WestJet confirms cancelled YYC-LGA route, notes other summer suspensions

WestJet has issued a response to a report claiming that it will not proceed with a Calgary-LaGuardia route – despite announcing the service in January.

Earlier this week, aviation news website simpleflying.com, citing data from Cirium, reported that the once-weekly seasonal flight between Calgary and New York was no longer a go.

“I can confirm that WestJet has cancelled planned seasonal service between Calgary (YYC) and New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) for summer 2025, with all impacted guests notified of the change and provided alternative options through our daily service to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK),” wrote airline spokesperson Josh Yeats in a statement to PAX late Monday (March 24).

The seasonal itinerary was originally supposed to begin May 24 and end on August 30, and would have complemented WestJet’s year-round, daily flights from Calgary to New York’s JFK airport during the same time period.

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The new route was announced on January 15, just five days before Donald Trump, the now-President of the United States, was inaugurated into office.

A lot happened shortly after that date, however – notably, Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on Canada (and Mexico), sparking a trade war, leaving many Canadians to rethink their travel plans and avoid visiting the U.S.

As Canadian visitation numbers to the U.S. continue to see a decline, WestJet is adjusting its schedule accordingly.

In addition to cancelling its planned Calgary- LaGuardia service, the airline has also suspended planned service between Edmonton (YEG) and Orlando International Airport (MCO), Edmonton and Montreal (YUL), and Montreal and Winnipeg (YWG) from its summer 2025 schedule, the airline said.  

“Minor frequency adjustments to other routes” are also being made, Yeats said.

WestJet has also reduced service on routes to destinations in Florida, as well as flights to Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Reiterating comments made previously, the airline says it has “observed a shift” in bookings from the U.S. to other sun destinations such as Mexico and the Caribbean, and to transatlantic destinations such as Ireland, Scotland and Iceland.

“We remain focused on continuing to fly where there is demand,” Yeats said, saying that it’s common across the aviation industry to adjust schedules to service guest demand.

“As a proudly Canadian airline, WestJet is committed to ensuring air travel remains accessible, affordable and safe for all Canadians,” Yeats said.

The update comes as other airlines scale back on flights to the United States.

Air Canada has reportedly reduced service on three U.S. routes from Vancouver: Washington Dulles (IAD), Houston George Bush (IAH), and Miami International (MIA).

United Airlines has also reportedly cancelled its planned Los Angeles to Toronto service.

The U.S. carrier has also reduced frequency on its existing Canadian routes, cutting Washington Dulles (IAD) to Ottawa (YOW) service from four to three daily flights and Washington Dulles to Montreal (YUL) from three to two daily flights.

This past February, Canadian residents flew back from 585,700 trips to the U.S., which represented a 13.1 per cent decline from the same month in 2024, reports Statistics Canada.

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