WestJet’s non-stop Cardiff–Toronto service is scheduled to resume on 21 May 2027, eight months after Cardiff Airport announced the return of the route.
The announcement followed Skyscanner’s ranking of Cardiff as the leading trending destination for 2027.
Searches originating from Canada increased by 1,046% compared with the previous year, while the airport also placed first in the company’s list of destinations offering the best value to Canadian travellers.
The transatlantic link was first introduced on 23 May 2026, establishing the first direct air connection between Wales and Canada in almost 20 years.
A spokesperson for Cardiff Airport linked the surge in interest to the new service and said that 17,500 passengers travelled during the route’s inaugural season.
The airport spokesperson also said the connection would make Cardiff more accessible to Canadian visitors and support the promotion of Welsh tourism, culture and wider attractions.
WestJet announced the new transatlantic operation in November 2025 as part of its UK growth strategy.
For 2026, the airline selected Cardiff as its exclusive airport serving Wales and England.
The service was intended to reinforce the airport’s development ambitions and expand Wales’s international transport connections.
Initially, WestJet operated four flights each week between the two cities.
The route was available to passengers travelling from Wales, the South West of England and the Midlands, providing a direct means of reaching Canada.
Travellers could also connect through Toronto to other parts of WestJet’s North American network, including Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal.
It was Cardiff Airport’s first new Canadian link since 2008 and was described as an important stage in its recovery following the pandemic.
Passenger totals have been moving towards one million annually, a trend assisted by renewed airport investment and an expanding combination of leisure and long-haul services.
Jon Bridge, chief executive officer of Cardiff Airport, said WestJet’s decision represented progress in the airport’s growth and in reconnecting Wales with North America.
He added that the route could promote tourism, support trade and investment, and increase international awareness of Wales.
Bridge also said the service reflected increasing international travel demand from Wales, the South West of England and the Midlands.
The airport viewed the arrangement as the beginning of a long-term partnership intended to produce sustained benefits for Wales and Canada.
At the launch, Chris White-DeVries, WestJet’s senior airport affairs manager, said the airline was bringing its service to Wales for the first time.
He described Cardiff as a capital with a rich history and considered Toronto an important gateway to North America.
According to White-DeVries, the route would help Canadian travellers reach Wales’s coastlines and culture while giving passengers from Wales and western England convenient access to eastern Canada and other destinations.
Approximately 35 Canadian businesses operate in Wales and employ about 6,500 people.
Canada is also a significant export market for Wales, with an annual value of more than £300m.
The Cardiff–Toronto link began operating before Canada co-hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2026, creating additional scope for tourism, commercial activity and cultural links between Wales and North America.
Toronto’s position as a diverse global city and its onward travel options were also highlighted as advantages of the Cardiff connection.
The route provides access to destinations throughout North America and was presented as a simpler option for international journeys beginning in Wales.
The return programme for 2027 is expected to build on the first season, during which 17,500 people used the WestJet service.