Swoop Expands Its U.S.-Canada Routes With Fares Starting at $78

The budget airline Swoop, a branch of Canada’s WestJet, is embarking on a significant expansion of its U.S. services, offering introductory one-way fares beginning at $78 to five new U.S. cities.

The airline announced that tickets are now available for nonstop flights launching later this spring to Chicago, Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Swoop already serves six popular U.S. Sunbelt destinations favored by Canadians, such as Palm Springs, Las Vegas, and Orlando. In Canada, Swoop operates mainly from Toronto, Hamilton (about an hour south of Toronto), and Edmonton (in Alberta).

This initiative aims to leverage the pent-up demand for travel between the North American neighbors, according to Bert van der Stege, head of commercial and finance for Swoop. He highlighted that while travel across the border reopened for fully vaccinated travelers in August 2021, airlines are advocating for a further easing of Canada’s travel restrictions, including the pretravel COVID testing requirement. “The focus should be on removing outdated and overly restrictive travel barriers,” van der Stege stated, adding, “Our airline and our passengers are fully vaccinated.”

The Canadian government is expected to review these measures by March 1, when the current restrictions are set to expire. In the meantime, Swoop is clearly anticipating a surge in summer travel, with new services planned to be launched as follows:

• Nashville–Toronto, four times a week, beginning May 26
• Chicago–Toronto, five times a week, starting May 30
• San Francisco–Edmonton, four times a week, commencing June 6
• Nashville–Edmonton, twice a week, beginning June 19
• New York–Toronto, five times a week, starting June 20
• Los Angeles–Edmonton, three times a week, starting June 23
• Las Vegas–Toronto, commencing May 20
• Las Vegas–Hamilton, starting June 23

The introductory fare of $78 is available until February 18 for travel in June and July, but the airline promises to maintain its so-called “ultra-not-expensive” pricing model long after. Swoop offers a low base fare, with additional fees for services like luggage or extra legroom—typical of low-cost carriers.

The airline currently operates a fleet of 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, each with 189 economy seats, including 39 “premium” seats that offer more space. Additionally, it has ordered six Boeing 737 MAX jets, scheduled for delivery later this year.

Swoop isn't the only airline aiming to lower prices in the Canadian airline industry, which has traditionally seen higher fares. Edmonton-based Flair Airlines, established in 2017, markets itself as an “ultra-low-cost carrier,” dedicated to challenging the monopolistic practices of Canadian airlines. This spring, Flair will directly compete with Swoop by introducing new routes between Toronto and New York, as well as Chicago.