Cardiff Airport has secured a significant new scheduled transatlantic service, with WestJet set to connect the Welsh capital to Toronto starting in the summer of 2025. The route, announced with public backing from Wales' First Minister, is being hailed as a potential 'turning point' for the financially challenged airport.
A Route Backed by National Leadership
While airlines frequently announce new seasonal services, it is rare for a national leader to personally endorse a four-times-weekly flight on a narrow-body aircraft. First Minister Eluned Morgan did exactly that, stating the new link is 'welcome news for passengers, businesses and our tourism industries, both in Wales and Canada.'
She emphasised that the route would 'open up new economic opportunities for Wales in North America,' particularly given the good connections available to other Canadian cities from Toronto.
The Flight and Airport Details
The seasonal service will operate between May and September 2025. The 3,444-mile journey to Toronto is scheduled to take just under eight hours, with the return leg to Cardiff taking just over seven.
The aircraft chosen for the route is a Boeing 737 Max with 174 seats, meaning the service will offer fewer than 700 seats each way per week. For travellers, using Cardiff Airport offers a markedly different experience to major hubs like London Heathrow, which handles more passengers in four days than Cardiff does in an entire year.
A Critical Juncture for Cardiff Airport
The new connection arrives at a critical time. Passenger numbers at Cardiff have roughly halved since the 2000s, and the airport operates at a significant loss. Every passenger is currently subsidised by the taxpayer to the tune of £20.
The airport's location on the southern tip of Wales presents a challenge, with half of its potential catchment area being the Bristol Channel. For residents in eastern Cardiff, the journey can take nearly an hour by road.
John Leaman, Finance Director at Cardiff Airport, is optimistic. He believes the Toronto route will define the airport's catchment area better, drawing passengers from the Southwest, West Country, and south of the Midlands who lack direct flights to Canada from Birmingham or Bristol. 'The obvious route from the Cotswolds to Canada is via Cardiff,' he notes.
This strategy is part of a broader recovery plan. 'We want to get back to the Middle East, we want to get to Frankfurt, we want to get to Paris,' Mr. Leaman stated, highlighting ambitions to re-establish hub connections.
Aviation analyst Sean Moulton points to a resurgence in UK-Canada links in 2025, with new services also launching from Glasgow and Gatwick. He identifies the 'visiting friends and relatives' traffic as key for the Cardiff-Toronto route, though he cautions that its long-term sustainability remains to be seen.
