Regina to Toronto will be a daily route flown this winter from both Regina and Saskatoon, as will Vancouver, the president and CEO of Regina Airport Authority said.
James Bogusz was “thrilled” to see a increase in flights flown by WestJet this winter coming out of Saskatchewan’s two largest airports.
Bogusz, president and CEO for Regina Airport Authority (RAA), said as airports inch closer to pre-pandemic levels of travelers, flights are also coming back.
“We were thrilled to see WestJet airlines today announce a massive capacity increase coming in the winter this season,” said Bogusz. “This means they’re adding a whole pile of new seats into our market to major city centers like Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto and Calgary.”
On Monday WestJet announced it was increasing the frequency of routes in Regina and Saskatoon for the winter season of 2024-25 by “27 per cent” compared to last year, according to a press release.
“As the only airline offering non-stop connectivity from Saskatchewan to transborder and international destinations this winter, while providing Regina and Saskatoon with the most domestic connectivity, our investments will further stimulate business and leisure travel opportunities as we continue to execute on our growth strategy,” said John Weatherill, WestJet executive vice-president and chief commercial officer.
In Regina there will be a 32 per cent increase in the overall frequency of WestJet flights for the coming winter season compared to last year.
Bogusz attributed part of this expansion of seats in Saskatchewan to the provincially subsidized routes to Minneapolis but said these additional flights are not receiving backing from the province. “This is really the market here, demanding and looking forward to more seats, and WestJet responding to that,” said Bogusz.
Looking at air travel in Regina, Bogusz said the airport has seen what is approaching 2019 levels of travel this summer so far.
“We’re almost back at full strength when it comes to passenger volumes, and they’re responding to that demand with these flights,” said Bogusz, adding that December 2023 actually saw “103 per cent passenger volume” compared to December of 2019.
“This is why the airlines are putting on more seats like this. They’re watching that trend line, and they get to see advanced bookings,” Bogusz explained.
Regina to Toronto will be a daily route flown this winter from both Regina and Saskatoon, as will Vancouver. Both routes had previously only been offered as daily options by Air Canada, he added.
Saskatoon will see a 24 per cent increase in overall growth in WestJet offerings compared last winter.
“YXE Saskatoon Airport is excited see WestJet’s increased flight frequencies for the upcoming winter season, which will provide our community with greater connectivity and convenience,” read an emailed statement from the Saskatoon Airport Authority.
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