WestJet is adding five sun routes for the winter 2026-27 season, giving travellers in western and central Canada new ways to reach Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. A trade report lists the routes, and it notes the Calgary to Merida service as WestJet’s first to that city. Here is what has been reported, what the sources do not say and how to plan if you are tempted to book.
The five routes
According to a Pax News report published on July 20, 2026, the new routes are:
- Calgary to Merida, Mexico, a weekly service
- Winnipeg to Belize City
- Winnipeg to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Regina to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
- Ottawa to Liberia, Costa Rica
The report describes Calgary to Merida as the only nonstop link between the Yucatan’s cultural capital and western Canada. That is the report’s description, and it is worth treating as the publication’s framing rather than an official WestJet statement.
What the report does not say
The version of the article we reviewed does not give start dates, flight frequencies for most routes, aircraft types or whether any route needs government approval. Other listings online mention specific launch dates for some of these routes, but we could not confirm them against a primary source, so we do not repeat them here. If a date matters to you, the only reliable source is WestJet’s own booking site, where the route will show on sale with real dates and fares.
It is also worth remembering that the report is a few months old. Airlines adjust seasonal schedules, and routes announced in July can change before the season starts. Check that a route is still shown before you plan around it.
Why Merida stands out
Merida sits inland in the Yucatan, known for colonial architecture, food and its position as a base for Maya sites such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal. It is not a beach resort town, but the Gulf coast and the Caribbean are within a few hours’ drive, so some travellers combine a city stay with time on the coast. For resort-focused readers, it is a way to see a different side of the region before or after a beach stay. Our guide on planning a Mexican Caribbean trip covers the coastal bases.
Beach routes for the prairies
The other four routes serve classic sun destinations. Punta Cana and Los Cabos are major resort areas with many large all-inclusives, and Liberia is the gateway to the Guanacaste coast in Costa Rica. Belize City leads to the cayes, the mainland coast and inland nature stays. For prairie travellers, a direct flight can save a connection and a long travel day, and that is the main benefit of this kind of expansion.
Reading a route announcement
New route news comes in stages, and it helps to know which stage you are looking at. An airline first announces that it intends to fly a route. Later it publishes dates and opens bookings. Only once flights are on sale with fares can you plan with confidence. A trade report that lists routes without dates sits in the first stage, which is why we recommend treating it as a signal of direction, not a schedule.
Seasonal routes also tend to be the first to change if demand is weaker than expected. A route that serves a smaller city and flies once a week has fewer seats to sell, so an airline may adjust it sooner than a daily service from a large hub. That is not a reason to avoid booking, only a reason to read the airline’s change and refund terms before you pay.
How to plan around a new route
- Wait for dates and fares on the airline site. A trade report is not a schedule.
- Check the days of operation. Weekly flights fix your stay to multiples of seven nights, and that shapes which resort packages fit.
- Look at both directions. Confirm the return flight times, not just the outbound.
- Have a backup. A new, infrequent route is harder to rebook if it is cancelled or delayed, so know your alternatives.
- Read the fare rules. Baggage, seat selection and change fees differ by fare class.
Related package news
The same report notes new winter packages from Sunwing Vacations. We cover those in a separate article on Sunwing’s winter 2026-27 package routes.
This article reflects published trade reporting from July 2026. Schedules, dates and fares can change, so confirm everything on WestJet’s official site before you book.