Top 5 popular airlines in Canada
Each year, millions of people fly all over Canada domestically. With so many options, it’s hard to choose who to fly with. Do you care more about reputation, price, or flight experience? That’s why we have compiled a list of the most popular domestic airlines in Canada that guarantee to provide passengers with the best services and make your flight a great experience. Check out our list, and choose to fly with a domestic airline that will best fit your needs.
Domestic Airlines in Canada:
Air Canada
Headquartered in Montreal, Air Canada is Canada’s is a huge international and domestic airline with its tremendous fleet size and number of passengers carried, which was a whopping 37 million in 2022. Air Canada is known for their premium Maple Leaf Lounges, same terminal connection, and pleasant travel experience, being the only North American airline to offer lie-flat seats in destinations like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Vancouver, and Toronto. They are also consistent winners in the airline industry, receiving an award as the 'Most Family Friendly Airline' by Skytrax in 2023 and named as the 'Best Airline in North America' by Global Traveller for four consecutive times.
WestJet
Established in 1996, WestJet is known as Canada’s signature budget airline, annually boasting the title of Best Low-Cost Airline in Canada, according to Skytrax. They are also a very large international and domestic airline in the country, much like Air Canada. WestJet operates flights to over 275 destinations worldwide, with 100 destinations in North America, Central America, Europe, and The Caribbean. Besides offering low-cost and affordable flights, WestJet is also known for their exceptional customer service, providing a great travel experience for all passengers. Their loyalty program, WestJet Rewards, is Bond Brand Loyalty’s Top Ranked Loyalty Program in Canada, due to how easy it is to join, earn, and enjoy its benefits.
Air Transat
Air Transat was founded in 1986 and has a fleet size of approximately 36 aircrafts, while also carrying an average of 5 million passengers on international and domestic flights. It flies to over 60 destinations in 25 countries, and is known for being one of the best leisure airlines, earning awards from Skytrax for being the World’s Best Leisure Airline, as well as the Best Leisure Airline in North America. From its calm and vibrant cabin lighting, good food, and attentive customer service, Air Transat guarantees that your flight goes smoothly without a problem. Although a bit more expensive than other airlines, Air Transat’s great travel experience makes it worth your money.
Porter Airlines
Based in Toronto, Porter Airlines is one of the most popular domestic airlines in Canada, operating flights between several destinations in its country and the United States. With a small fleet of only 26 aircraft, Porter Airlines is only for passengers on short domestic flights. Despite that however, Porter Airlines is dedicated to providing a great domestic flight experience. Its planes are filled with comfortable leather seats in a 2-2 configuration, ensuring that there’s plenty of legroom. Passengers are also served free wine, beer, and snacks, which is complemented by friendly customer service. Passengers can also relax in the airline’s lounges, which include lots of amenities that make waiting a breeze.
Flair Airlines
Based in Edmonton, Flair Airlines started out as a charter airline in 2005, with scheduled flights beginning in 2017. Flair Airlines is an ultra low-cost domestic airline, allowing travellers to fly to many destinations in Canada. Due to having low fares on its flights, the airline comes with some compromises, such as not having adjustable headrests, as well as no complimentary food and drinks. However, the prices are very reasonable, and its seats have a good amount of legroom. Overall, Flair Airlines is great to fly with if you’re looking to save tons of money compared to other budget domestic airlines.
These five domestic airlines in Canada check off the boxes for travellers who are looking for affordable and memorable flight experiences. From big and popular airlines like Air Canada and Westjet, to small and hospitable ones such as Air Transat, Porter and Flair, the domestic airline industry in Canada is diverse. You really can’t go wrong picking any of these domestic airlines from our list.
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