WestJet is adding five new weekly nonstop routes to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Belize and Costa Rica for the winter 2026-27 season, according to a July 20, 2026 report in Travelweek. All five fly once a week and begin between late November and late December 2026. They are aimed at Canadian travellers in cities that have often needed a connection to reach a beach resort, and they matter to anyone planning a winter trip from those cities.

The five new routes

• Calgary to Merida, Mexico, starting December 17, 2026. WestJet describes it as its first service on this pair and the only direct link between Western Canada and Merida.
• Winnipeg to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, starting November 28, 2026.
• Winnipeg to Belize City, Belize, starting December 14, 2026.
• Regina to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, starting December 14, 2026.
• Ottawa to Liberia, Costa Rica, starting December 20, 2026.

The report did not specify the aircraft type for any of the routes, so seat capacity and cabin layout are not confirmed.

The wider winter network

WestJet says that during peak winter operations it will serve 50 sun destinations from 15 Canadian cities, which it describes as more than any other Canadian carrier. It also says it will remain Canada’s largest carrier to Mexico by number of flights. Capacity increases on several returning winter routes were to be announced in the following weeks, so the five new routes are not the whole of the schedule. John Weatherill, WestJet’s chief commercial officer, said the additions support growing demand for options in Mexico and the Latin Caribbean.

The same article notes that Sunwing Vacations has a winter 2026-27 package schedule running from November 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. It lists a returning Punta Cana flight from Winnipeg beginning November 4, a returning Roatan flight from Quebec City beginning December 14, and a new Liberia flight from Ottawa beginning December 20.

What a weekly flight means for your trip

A once-a-week route fixes your arrival and departure days. If the flight leaves Saturday, you will stay in multiples of a week, or you will need to connect elsewhere on the other days. That shapes what you can book. Check the day of the week before you reserve a room, and look at the resort’s own terms, because some resorts use check-in days or minimum stays that may not match a weekly schedule. Our guide to a resort’s own cancellation and refund policy explains what happens if a flight date shifts after you have paid.

Weekly routes also carry more schedule risk than daily ones. A single cancellation removes a whole week of service, so read what to do when your flight is delayed or cancelled on a resort trip and note the rebooking rights that apply to your ticket.

Before you buy a ticket

Because every one of these routes flies only once a week, a few checks are worth making in order. First, confirm the resort’s check-in and check-out days against the flight days, since a stay that does not line up can mean paying for a night you do not use or an early morning departure. Second, look at the departure and arrival times, which decide whether your first day is usable or lost to a late-evening transfer. Third, ask whether baggage, seat selection and any meals are included in the fare class you are buying, because those terms vary by fare and the report does not list them. Finally, if you are buying a package instead of a standalone seat, ask who rebooks you if the flight is changed, the airline or the package seller, and get the answer in writing.

Destinations covered

Two of the new routes feed destinations we cover in depth. For Punta Cana, see our guide to how far from the airport your resort should be, since transfers along the coast vary, and Bavaro against Arena Gorda. For Los Cabos, things to do in Los Cabos beyond the resort and Cabo or Cancun for an all-inclusive help you decide how long to stay. Winnipeg, Regina, Ottawa and Calgary travellers will also want to read how hurricane season affects a resort trip if travelling in the early part of the winter window.

These routes join other new service across the region in the same season, including 13 new routes at Tulum and 17 new international routes at Cancun.

What is not confirmed

The report gives start dates but not fares, aircraft, or the end date of each route’s season, and new seasonal routes can be adjusted. It also does not say whether every route will be sold on a standalone basis or only through vacation packages. Confirm schedules on WestJet’s own booking pages before you plan around them, and treat the dates above as the airline’s announced plans at the time of the July report. We have not verified any price. For how we handle claims we cannot confirm, see how we verify.

Source: Travelweek, July 20, 2026.