Just 4 hrs, 35 min: WestJet resumes St. John’s-Dublin flights

Tourism Ireland is celebrating the return of WestJet’s non-stop service between St. John’s, Newfoundland and Dublin, Ireland.

The St. John's International Airport Authority organized a VIP and media gathering on Thursday (May 22) to mark the start of WestJet’s transatlantic route, which arrives just in time for summer.

“This route isn’t just about getting from A to B,” wrote Sandra Moffatt, Tourism Ireland’s country manager for Canada, on LinkedIn. “It’s about connecting people, boosting tourism, and creating new opportunities for business on both sides of the Atlantic. As WestJet puts it, this is where the story takes off!”

At last week’s kick-off, the gate at St. John’s airport sprang alive with the sounds of Irish music, sending off a full flight of excited travellers on a high note.

With a minimum flying time of four hours and 35 minutes, St. John's to the Irish capital is WestJet’s shortest European route.

WestJet originally served St. John's to Dublin 11 years ago, in June 2014. Back then, it deployed the Boeing 737-700 until the route's cessation in October 2018. Now, the airline serves Ireland with the larger, more efficient 737 MAX 8.

The airline's Dublin route out of St. John’s will be served twice-weekly.

“A significant milestone”

In a statement May 22, Chris White-DeVries, WestJet’s airport affairs, senior manager, said: “We are thrilled to be in Dublin today, celebrating the return of non-stop WestJet service to St. John’s.”

“Today’s celebration represents a significant milestone for WestJet as we reconnect Atlantic Canada to Europe this summer, reinforcing our commitment to unlocking convenient and affordable transatlantic connectivity for Irish and Canadian guests via St. John’s.”

Eoin McGloughlin, VP, aviation business development at Dublin Airport added: “This route re-establishes a vital transatlantic link that celebrates the strong historical and cultural ties between Ireland and Newfoundland.”

“WestJet now offers direct services to four Canadian cities, and we are also pleased to see that WestJet is expanding its flights to Toronto, providing even more options for travellers between Ireland and Canada,” McGloughlin said.

WestJet’s enhanced transatlantic service to Ireland includes not only St. John’s-Dublin, but also Toronto-Dublin and Calgary-Dublin.

In total, WestJet will have more than 20 departures per week from Dublin this summer and will have more than 200,000 seats on sale.

“Dublin Airport looks forward to welcoming all of WestJet’s passengers this summer and beyond,” McGloughlin said.

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