WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline after Air Canada, has scheduled a new route from Toronto (YYZ) to Chicago (ORD) starting this summer.
Starting May 19, 2022, WestJet will join Air Canada, American Airlines, Flair, Swoop, and United Airlines, who all operate nonstop service on the route already.
According to the airline, the new route will also enable those living in Chicago and the surrounding areas to take WestJet flights via Toronto and connect onwards to popular leisure destinations across Europe such as Barcelona (BCN).
“Our newest transborder route provides guests with increased options to discover these two vibrant cities or seamlessly connect to their chosen destination via our expansive network,” said John Weatherill, Chief Commercial Officer at WestJet.
The news comes soon after the airline announced it would be acquiring a fellow Canadian airline, low-cost carrier Sunwing.
Here’s more about what WestJet’s new route means for travel to Toronto and beyond.
WestJet Comes to Chicago (ORD)
The daily, year-round route will start on May 19, 2022, and be operated with one of WestJet’s Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
The schedule is planned as follows:
- Depart Chicago (ORD) 5:10 p.m. — Arrive Toronto (YYZ) 8:20 p.m.
- Depart Toronto (YYZ) 3:35 p.m. — Arrive Chicago (ORD) 4:30 p.m.
From May 1, 2022, WestJet will restore its nonstop services from Toronto to Barcelona (BCN), Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI), Glasgow (GLA), and London Gatwick (LGW).
While the potential of making the most of WestJet’s low round-trip fares to Europe via Toronto is an exciting one, unfortunately, the schedule of the new route between Chicago and Toronto doesn’t bode well for allowing enough time to connect between flights in Toronto to Europe on both legs of the journey.
For example, a passenger landing in Toronto at 8:20 p.m. from Chicago would not have enough time to connect onto the 9:10 departure to Dublin.
The only connection that might have just enough time to work would be to Glasgow, where the schedules would leave 1 hour and 20 minutes on the outbound leg and 2 hours on the return leg.
Chicago to Glasgow via Toronto with WestJet. Image Credit: Great Circle MapperIt’s lucky that’s the case as Glasgow is currently the only one of those cities that doesn’t have nonstop service from Chicago.
Final Thoughts
With the addition of WestJet, there’ll soon be 6 airlines operating nonstop flights between Chicago (ORD) and Toronto (YYZ).
The route will start on March 19, 2022, and will operate daily on a year-round basis.
Featured Image Credit:
WestJet
