halifax-based, this route slots neatly into the same strategy of strengthening east–west flows and feeding transatlantic flights from Atlantic Canada. For Canadian travellers, it translates into more choice, more one-stop options to Europe and a wider range of itineraries that keep connections within the WestJet network.
New Nonstop Routes Linking Halifax to Saskatoon, Regina and Vancouver
For many travellers, the headline change will be the new nonstop routes that tie the Prairies and the West Coast directly to Nova Scotia. Starting June 28, 2025, WestJet will operate weekly service between Saskatoon and Halifax, followed a day later by a weekly Regina–Halifax flight beginning June 29. These services are scheduled through the summer peak and fill a long-standing gap in direct connectivity between the Prairie provinces and Atlantic Canada.
From July 1, 2025, WestJet will also bring back nonstop service between Vancouver and Halifax. Initially scheduled as a four-times-weekly summer route, the corridor will once again give western Canadians a direct path to the Maritimes without transiting through central Canada. According to current schedules, the Vancouver–Halifax route will operate at that higher frequency through the core summer period before shifting to twice weekly in early September, maintaining a cross-country option into the early fall shoulder season.
Operationally, these flights are planned with Boeing 737-8 aircraft, aligning with WestJet’s broader move toward a more efficient, single-aisle fleet for domestic and medium-haul flying. For passengers, this translates into modern cabins, consistent onboard products and schedules timed to connect smoothly into evening and overnight transatlantic departures from Halifax where available.
Frequency Increases: More Seats and Better Schedules Through Halifax
The new routes are only part of the story. WestJet is also upgrading capacity and frequencies on several domestic pairings that are critical to Halifax’s role as a connecting hub. During the main summer travel window, flights between Winnipeg and Halifax will grow to 10 weekly services, representing a capacity increase of more than 40 percent compared with the previous schedule. This uptick spreads flights more evenly across the week and strengthens both leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives traffic flows between central Canada and the Maritimes.
Edmonton–Halifax will also see a frequency boost to 13 flights per week. This increased service provides Alberta travellers with additional options to reach Atlantic Canada without connections through Toronto or Montreal. The higher frequency enables more flexible weekend getaways, better same-day connections and more resilience in the schedule during periods of strong demand.
Further west, WestJet is enhancing its Calgary–Deer Lake route in Newfoundland and Labrador, increasing from two to three flights a week during the summer. While Deer Lake is a smaller market, the route is strategically important for accessing western Newfoundland, including Gros Morne National Park and nearby coastal communities, which have become sought-after destinations for domestic tourism. The added capacity makes it easier for travellers from Western Canada to explore the province without lengthy or complex itineraries.
Halifax’s Emergence as WestJet’s Atlantic Gateway
These domestic changes would not make sense in isolation; they are being deployed specifically to amplify Halifax’s rising status as WestJet’s Atlantic gateway. Over the past several seasons, the airline has layered in an increasingly ambitious slate of transatlantic routes from Halifax, including service to London, Dublin, Amsterdam and other European cities. For summer 2025, that strategy climbs another rung with the introduction of seasonal nonstop service from Halifax to Barcelona, along with a robust schedule of flights to Paris, Amsterdam and other European hubs.
New domestic links from Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg and Vancouver into Halifax are timed to support these overseas departures, giving travellers in Western and Central Canada one-stop itineraries to Europe that bypass more congested hubs. Rather than flying west to east via Toronto or Montreal, passengers can connect through Halifax, which often means shorter total travel times and easier airport experiences.
The decision to route more domestic capacity into Halifax reflects the shifting geography of WestJet’s network. Historically centered on Calgary and Western Canada, the airline is increasingly using Atlantic Canada as a launch pad for transatlantic services, harnessing the geographical advantage of shorter great-circle routes between Eastern Canada and Europe. Halifax International Airport, in turn, benefits from record levels of transatlantic capacity, reinforcing its role as one of the country’s fastest-evolving international gateways.
What This Means for Canadian Travellers
For travellers, WestJet’s summer 2025 plans translate into more nonstop options within Canada and more efficient one-stop connections to Europe. Residents of Saskatoon and Regina gain their first direct links to Halifax, a change that will significantly simplify itineraries for those visiting the Maritimes or connecting to onward European flights. Families visiting relatives, students relocating for school and leisure travellers chasing coastal holidays will feel the benefits of bypassing multiple connections.
Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver also stand to gain from an expanded menu of flight times and routings. With Halifax now more deeply integrated into the WestJet network, travellers can mix and match itineraries to suit their priorities, whether that means the most direct routing, the shortest travel time or the best alignment with cruise departures and tour start dates in Europe. As the network becomes denser, it also tends to become more resilient, giving passengers more rebooking options if disruptions occur.
From a pricing perspective, more capacity typically introduces additional fare competition, especially in peak summer months. While final fares are shaped by demand, competition and fuel costs, the presence of new nonstop routes and higher frequencies gives WestJet greater flexibility to offer promotional pricing, seat sales or bundled vacation packages involving Halifax and St. John’s as gateways.
Implications for Tourism and Regional Economies
The network expansion is expected to deliver a noticeable boost for tourism and regional economies across Atlantic Canada and the Prairies. Halifax and surrounding communities gain greater access to visitors from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia, many of whom may be discovering Atlantic Canada for the first time. This inflow supports local hotels, restaurants, tour operators and attractions across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island as travellers branch out beyond the immediate Halifax area.
Western destinations also benefit from improved connectivity. With more flights from Halifax to Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver, Atlantic Canadians will find it easier to travel for business, conferences, sports tournaments and events, as well as to explore destinations across the Prairies and along the Pacific Coast. This two-way traffic supports tourism in both directions, broadening the visitor base for cities like Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg that are increasingly focused on attracting leisure visitors alongside traditional business travel.
Airports across the network can also expect upside. Increased capacity usually translates into higher passenger volumes, which in turn support retail, food and beverage and ground transportation services. For regional airports such as Deer Lake, the extra link to Calgary brings additional visibility and a more predictable flow of visitors, which is particularly valuable during the short but intense summer tourism season.
How to Make the Most of the New Routes
With new routes and higher frequencies concentrated in the peak summer period, timing will be critical for travellers looking to take advantage of WestJet’s expanded network. Flights on the new Saskatoon–Halifax and Regina–Halifax routes, as well as the reinstated Vancouver–Halifax service, are likely to be popular among both leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives travellers, especially on weekends and near school holiday dates. Those seeking the best combination of schedules and fares will benefit from planning early and exploring date flexibility.
Travellers considering transatlantic trips via Halifax should pay particular attention to connection windows. Many European departures operate in the evening, which can pair well with daytime flights from Western and Central Canada. Aligning domestic and international segments on a single ticket with WestJet can also offer added protection in the event of delays, and may open access to more efficient rebooking options if travel plans are disrupted.
For domestic-only trips, the expanded schedule through Halifax presents opportunities to build multi-stop itineraries that combine urban and coastal experiences. A traveller might, for example, fly from Regina to Halifax for a city break, then continue to St. John’s or Deer Lake before returning west via Calgary or Winnipeg, all within the same network. The flexibility created by additional flights makes it easier to craft such loop itineraries without excessive backtracking or awkward layovers.
Looking Ahead: Halifax in WestJet’s Longer-Term Strategy
WestJet’s summer 2025 domestic expansion around Halifax is part of a broader multi-year pattern that increasingly positions the city at the crossroads of its Canadian and transatlantic operations. Recent and upcoming seasons feature a growing roster of European destinations from Halifax, including Amsterdam and Barcelona, alongside established links to major hubs such as London and Paris. Each new domestic route bolsters the case for further international growth by widening the catchment area that can access Halifax with a single connection.
As WestJet continues to integrate a larger fleet of Boeing 737-8 aircraft and refines its leisure-focused strategy in Eastern Canada, Halifax is likely to remain a focal point. The combination of geographic advantage, supportive airport partners and strong summer demand makes Atlantic Canada a natural launchpad for seasonal international routes, particularly to culturally rich destinations that appeal to Canadian holidaymakers. Strengthening the domestic spine that feeds this hub is therefore a logical next step, and summer 2025’s schedule changes reflect that logic in a tangible way.
For now, Canadian travellers can look forward to a summer with more options, smoother itineraries and new possibilities for coast-to-coast and transatlantic journeys. Whether it is a Prairie family heading to the beaches and lighthouses of Nova Scotia, or Atlantic Canadians setting off for art, history and food in Europe, WestJet’s new summer routes and Halifax capacity boost mark a meaningful evolution in how the country’s domestic and international networks connect.