If you’ve been dreaming about skipping the Toronto connection and flying straight from Calgary to more places across Europe and Asia, this is your moment. WestJet just made its biggest aircraft order ever, and the part that matters for us? More Dreamliners = more long-haul options out of YYC.
What actually changed (and why it’s exciting)
- WestJet is adding seven Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners (with possibility for four more). Those are the jets that do the big hops—think overnight flights with lie-flat seats and decent wine lists. Translation: more chances for Calgary to land new nonstops across the Atlantic and into Asia.
- They’re also bringing in 60 Boeing 737-10s. That means more frequency and flexibility to position you to sun spots and city breaks, plus better connections if you’re mixing work trips with quick getaways.
- The new planes will roll out now through 2034, so this isn’t hype for next week—it’s part of the airline’s pipeline of extra capacity.
- With this move, WestJet now has the largest order book of any Canadian airline. Why you care: capacity tends to bring competition—and competition tends to bring friendlier fares.
So… what does that mean for your trips?
Picture this: winter escape to Lisbon without the double-connection, spring cherry blossoms in Tokyo with a single overnight, or a last-minute summer long weekend in Europe that doesn’t eat two days just getting there. Adding more 787-9s gives YYC leverage for new nonstops and more seasonal frequency on the routes we already love. (Airlines announce these in waves—watch the next sched updates.)
How to play it (insider tips)
- Pounce on launch fares. New routes usually drop with promo pricing for the first few weeks—set alerts and be ready to book fast.
- Think shoulder season. Dreamliner capacity often unlocks sweet-spot deals in April–May and Sept–Oct. Weather’s great, crowds are thinner.
- Upgrade math. If a new long-haul appears, check premium economy or points + cash before you default to economy. Sometimes the step-up is surprisingly doable.
- Weekenders are back. More 737-10 capacity = better timing for quick sun runs and city breaks (Friday out, Sunday/Monday back), without brutal layovers.
What we’ll be tracking for you
- The next round of route announcements tied to those incoming 787-9s (that’s the big one).
- Added frequencies to Europe/Asia from YYC for peak seasons.
- Fare drops when capacity ramps—especially shoulder season and launch windows.
Bottom line: This could be a genuine quality-of-life upgrade for Calgary travelers. More seats, more reach, more serendipity from our own backyard. We’ll keep you posted the second new routes hit the board.
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