Passengers can now book 50 flights per week to six destinations across Canada this summer, as new and returning routes to Montreal, Quebec City, Vancouver and Halifax join existing services to Toronto and Calgary. These new lines will enhance connectivity and encourage tourism and trade, in line with VINCI Airports’ aim for a positive impact through air mobility.
Air Transat is operating three weekly flights to Montreal (increasing to daily flights from June), alongside a once-a-week service to Quebec City – the first time the UK has benefitted from direct scheduled service to the city.
The airline has also increased its flights to Toronto to a daily service (two flights a day from late June), complementing the daily operation (increasing to nine flights per week from mid-June) WestJet operates between Gatwick and Canada’s most populous city – an international centre of business, finance, arts and culture.
WestJet will also be operating six flights a week weekly to west-coast Vancouver (one flight a day from mid-June), and four flights a week to Halifax (increasing to daily flights from mid-July), provincial capital of Nova Scotia. This is in addition to the three times weekly service it offers to Calgary (increasing to five per week from mid-June), famed for its annual Stampede and as a gateway to the Canadian Rockies.
Stephanie Wear, VP of Aviation Development, Gatwick Airport said: “With so many people in the UK having close connections with Canada, we are delighted to be able to offer Gatwick passengers such easy and widespread access to fantastic destinations across the country.
“From the spectacular landscapes of the Rockies and Nova Scotia to vibrant cities with an array of wonderful sights, it’s really exciting to have so many more opportunities to visit Canada from Gatwick. It’s also great news for those wishing to see family and friends, or conduct business across the Atlantic.”
Marsha Walden, President & CEO, Destination Canada, said: “Destination Canada is delighted to see the launch of so many routes to Canada from London Gatwick, including the first-ever direct connection to Quebec City with Air Transat.
“Re-establishing air routes into Canada is critical to rebuilding our industry and driving revenue back into tourism businesses across our vast country. These flights mean Canada’s iconic experiences are even more accessible to British holidaymakers looking to take in our wide-open spaces, nature, wildlife, adventure and return feeling fully rejuvenated. What is particularly encouraging is that demand for the summer months is looking strong and our industry is ready to welcome guests back with open hearts.”
According to data from Destination Canada, more than 900,000 tourists travelled to Canada from the UK in 2019, making the UK Canada’s largest long-haul market. Meanwhile, data from Visit Britain shows that 850,000 Canadians visited the UK in 2018.
Destination Canada research also shows Vancouver is the most sought-after place in the country for potential UK visitors to go on holiday, closely followed by Toronto and Niagara Falls, then Montreal and Quebec City, meaning Gatwick passengers now have easy access to each of the top five destinations in Canada.
About Gatwick’s Canadian destinations (per week)
| Destination | Airline | Current frequency | Peak frequency |
| Quebec | Air Transat | 1 | 1 |
| Montreal | Air Transat | 3 | 7 |
| Halifax | WestJet | 4 | 7 |
| Vancouver | WestJet | 6 | 7 |
| Toronto | WestJet | 7 | 9 |
| Toronto | Air Transat | 7 | 14 |
| Calgary | WestJet | 3 | 5 |
Vancouver marries all the sights and sounds of a city with incredible scenery and even beaches. Visitors can spend the morning exploring Chinatown or at a gallery or museum, then in the afternoon can catch a seaplane from the harbour and enjoy views of the stunning natural landscapes surrounding the city, or head up Grouse Mountain, which offers skiing in winter, hiking in summer and an abundance of wildlife.
Toronto is home to the world-famous Blue Jays baseball team, the iconic CN Tower, plus a host of galleries, museums, restaurants and the Hockey Hall of Fame. The city is also just an hour-and-a-half drive from the spectacular Niagara Falls.
Montreal offers more restaurants per capita than anywhere in Canada and is second only to New York in the whole of North America. Visitors can take in Montreal’s stunning architecture, quaint Old Town, the historic Old Port of Montreal and even a Barbie Expo. Each June, the city also hosts the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Gilles-Villeneuve.
Quebec City is the only walled city in North America, north of Mexico, and is the birthplace of the world-famous Cirque du Soleil. It also boasts North America’s only ice hotel, while the wider province offers wildlife lovers the chance to spot Canada’s ‘Big Five’ – moose, black bears, snowy owls, grey wolves and blue whales.
Calgary is the gateway to the Canadian Rockies, including Banff National Park, among the best spots in Canada for viewing the Northern Lights. Calgary is also famed for its annual Stampede.
Halifax, the cultural hub of Nova Scotia with its four-kilometre long boardwalk, is just six hours from Gatwick and is the perfect spot for outdoor enthusiasts. The province boasts 13,000km of coastline, making it ideal for kayaking, surfing or spotting some of its 12 whale species.
