CALGARY — WestJet will be restoring service to more than 95 destinations across its domestic, transborder, sun and international network starting this December.

In addition, WestJet Group has announced mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees and travellers, effective Oct. 30, 2021.

Here are WestJet’s winter network highlights:

Sun & Transborder Flights from Toronto

With the addition of seven returning flights from Toronto, the airline will offer nonstop service to 55 destinations including 26 international, 17 domestic and 12 transborder this winter from Toronto.

• Toronto – Boston
• Toronto – Miami
• Toronto – Grand Cayman
• Toronto – Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
• Toronto – San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Toronto – Roatan
• Toronto – Kelowna

Sun Flights & Non-stops to Hawaii from Calgary

WestJet is set to offer nonstop service to 61 destinations from Calgary, including 30 domestic, 19 transborder and 12 international destinations from YYC with the addition of the following nonstop flights:

• Calgary – Fort Lauderdale
• Calgary – Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• Calgary – Lihue
• Calgary – Kona

WestJet continues to be the Canadian carrier that offers the most flights to Hawaii to the four major islands from Western Canada.

Sun flights from Winnipeg & Regina

WestJet is adding nonstop options to Cancun and Orlando with the return of international flights to Winnipeg. The airline will also restore 4x weekly nonstop service between Regina and Winnipeg:

• Winnipeg – Cancun
• Winnipeg – Orlando
• Winnipeg – Regina

Connecting Edmonton & Honolulu

WestJet will connect guests between Edmonton and Honolulu beginning December 18, 2021. This winter the airline will serve 24 domestic, international and transborder destinations non-stop from Alberta’s capital city.

• Edmonton – Honolulu, Hawaii

Kelowna-Toronto Service

WestJet is increasing Kelowna’s non-stop options with the return of three-times weekly service between Toronto and Kelowna from December 17 to January 5, 2022.

• Kelowna – Toronto

Here are frequency and start dates of returning service this winter:

MANDATORY VACCINATION

WestJet Group’s new mandatory vaccination policy for employees and travellers, effective Oct. 30, 2021, follows the federal government’s previous announcements of mandatory vaccination for air, rail and cruise travellers as well as for employees in the federally regulated air, rail and marine transportation sectors, both of which also come into effect on Oct. 30.

On WestJet’s new mandates, Ed Sims, WestJet Group President and CEO, said: The implementation of these policies mark a major confidence milestone for our industry as Canadians can fly knowing that they are travelling within a fully-vaccinated ecosystem. We are taking all necessary steps to ensure our guests are advised of the new requirements for travel prior to taking their next flight.”

For WestJet Travellers

For Phase 1, for travel between Oct. 30 and Nov. 29, 2021, in order to travel with The WestJet Group, guests must prepare to provide proof of vaccination or proof of a valid PCR test to demonstrate the requirements for travel.

For Phase II, for travel on or after Nov. 30, 2021, only proof of vaccination for guests 12 years or older (with narrow exceptions) will be acceptable for travel on the WestJet Group.

As this is a Government of Canada mandate, WestJet is advising guests to visit https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/flying for the most up-to-date information, including the limited options for exceptions to this new policy.

The WestJet Group will be communicating these new travel requirements in various ways, including via notification emails, check-in declaration, validation requirements as well as on WestJet.com and flyswoop.com.

For WestJet Group Employees

Effective Oct. 30, 2021, WestJet and Swoop will transition to fully vaccinated airlines with the implementation of the company’s mandatory employee vaccination policy.

All WestJet Group employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and full vaccination status is a requirement of employment for all future employees hired by the WestJet Group, with accommodations managed pursuant to human rights law.

Employees who fail to achieve full vaccination status by Oct. 30, 2021 will face unpaid leave and termination of employment.

Said Sims: “Vaccination is our best way out of this pandemic and more than 98% of our workforce self-declared their full vaccination intent prior to the implementation of these policies. We continue to work together with our employee, labour and contractor groups to ensure the successful implementation of our corporate policy.”

Sunwing, Porter Airlines and Air Canada have all previously announced their own mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies for employees.