WestJet cancels 2 Alberta to U.S. routes amid ‘shift in bookings’ to other destinations

WestJet has cancelled two direct routes from Alberta to the U.S. due to what the airline says is a shift in bookings away from American destinations.

The Calgary-based airline says planned seasonal service between Calgary International Airport and New York’s LaGuardia Airport has been cancelled for the summer of 2025. WestJet has also suspended planned service between Edmonton and Orlando International Airport during the summer months.

Impacted guests who planned to travel from YYC airport to LaGuardia have been made aware of the changes and are being given the option to fly into New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport instead, a WestJet spokesperson says.

“WestJet has observed a shift in bookings from the U.S. toward other sun destinations such as Mexico and the Caribbean, and to transatlantic destinations,” reads a statement from spokesperson Josh Yeats. “It is common across the aviation industry to adjust schedules to service guest demand.”

Many Canadians have changed travel plans to avoid the U.S. as President Donald Trump has threatened tariffs against Canada and repeatedly suggested it become the 51st state.

Travel agency Flight Centre Travel Group Canada said February bookings to American cities dropped 40 per cent from the same month in 2024, while one in five customers cancelled their trips to the U.S. over the past three months.

The Canadian government recently updated its travel advisory for those heading south of the border, noting the U.S. requires that visitors register if staying more than 30 days. Ottawa says those who don’t comply with the registration requirement could face fines and misdemeanor prosecution.

With files from The Canadian Press