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For most of air travel history, Canadians have gotten the shaft when it comes to flight availability, cheap tickets, and cool far-flung routes. We’ve watched our neighbor to the south get the most amazing flight connectivity, while we’ve had to pay higher prices for less exciting destinations. However, as of 2022 there are now more airlines, flight routes, and direct international destinations than ever before.

That’s right Canadians, it’s time to travel. With the addition of many low-cost airlines to Canada’s sky, all the airlines have had to pull up their socks and give the best offerings possible, despite the pandemic, rising fuel costs, and staff shortages.

Canada now flies direct to more cities than ever before, and there are some great deals to be had.

But what airlines are new to Canada this year? And where do they fly? What are prices like? What about seats and bags?

This Canadian airline guide is going to go over:

• ALL the major airlines operating in Canada, with info on the new ultra-low-cost airlines like Lynx, Swoop, and Jetlines
• Every city they fly to
• What some unique routes are for each airline
• What sets them apart from the others, pros and cons
• Info on seats and bags
• Everything else you need to know about these Canadian airlines

Air Canada

Air Canada, the nation’s flag carrier, is the biggest airline in Canada with the most destinations served. The actual Air Canada brand flies to a massive list of cities, and of course with its position in the Star Alliance, the ability to connect with 1-stop to almost any corner of the planet. Air Canada’s base is out of Montreal and is more popular with Eastern Canadians.

Pros

• Huge selection of destinations and routes
• On average, more seat width, leg room, and baggage allowance than other Canadian airlines
• The ability to earn and use popular Aeroplan points for flights
• Multiple planes that feature business class, including lay-flat ‘pod’ type seats
• Great network of lounges worldwide

Cons

• Can be one of the most expensive airlines to book on (although good deals can always be found)
• Some people feel the brand and the vibe is a little old school when compared to the other airlines

Where does Air Canada fly DIRECT?

Here is a list of cities that Air Canada currently flies to that can be reached with a direct non-stop flight, spoiler alert, there’s a LOT.

in Canada

BC – Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Kamloops, Penticton, Castlegar, Cranbrook, Prince George, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Smithers, Fort St. John
AB – Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray
SK – Saskatoon, Regina
MB – Winnipeg
ON – Toronto, Thunder Bay, Sault St Marie, Timmins, Sudbury, North Bay, London, Windsor, Ottawa
QC – Quebec City, Montreal, Rouyn-Noranda, Saguenay, Sept Iles
NL– Deer Lake, St. John’s, Gander, Goose Bay
NS – Halifax, Sydney
PE – Charlottetown
NB – Moncton, Frederickton, Saint john
NT – Yellowknife
YT – Whitehorse

in the U.S.

Alaska – Anchorage
Arizona – Phoenix
California – San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Diego
Colorado – Denver
Connecticut – Hartford
Florida– Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers, Miami, Fort Lauderdale
Georgia – Atlanta, Savannah
Hawaii – Honolulu, Maui, Kona, Lihue
Illinois – Chicago
Indiana – Indianapolis
Louisiana – New Orleans
Nevada – Las Vegas
New York – New York
Maryland – Baltimore
Massachusetts – Boston
Michigan – Detroit
Minnesota – Minneapolis
Missouri – Kansas City, St. Louis  
North Carolina – Raleigh, Charlotte
Ohio – Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland
Pennsylvania – Pittsburgh, Philadelphia
Rhode Island – Providence
Tennessee – Memphis, Nashville
Texas – Austin, Houston, Dallas
Utah – Salt Lake City
Washington – Seattle
Washington D.C.

Mexico

Cancun
Cozumel
Huatulco
Ixtapa
Puerto Vallarta
Mexico City
San Jose Del Cabo

Caribbean and Central America

Antigua
Aruba
Bahamas – Nassau, Georgetown
Barbados – Bridgetown
Bermuda
Belize – Belize City
Cayman Islands
Cuba– Havana, Varadero, Santa Clara, Cayo Coco, Holguin
Curacao
Costa Rica – San Jose, Libiera
Dominican Republic – Puerto Plata, Samana, Punta Cana
Haiti – Port au Prince
Guadaloupe
Grenada
Jamaica – Montego Bay, Kingston
El Salvador – San Salvador
Martinique
Panama – Panama City
St. Lucia
St. Maarten
St. Kitts
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago – Port of Spain
Turks and Caicos – Providenciales

South America

Argentina – Buenos Aires
Brazil – Sao Paulo
Colombia – Bogota
Chile – Santiago
Ecuador – Quito
Peru – Lima

Europe

Austria – Vienna
Belgium – Brussels
Czechia – Prague
Denmark – Copenhagen
Hungary – Budapest
France– Lyon, Paris, Nice
Germany – Frankfurt, Munich
Greece – Athens
Iceland – Reykjavik
Ireland – Dublin,
Italy – Milan, Rome, Venice,
Netherlands – Amsterdam
Portugal – Lisbon
Spain – Barcelona, Madrid
Switzerland – Geneva, Zurich
U.K. – London, Manchester, Edinburgh

Africa

Algeria – Algiers
Morocco – Casablanca

Middle East & Asia

Isreal – Tel Aviv
UAE – Dubai
Egypt – Cairo
Qatar – Doha
India – Mumbai, Delhi
China – Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai
Japan – Tokyo, Osaka
South Korea – Seoul
Taiwan – Taipei

Oceania

Australia – Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
New Zealand – Auckland

Pet Policy

Yes. Air Canada allows 1 small cat or dog per passenger is allowed in the cabin if: A $50 fee is paid within North America, $100 for international, the carrier counts as your carry-on bag, the dimensions are 10 x 15 x 21 and you give at least 24 hours notice.

Seats and Leg Room

• Economy: Air Canada has 18″ wide seats in economy on most of their planes, which is 1″ wider than most other airlines. They also have 31-34″ seat pitch/ legroom on most aircraft, except for some Rouge planes that only give 29″
• Premium Economy: You’ll get a wider seat on almost every premium economy flight, with an average of 19-24″, with 37-38″ seat pitch / legroom, which is a great upgrade from economy.
• Business: In a non-lay flat bed seat, business seats have an average width of 20-21″.

Checked Bags

Checked bags are free when:

• Traveling to Europe (even with a normal economy ticket)
• in Premium Economy or Business
• or with at least 25K elite status

Otherwise, checked bags in economy are $30 for the first and $50 for the second.

Carry On Bags

Air Canada allows you to bring both a personal item and a carry-on bag for free. They have the largest personal item size allowance in the country at 17 x 6 x 13″ and the largest carry-on bag size at 21.5 x 9 x 15.5″

WestJet

WestJet is Canada’s 2^nd biggest airline with its base in Calgary, making it a very popular option for Western Canucks. They’ve grown tremendously in the past 15 years and have added many new routes with no signs of slowing down.

Pros

• WestJet gets a better overall customer review score, outranking Air Canada
• WestJet does have some code sharing with OneWorld and Skyteam, which helps with longer international trips.

Cons

• Many of WestJet’s planes, even the new ones, don’t have entertainment screens installed.
• You have to be flying pretty far, like to Europe on one of their new 787s, in order to get any free food.
• While WestJet used to be cheaper than Air Canada, in almost every case they now have identical pricing

Where does WestJet fly DIRECT?

Here is a list of cities that Westjet currently flies to that can be reached with a direct non-stop flight.

in Canada

BC – Abbotsford, Comox, Cranbrook, Dawson Creek, Fort Saint John, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Penticton, Prince George, Terrace, Victoria, Vancouver
AB – Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Lloydminister, Medicine Hat
SK – Saskatoon, Regina
MB – Winnipeg, Brandon
ON – Toronto, Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Windsor
QC – Montreal, Quebec City
NL– Deer Lake, St. John’s, Gander, Sydney
NS – Halifax
PE – Charlottetown
NB – Moncton, Frederickton, Saint john
NT – Yellowknife
YT – Whitehorse

in the U.S.

Arizona – Phoenix
California – Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Francisco, San Diego
Colorado – Denver
Florida – Fort Myers, Tampa, Orlando
Georgia – Atlanta
Hawaii – Maui, Kona, Kauai, Honolulu
Maine – Boston
Nevada – Las Vegas
New York – New York
Oregon – Portland
South Carolina – Myrtle Beach
Texas – Houston
Tennessee – Nashville
Washington – Seattle

Mexico

Cancun
Cozumel
Huatulco
Ixtapa
Manzanillo
Mazatlan
Merida
Puerto Vallarta
San Jose Del Cabo

Caribbean and Central America

Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba
Belize – Belize City
Bermuda – St. George
Bahamas – Nassau
Barbados – Bridgetown
Cayman Islands – Georgetown
Costa Rica – Liberia, San Jose
Cuba – Holguin, Santa Clara, Varadero
Dominican Republic – Puerto Plata, Punta Cana
Honduras – Roatan
Jamaica – Kingston, Montego Bay
Puerto Rico – San Juan
St. Lucia – Vieux Fort
St. Maarten – Philipsburg

Europe

Barcelona, Spain
Dublin, Ireland
Edinburgh, Scotland
Glasgow, Scotland
London, England
Paris, France
Rome, Italy

Pet Policy

Yes. Westjet allows a 1 pet in the cabin if they meet these rules: Passengers must call at least 48 hours prior to Westjet to confirm, the kennel cannot be larger than 16 x 8.5 x 10, and the payment of a fee, $50 in Canada and the U.S. and $100 for international flights.

Seats and Leg Room

• Economy: WestJet has 17″ wide seats in economy on most of their planes, which is 1″ less than Air Canada. They also have 31-36″ seat pitch/ legroom on most aircraft, so the planes with 34-36 give WestJet a huge legroom advantage.
• Premium Economy: Most of WestJet’s Premium Economy (or ‘Plus’ seating), is the same seats as economy, but with the middle seat blocked off with a makeshift table, making the width the same as economy, 17″. A few planes have been retro-fitted with proper PE seats, those give 19-20″ width, and a massive 38″ seat pitch / legroom.
• Business: On their 787’s, the business class seats turn into a lie-flat bed, with 21″ width and 46″ seat pitch / legroom.

Checked Bags

Checked bags are free when:

• Booking an econoflex, premium economy or business ticket
• When you book the flight with a Westjet credit card

Otherwise, checked bags in economy are $30-35 for the first and $50-$59 for the second in North America, and $60-71 and $90-107 respectfully for Europe.

Carry On Bags

WestJet allows you to bring both a personal item and a carry-on bag for free. The personal item size allowance is 16 x 6 x 13″ and carry-on bag size at 21 x 9 x 15″

Swoop

Swoop is the largest new kid on the block when it comes to Canadian airlines, and probably the largest example of success when it comes to an ultra-low-cost airline in the country.

The tickets can be extremely cheap, think as low as $79 for international flights down to Mexico or the U.S., but know they charge for absolutely everything past that. If you are a light traveler, you can save some serious money with Swoop, plus they have routes the big guys don’t have. We flew the Kelowna – Winnipeg route when it first came out and did a full review.

Pros

• Incredibly low prices on airline tickets, we’ve seen prices as low as $29, which is something Canada hasn’t seen in decades.
• Owned by WestJet, so you know the quality is there
• The ability to fly direct on less popular routes that WestJet and Air Canada don’t operate

Cons

• You’re charged for absolutely everything. If you want to pick seats and bring lots of luggage, you can easily jack the price up as high as the major full-service carriers.
• The routes, while seriously growing all the time, are still nowhere near AC or WJ’s offerings.
• Planes are not as comfortable and really only offer 1-class of seating. The only way to score some extra leg room is to pick an emergency row or front of the plane, which can cost $25-50 extra.
• Pets are not allowed on Swoop flights

Where does Swoop fly DIRECT?

Here is a list of cities that Swoop currently flies to that can be reached with a direct non-stop flight.

in Canada

Abbotsford
Charlottetown
Comox
Deer Lake
Edmonton
Halifax
Hamilton
Kelowna
London
Moncton
Ottawa
Regina
Saint John
Saskatoon
St. John’s
Toronto
Victoria
Winnipeg

in the U.S.

Chicago
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Nashville
New York
Orlando
Palm Springs
Phoenix (Mesa)
San Diego
San Francisco
St. Pete / Clearwater

Mexico and Caribbean

Cancun, Mexico
Kingston, Jamaica
Los Cabos, Mexico
Mazatlan, Mexico
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Unique Routes

• Edmonton and Abbotsford to Mazatlan, Mexico (seasonal, winter)
• Edmonton to San Diego, seasonal (summer, early fall)
• Winnipeg to Kelowna, seasonal (summer, early fall)
• Swoop had some other unique flights, like Kelowna to Las Vegas direct, that disappeared during the pandemic. Hopefully, they will soon return.

Pet Policy

No. Swoop does not allow pets in the cabin, not even as service animals.

Seats and Leg Room

Economy: Swoop only has economy seats, with an average of 29″ pitch / leg room, and 17″ inch wide seat. On available planes, the extra leg room seats that are available for purchase for $25-$50 at time of booking will get you another 4-6″ of leg room. (They go up in price if purchased later on.)

Checked Bags

Checked bags have a cost on Swoop, and so does the time frame of when you buy them. All costs below are based on buying them at the same time the ticket is purchased. If you sign on and modify an existing booking to add a bag later, it’s an additional $10 fee, and if you add a bag at the airport, it’s an additional $20 fee. They also add a $2 summer and Christmas ‘peak’ fee to all baggage prices.

Short distance (less than 1000km) $36.75
Medium distance (1000 to 3000km) $46
Long distance (3000+km) $56.50

Checked bags are limited to 50 lbs

Carry on Bags

Welcome to ultra-low-cost airlines where a carry-on bag costs money to bring on board. Swoop charges for carry-on and applies the same pricing matrix we talked about above. The best price is at booking, then $10 more afterward, and $20 more at the airport. Along with the $2 extra fee during summer and Christmas.

Swoop max carry-on size: 21 x 9 x 15″

Short distance (less than 1000km) $36.75
Medium distance (1000 to 3000km) $46
Long distance (3000+km) $56.50

A personal item is free on Swoop, but can’t exceed 16 x 6 x 13″

Air Transat

Air Transat is Canada’s largest vacation and charter airline based out of Quebec. In 2021, Air Canada canceled their acquisition deal of the airline. The flights are mostly targeted at snowbirds going to the states and vacationers heading to Mexico, the Caribbean, and even some impressive European routes.

Pros

• Great deals to both popular routes, like Los Angeles and Cancun, but also to some more unique places like Cartagena, Colombia and Malaga, Spain.
• They have a ‘club’ class, which is very similar to a business class-type seat, offering very comfortable ways to vacation hotspots that other airlines don’t.
• You can earn Aeroplan points on flight due to their agreement with the Star Alliance
• Carry-on bags are free

Cons

• Many of the routes are extremely seasonal, so they won’t be available all year
• Some planes have a 16.5″ wide seat in economy, which is a tight squeeze for many.
• Pricing for the ‘Club’ cabin (which is a version of business class) can get quite pricey considering it’s not a full-service business class product. Deals can always be found, but the standard pricing can be eye-opening for a charter airline.

Where does Air Transat fly DIRECT?

Here is a list of cities that Air Transat currently flies to that can be reached with a direct non-stop flight.

FROM Canada

Calgary
Montreal
Quebec
Toronto
Vancouver

in the U.S.

California – Los Angeles, San Francisco
Florida – Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Tampa
Louisiana – New Orleans
Nevada – Las Vegas

Mexico

Acapulco
Puerto Vallarta
Cancun

Caribbean
Cuba – Cayo Coco, Havana, Holguin, Santa Clara, Varadero
Guadeloupe – Point-a-Pitre
Haiti – Port-au-Prince
Jamaica – Montego Bay
Martinique Fort-de-France
Puerto Rico- San Juan
Dominican Republic – La Romana, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Samana
St. Maarten – Philipsburg

Central/South America
Colombia – Cartagena
Costa Rica -Liberia, San Jose
El Salvador – San Salvador
Panama – Panama City

Europe

Belgium –  Brussels
Croatia – Zagreb
Czechia – Prague
France – Paris, Nice, Nantes, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lyon, Marseille
Ireland – Dublin
Italy – Rome, Venice, Lamezia
Netherlands – Amsterdam
Portugal – Lisbon, Porto, Faro
Spain – Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga
Switzerland – Basel
U.K. – London, Manchester, Glasgow

Unique Routes

Most of Air Transat’s routes are pretty unique, especially the southern and European destinations.

• Toronto to Zagreb, Croatia
• Toronto to Cartagena, Colombia
• Montreal to Malaga, Spain
• Montreal to Bordeaux, France
• Montreal to Acapulco

Pet Policy

Yes. Air Transat allows pets in the cabin. 1 cat or dog per passenger, with at least 72 hours notice, the kennel must count as the passengers carry-on allowance, the kennel can now exceed 17 x 9.5 x 10″, and a fee of $50 within Canada/U.S. or $100 internationally must be paid.

Seats and Leg Room

Economy: Air Transat has seats as small as 16.5″ wide in economy, making them one of the smallest in the country, but some planes have the standard 17″ and a few aircraft with 18″. If you are concerned with getting a 16.5″ seat, check the flight on SeatGuru before you book. Seat pitch / legroom for economy is between 31-32″.
Club (Business): Air Transat has very roomy club seats averaging 20-22″ wide and 33-38″ seat pitch / legroom.

Checked Bags

Air Transat has a 50lb limit to checked baggage, even in their ‘club’ class.

When passengers book the flight only, economy is charged $35-90 for a checked bag, (based on distance) but get it free if a vacation package has been booked. Club class always gets a free checked bag.

Carry-On Bags

Air Transat allows both a free carry-on bag and a personal item on all flights. Carry on bags have a size limit of 20 x 9 x 16″ and personal items have a size limit of 17 x 5 x 12

Sunwing

Sunwing, like Air Transat, is the other major discount charter airline in Canada, offering cheap flights and vacation packages to sunny destinations. In March 2022, WestJet announced its deal to acquire Sunwing.

Pros

• Sunwing operates out of almost every Canadian airport, even smaller ones like Regina SK, offering more vacation for Canadians who don’t live near major airports like Toronto.
• They have really cheap vacation packages, including hotels. Sometimes the prices are so cheap it’s like getting the round-trip flight for free.

Cons

• Service is an issue, especially in pandemic times. It’s been well talked about that Sunwing has suspended food and beverage service on flights throughout the past few years, leaving passengers hungry. Imagine a 5.5 hour flight from Winnipeg to Mexico without anything to eat!
• Seats are small and legroom is almost nonexistent
• There is no premium economy or business on any flight. The only way to get any extra legroom is one row of emergency seating mid-plane.
• The carry-on weight allowance is laughable and almost impossible to meet.

Where does Sunwing fly DIRECT?

Here is a list of cities that Sunwing currently flies to that can be reached with a direct non-stop flight.

*Sunwing’s flights are FROM Canada to sunny destinations, and not really used for domestic routes

Mexico

Acapulco
Cancun
Huatulco
Ixtapa
Los Cabos
Manzanillo
Mazatlan
Puerto Vallarta

Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda
Bonaire
Bahamas – Nassau, Freeport
Curacao
Cuba – Cayo Coco, Havana, Mazanillo, Varadero
Dominican Republic – Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, La Romana
Georgetown, Cayman Islands
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Oranjestad, Aruba
St. Maarten

Central America

Liberia, Costa Rica
Panama City, Panama

Pet Policy

No. Pets are not allowed in the cabin on Sunwing unless they are a service animal.

Seats and Leg Room

Economy: The seating is a little tight on Sunwing. They only fly a 737-type plane with one version of economy class, with seats that are 17″ wide and 29″ inches of seat pitch / leg room. Tall passengers will have an issue. The saving grace is if you’re able to book a seat in the emergency row, which gives you up to 10″ more leg room, depending on the aircraft.

Checked Baggage

Sunwing allows passengers who’ve booked a total vacation package to bring one checked bag for free, while passengers who’ve only booked a flight with Sunwing will have to pay $21-$26.

The max weight for a checked bag is 50 lbs

Carry On Bags

Sunwing allows all passengers to bring on a free personal item and 1 free carry-on bag. However, the carry-on weight rule is INSANELY regulated and extremely low weight at 11 lbs. Truth be told, most EMPTY carry-on bags weigh around 11lbs without any items inside. Sunwing checks every single bag and will simply not allow it on the plane if it’s over 11lbs, as there is no fee you can pay to allow for a heavier bag.

Carry-on bags have a size limit of 20 x 9 x 16″ and the personal item has a size limit of 9 x 11 x 5 (the smallest in the industry by far)

Lynx

Lynx, a very new ULCC kid on the block, has launched in 2022 with some great routes to start. They are currently serving 10 cities across Canada, with fares as low as $49 on their 737 planes.

Where does Lynx fly DIRECT?

Here is a list of cities that Lynx currently flies to that can be reached with a direct non-stop flight, which is sure to grow after their first year in operation.

in Canada

Calgary
Edmonton
Halifax
Hamilton
Kelowna
St. John’s
Toronto
Vancouver
Victoria
Winnipeg

Unique Routes

Kelowna to either Vancouver or Calgary in a 737 (other airlines like Air Canada and WestJet typically use a small propeller plane)

Pets

Lynx does allow pets with a fee of $59, 48 hours notice, and kennel dimensions of 16 in. L x 8.5 in. H x 10 in. W.

Seats and Leg Room

Economy: All of the seats on Lynx Air’s 737 are 17″ wide and have between 29″-30″ of seat pitch / leg room, with the exception of the very front row and emergency row mid-plane.

To select a seat, you’ll pay $10-$22 for a normal seat, and up to $60 for an emergency row or front row seat. If you let Lynx select for you, it’s free.

Checked Baggage

Checked bags have a 50lb weight limit and the fees are based on flight distance.
Under 1000 km: $40
1000 to 3000 km: $50
Over 3000 km: $60
*adding a checked bag after ticket purchase is $10 online and $20 after check-in at the airport

Carry-on Bags

Carry-on bags have a fee, while 1 personal item is allowed on for free. The personal item has a size limit of 17 x 6 x 13″.

Carry-on bags have a generous size limit of 21.5 x 9 x 15.75, a 22lb weight limit and the fees are based on flight distance.
Under 1000 km: $30
1000 to 3000 km: $40
Over 3000 km: $50
*adding a carry-on after ticket purchase is $5 online and $10 after check-in at the airport

Flair

Flair Airlines has been around for about 15 years, but recently went under a re-brand as they launched more routes, really trying to stick out in the Canadian market. They are not owned by any of the big guys… yet.. so they like to lead with the message they are independent.

They have some seriously low fares, like Calgary to Victoria for $29 for example, something never seen before in the Canadian industry.

Where does Flair fly DIRECT?

Here is a list of cities that Flair currently flies to that can be reached with a direct non-stop flight.

in Canada:

AB – Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge
BC – Abbotsford, Comox, Kelowna, Prince George, Vancouver, Victoria
ON- Kitchener, London, Ottawa, Toronto, Thunder Bay, Windsor,
NB- Saint John
NL – Deer Lake
NS – Halifax
PE – Charlottetown
SK- Saskatoon
QC – Montreal

U.S.

Anchorage
Chicago
Denver
Fort Lauderdale
Hollywood / Burbank
Las Vegas
Nashville
New York
Orlando
Palm Springs
Phoenix
San Francisco
Tucson

Mexico and Caribbean

Cancun
Los Cabos
Puerto Vallarta

Unique Routes

• Vancouver or Edmonton to Burbank / Hollywood
• Prince George to Tucson, Arizona
• Lethbridge to Tucson, Arizona
• Edmonton to Nashville
• Waterloo / Kitchener to Orlando

Pet Policy

Yes, Flair allows pets in the cabin, at a max of 1 per passenger and 4 max per flight. 48 hours notice must be given, a fee of $49-$79 paid, and max kennel dimensions are 16 x 9 x` 10″ and 23lbs.

Seats and Legroom

Economy: Flair Airlines uses 737 planes, which have 29-30″ of seat pitch / legroom and 17″ of seat width. They have extra legroom seats available in the emergency row mid-plane as well as the front few rows, but we couldn’t find an exact measurement of just how many more inches it gets you.

Fees for seats are as follows: $10-$20 for a normal seat selection, and $25-45 for an extra legroom or emergency row seat. Seats are free if you allow Flair to select it for you.

Checked Baggage

Flair charges $49-$69 for a checked bag when you purchase it at the time of buying the ticket, with an additional $10 fee if you buy it at the airport. Checked bags have a 50 lb maximum.

Carry-on Bags

A personal item is free on Flair, but a carry-on bag will cost you. Personal items have a max size limit of 17 x 6 x 13″ and 15 lbs, which is pretty generous for an ULCC.

A carry on bag is $29-$49 when you pre-pay with an additional $10 fee at the airport, must weigh under 22. lbs and have a max size of 21.5 x 15.5 x 9, which is as big as Air Canada.

Porter

Porter Airlines is located at Billy Bishop airport, Toronto’s smaller (cooler!) airport on the island. The airline only flies the smaller Bombardier Q400 ‘Dash’ planes, but offers some decent Eastern routes, both within Canada and the States.

Where does Porter fly direct?

Here is a list of cities that Porter flies to directly:

in Canada

Fredericton
Halifax
Moncton
Mont Tremblant
Montreal
Muskoka
Ottawa
Quebec City
Sault Ste. Marie
St John’s
Stephenville
Sudbury
Thunder Nay
Timmins
Toronto
Windsor

U.S.

Boston
Chicago
Myrtle Beach
New York
Washington

Unique Routes

• Toronto (YTZ) to Muskoka
  Skip the terribly congested drive to cabin country and take a quick Porter flight instead.

Pets

Porter allows up to 2 pets in the cabin, with a max weight of 22 lbs each, including the carrier, with a fee of $50 and at least 24 hours’ notice.

Seats and Legroom

The ‘Dash’ planes that Port uses are all configured the same way, with 68 economy seats and 6 ‘premium’ seats. The premium seats are exactly the same size, but at the front of the plane with a tiny bit more leg room.

Economy seats are 17″ wide and offer 32″ seat pitch / leg room
Premium seats are 17″ wide and offer 34″ seat pitch / leg room

Checked Baggage

Checked bags on Porter have a 50 lb weight limit and the price is determined on when you purchase the bag, doing it at the same time you buy the ticket being the cheapest rate.

At time of ticket purchase: $27-$42
Later online: +$5
At airport: +10-$15

Carry-on Bags

Porter offers a personal item free of charge, and a carry-on is also free if booked on a Standard, Flexible, or Freedom type fare. The only fare type that must pay for a carry-on is the basic fare.

Personal items have a size limit of 17 x 6 x 13″ and carry-on bags have a size limit of 16 x 9 x 22″ and 20 lbs.

Jetlines

Jetlines is so new to Canada that at the time of writing this article (July 2022) they still don’t have their routes published. Jetlines will have its headquarters just outside of Toronto. They plan to start operations late summer / early fall 2022 and plan to fly within Canada and to the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Smaller regional Canadian airlines

In addition to all the above airlines, there are still more Canadian airlines to mention, especially for smaller regional routes. All of the below carriers offer important connections throughout the provinces and territories. Click on the carrier to see their current flight route map.

Canada has finally positioned itself to offer passengers more options than ever when it comes to air travel, and it looks like all the pent-up demand in 2022 is only driving this trend further.

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