Canada, Netherlands, France, Spain, Ireland, Mexico, Jamaica, And Caribbean Gain New WestJet Routes As American Travel Demand Plummets

Monday, June 16, 2025

As US demand falls off sharply, WestJet is quickly redirecting its international strategy through growth in flights across Canada, Netherlands, France, Spain, Ireland, Mexico, Jamaica, and the Caribbean. Political tensions and trade discord are forcing Canadian tourists to seek out new travel destinations, and WestJet is pushing hard for growth through transatlantic routes and destination resort areas. Through new European service, Mexico’s expanded operations, and stronger service throughout the Caribbean, WestJet is taking its global capacity to new heights and diversifying out of soft US markets.

WestJet Shifts Strategy as Demand for US Travel Declines, Focuses on Europe and the Caribbean

Canada’s WestJet Airlines is experiencing a major transformation in its route strategy, with declining demand for flights to the United States prompting the carrier to expand its footprint in other international markets other international markets. A notable drop in bookings for American destinations has led the airline to expand its operations into the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe, where passenger interest has grown considerably in recent months.

This transformation comes amid rising trade disputes and political friction between Canada and the United States, which have influenced traveler behavior. As Canadian travelers reconsider their vacation plans, WestJet is rapidly responding by realigning its network to cater to these changing preferences, opening up new routes and increasing capacity on existing services to meet surging demand in alternative markets.

Steep Decline in US Bookings Sparks Strategic Shift

Bookings for travel to the United States have dropped substantially for WestJet, with a reported decline ranging between fifteen to twenty percent compared to previous years. While this decrease is not as dramatic as the downturn seen during the global pandemic, it remains substantial enough to affect the airline’s US operations. This loss of US-bound travelers has redirected passenger flows to alternative destinations, notably Mexico, various Caribbean islands, and several European cities.

The ongoing political and economic tensions between Canada and the United States, including disputes over trade policies and tariffs, have played a significant role in shaping consumer decisions. Many travelers are now seeking warmer, more politically neutral destinations for their vacations, contributing to this notable trend.

Aggressive European Expansion for Summer 2025

As North American demand declines, WestJet has shifted its attention to transatlantic routes, aggressively increasing its European presence for the 2025 summer season. The airline has reintroduced services to Amsterdam with a new seasonal route from Halifax, which operates six times weekly and runs until late October. This marks WestJet’s return to Amsterdam after suspending its Calgary service during the winter of 2022–23.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the airline’s European operations have grown sharply year-over-year. In June 2025, WestJet has added one hundred and forty-one additional flights to Europe compared to the same period last year, reflecting a surge of more than twenty-seven percent. Seat capacity has also jumped by approximately fifteen percent, adding more than twenty thousand seats for travelers heading across the Atlantic.

Several new European routes have been introduced from Atlantic Canada, including Halifax–Amsterdam, Halifax–Barcelona, Halifax–Paris, St. John’s–Paris, and St. John’s–Dublin, enhancing options for travelers throughout the region.

WestJet’s European Network Growth in Numbers (June 2025 vs June 2024)

Total Flights: 661 (up from 520, representing a 27.1% increase)Total Seats: 152,390 (up from 131,798, reflecting a 15.6% rise)Total Available Seat Miles (ASMs): 585,139,018 (up from 544,063,068, showing a 7.5% growth)

To further strengthen its European expansion, WestJet has expanded its partnerships with leading European carriers. Its enhanced codeshare agreement with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines allows passengers flying from Halifax to Amsterdam to seamlessly connect to fourteen additional European cities, including Milan Linate, Marseille, Lisbon, and Brussels.

Moreover, through its partnership with Air France, the airline has broadened its connectivity from several Canadian cities, such as Calgary, Halifax, and St. John’s. John’s—to destinations like Bucharest, Budapest, Bologna, and several other prominent European hubs via Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Passengers can book these combined itineraries through a single reservation platform, simplifying international travel planning. Furthermore, WestJet recently signed a new interline agreement with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), which improves its connectivity across the transatlantic corridor even further.

Caribbean and Mexico See Surge in WestJet Capacity

While Europe is seeing robust growth, WestJet is also significantly increasing its operations to Caribbean and Mexican destinations to capitalize on the sharp rise in demand from leisure travelers avoiding US destinations.

In the third quarter of 2025, WestJet is scheduled to operate nearly two thousand flights to these sun destinations, representing a year-on-year increase of one hundred and thirty-one flights. During this period, the airline will offer over three hundred and forty thousand seats—a rise of nearly twenty-six thousand additional seats compared to the same quarter in 2024.

Among the highlights of this expansion are added services to high-demand holiday spots such as Aruba and Cancun. WestJet has also resumed its direct flights from Calgary to Mexico City International Airport, reviving the route for the first time since it was last offered in 2018. The resumed service now operates five times weekly, enhancing WestJet’s leadership position as the primary Canadian carrier serving Mexico.

WestJet’s Caribbean and Mexico Growth in Q3 2025 vs Q3 2024

Total Flights: 1,993 (up from 1,862, a 7% increase)Total Seats: 341,394 (up from 315,444, an 8.2% increase)

Looking ahead to the final quarter of 2025, the growth trend continues. WestJet plans to operate more than five thousand five hundred flights to Caribbean and Mexican destinations, offering nearly nine hundred and eighty thousand seats. This represents a five percent rise in flight frequency and more than a three percent increase in seat capacity compared to the same period in 2024. Popular routes receiving increased service include Toronto–Puerto Vallarta, Toronto–Kingston, Toronto–Cancun, and Winnipeg–Cancun.

Adapting to Global Travel Shifts

WestJet’s evolving network strategy reflects the airline’s adaptability in responding to global political and economic shifts that have affected traditional travel patterns. By rapidly adjusting its operations to focus on stronger demand markets in Europe, the Caribbean, and Mexico, the airline is positioning itself for sustainable growth while minimizing its exposure to the declining US market.

WestJet is speeding its global growth through extensive expansion in Canada, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Ireland, Mexico, Jamaica, and the Caribbean, as reduced US travel demand compels a fundamental shift in its strategy.

As global travel dynamics continue to change, WestJet’s ability to flexibly redeploy capacity and forge new international partnerships is proving essential to its long-term success. Travelers seeking alternatives to US destinations now have an increasingly diverse array of options available to them under the airline’s expanding global network.