Canadian Airline Swoop Starts Nonstop Flights to Cuba

Swoop, a Canadian low-cost airline, has just launched flights between Toronto and Cuba.

Let’s take a look at the details.

New Service Between Toronto and Varadero

Swoop has begun service between Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Juan Gualberto Gomez International Airport in Varadero, Cuba (VRA).

Service will operate 3 days per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Additionally, the airline has also started nonstop flights between Hamilton (YHM) and Punta Cana (PUJ) in the Dominican Republic. This service will be twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

With the new routes, Swoop will operate 100 flights a week to more than a dozen destinations across the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean this winter.

One-way tickets between Toronto (YYZ) and Varadero (VRA) start at just $120, while one-way tickets between Hamilton (YHM) and Punta Cana (PUJ) start at $150. Additionally, Swoop says travelers wanting an all-inclusive hotel option may book their trip through WestJet Vacations Packages.

These are bundled flight and hotel deals to destinations served by the airline. Some of the lowest-cost options include a 3-night flight and hotel stay in Las Vegas for just $266.

You can take a look at the routes and book directly with Swoop at this link.

“As Canada’s favorite sun and fun ultra-low-cost carrier, we are thrilled to celebrate our launch into Cuba,” said Bob Cummings, President of Swoop, in a statement.

“Varadero is widely known as a Canadian favorite for affordable beach vacations, and so we’re proud to provide Torontonians a new ultra-convenient, ultra-not-expensive option for travel to Playa Azul,” the statement continued.

If you aren’t familiar with Swoop, it’s a low-cost carrier launched in 2018 as an independent subsidiary of WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline.

The airline serves just 5 U.S. destinations — Ft. Lauderdale (FLL), Las Vegas (LAS), Orlando-Sanford (SFB), St. Petersberg-Clearwater (PIE), and Phoenix (PHX). Other North American destinations include Cancun (CUN), Kingston (KIN), and Montego Bay (MBJ).

The airline has a fleet of 16 jets, which include 10 Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft and 6 Boeing MAX-8 aircraft.

Hot Tip: Swoop doesn’t have a frequent flyer program, but there are several ways to get to Canada using some of your favorite frequent flyer programs.

Final Thoughts

Swoop is a relatively new airline but is already “swooping” in on the Caribbean market by launching some exciting new routes to Cuba and the Dominican Republic. With a packed winter schedule, Canadians will have even more options for affordable flights to warm destinations.