WestJet’s growth strategy is focused on growing our presence and network in the west, leading in leisure, and safeguarding affordability.
Growing in Western Canada
Our commitment to the west needed to start in our hometown of Calgary. We expanded our presence at Calgary International Airport and made it our global hub. This centered our 787 Dreamliners in the West and allowed us to enhance Canada’s connectivity, making Calgary the best connected mid-sized city in North America.
This year, WestJet will grow our seat capacity in our hometown by 40% from 2022 levels, flying to 87 destinations and putting us on track to achieving our commitment of 100 non-stop destinations by 2028.
In just two short years WestJet became the number one carrier in eight out of the nine major Western Canadian airports, serving more than 50% of the market and providing essential service to communities.
Cities across western Canada are benefitting from access and investment to new markets like Winnipeg to Atlanta, Regina/Saskatoon to Minneapolis and the largest airline investments in Edmonton’s history.
Throughout Canada, WestJet continues to grow its substantial offerings, connecting cities across our great country, all while increasing access to leisure and sun destinations.
To ensure connectivity, with our valued partnership with Delta, WestJet has increased transborder service by 13% this year alone!
Leading in Leisure
Also, in just two years, our growth strategy has cemented the WestJet Group as Canada’s leading leisure provider, increasing access for Canadians to unparalleled leisure experiences, designed for any budget or need.
In 2023, WestJet completed the successful acquisition of Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations. The combined businesses are poised to bring the best vacation offerings to all Canadians.
This year, WestJet Group will serve 39 Latin Caribbean destinations – 10 more than in 2022! This means, on average, half of all trips from Canada to the Latin Caribbean market will be on a WestJet Group aircraft; and one in two vacation packages sold in Canada will be sold through the various brands that make up our Sunwing Vacations Group.
Maintaining Affordability
Since WestJet was founded, ticket prices in Canada have been more than cut in half as a direct result of our entry and ongoing competition in the market. And we are committed to maintaining affordability!
Flying should be accessible to all Canadians. We listen to our guests and know that they want and value service offerings and options to meet varied travel budgets and needs.
Our growth is putting more seats, at different price points, into the market, enabling affordability and options for Canadians. Our unwavering commitment to maintaining a low-cost structure and a guest-centric culture ensures relentless competitiveness and value for our guests.
In 2023, we sold 2.5 million base fares below $100 and almost 8 million tickets with base fares below $200. This means close to 50% of WestJet tickets sold in 2023 were priced under $200.
The future will see us further densify the back of our 737 aircraft to distribute costs across even more seats, allowing us to charge even lower fares. At the same time, we will maintain the premium cabin at the front and expand the number of extra legroom seats in economy class. This lets us offer more differentiated products to align with our guests’ preferences.
When we receive deliveries of our MAX10 aircraft - fitted with 212 seats - WestJet will gain a significant seat-cost advantage, enabling the addition of ultra-low-cost carrier products and fares to serve all Canadians.
A Reliable and Modern Carrier
WestJet is Canada's most dependable major airline, surpassing industry standards in on-time departures, arrivals, and completion rates. In April 2024, WestJet ranked second in on-time performance and completion against all major North American carriers.
To achieve this reliability, WestJet has been busy over the past two years digitalizing our operations, guest experience, and decision-making processes, so that when you choose to fly WestJet, you choose to arrive on time.
And when mother nature intervenes and plans change, WestJet has invested in new platforms that ensure timely text messages arrive directly to guests, so you can have all the information you need, when you need it.
Our investment in stronger back-end systems has also significantly sped up decision making, keeping your flights moving. And when you need to modify a booking, newly expanded self-serve options allow you to quickly explore and select an itinerary that works best for you!
Across the group, WestJet employs 15,000 people and over the last two years has hired over 5,400 employees.
And, through an MoU with the government of Alberta, we are building a pipeline of skilled aviation workers and pilot training to support aviation professions well into the future.
That new vehicle feeling!
WestJet's growth strategy has enabled the growth of a trusted and reliable fleet with an average age of under 10 years - among the youngest of any established carrier in North America! With almost 200 aircraft, WestJet is ready to meet your every travel need.
WestJet has over 80 narrowbody aircraft on order – the largest orderbook of any airline in Canada.
In 2023, WestJet achieved a 11% reduction in emissions intensity versus 2019 – the last time we flew at pre-pandemic capacity. And with the more fuel efficient and lower emission 737 MAX aircraft on the way, guests know they are flying more sustainably.
Improving Guest Experience with Technology
WestJet is transforming the travel journey, empowering guests with more self-serve capabilities and intuitive interfaces to make the choice easy!
From streamlined baggage processes to enhanced digital disruption management tools, our technology investments simplify internal operations while elevating the overall travel experience, ensuring seamless journeys for our valued guests.
WestJet is also leveraging technology and new tools to ensure we do our best for all guests, including on accessibility and inclusion. Guests with disabilities consistently rate WestJet’s service higher than the average, and while we are proud of that fact, we know there is still work to do across the entire industry.
As part of our growth strategy, we will stay focused on doing better, and we look forward to new announcements in this space soon.
In 2024, WestJet invested as anchor airline at the Aerospace Innovation Hub in Calgary, where innovators will work together, applying ideas and solutions to real-world airline scenarios that will improve the experience for all travellers.
A Call for Action on Affordability
As we embark on the next phase of our journey, we remain steadfast in our dedication to delivering on our growth strategy, ensuring unparalleled service, fostering jobs, investment, and economic prosperity.
At the same time, WestJet believes meaningful policy change is required to bolster a more competitive market, to tackle affordability and to increase transparency for the everyday Canadian traveller.
Canada has a high and uncompetitive tax and regulatory environment with high mandatory third-party fees that drive-up ticket prices for the average Canadian. These fees are part of a user-paid infrastrucutre model that is by in large, unique to Canada.
WestJet has always been committed to providing guests with full transparency regarding their travel costs. At the same time, there is no transparency or oversight on third-party fees that make up most of ticket costs.
Canadians deserve full transparency on how their money is used. On their behalf, WestJet is calling on the federal government to undertake a comprehensive review on whether the user pay model for aviation infrastructure works for a modern Canada, its unique geography and the essential role of air services to many communities. This review should consider competitiveness impacts, intermodal equity, and value for taxpayers’ money.
WestJet has been driving competition and providing Canadians with more affordable air travel for more than 28 years, and it’s time our policy environment supported this as well. That is why, until such a comprehensive review is complete, the federal government should freeze all mandatory fees, charges, and policies that truly drive-up ticket prices.
Finally, WestJet calls on the federal government to permanently cease collecting rents from Canadian airports as a duplicative charge that is non-transparent in its use.
Destination: Economic Growth
WestJet is proud of where we have come, and we are excited about where we are going.
A WestJet commissioned economic impact study reports that by 2028 our growth strategy will drive more than $35B in economic output, 200,000 jobs (direct, indirect and induced) and $15 billion in direct associated tourism spending, Canada-wide.
And two years in, WestJet is proudly delivering for all Canadians.
As Canada’s most reliable major airline, the home carrier to the Canadian West, the leading coast to coast leisure provider - and through our commitment to innovation, affordability and service - WestJet is working for Canada, and we are Soaring Together!