Booking a trip with direct flights instead of layovers is one of the easiest ways to try and mitigate potential travel issues, hopefully making your journey through the skies quicker and smoother. And ever since I started flying with a baby in tow, places that we can get to with just a single flight have moved up to the top of our list.
Lower demand for travel to the United States has led Canadian airlines to reduce the frequency of stateside flights over the past couple years, and WestJet took the opportunity to reposition some of their planes to offer exciting new routes to more than a dozen destinations at home and abroad.
Here are some of the best direct flights from Calgary that flyers can now take advantage of, including a few you probably didn’t even know about.
WATCH: Tamara Elliott shares details about new direct flight options from Calgary
Sydney, Nova Scotia (YQY)
The Cabot Trail is considered one of the world’s top road trips, and now there’s an easier way to reach this gem on Canada’s east coast.
Previously, travellers had to fly into Halifax then drive a couple hours to reach Cape Breton island, or take a ferry from New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island or Maine. Now, WestJet offers direct flights between Calgary and McCurdy Sydney Airport during the summer season.
READ MORE: 13 stunning spots on Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail worth stopping for
Sydney is the gateway to the famed 300 kilometre loop around Cape Breton which highlights epic landscapes like rocky coastlines, waterfalls, vibrant bays and beaches. Pass colourful lighthouses, stay in charming inns, and keep an eye out for eagles, moose and even whales.
It technically only takes about five hours to drive the whole trail, but you’ll want to budget at least two or three nights to allow time for hiking, boat tours, camping and stopping at all the panoramic lookout points.
Duration: 5-5 ½ hours
Frequency: 2x week, Tuesdays and Saturdays
Dates: June to mid-October
Tepic, Mexico (TPQ)
Ever heard of Tepic? I hadn’t either until I was invited to fly on one of WestJet’s inaugural flights between Calgary and Riviera Nayarit International Airport, which kicked off in December 2025 to much fanfare.
The capital of Nayarit state is home to about 400,000 people and marked by Sangangüey which is an imposing, eroded stratovolcano.
While the average tourist doesn’t stick around Tepic too long, flying into TPQ means you can make it to Matanchen Bay in half an hour, or find yourself wandering through the colourful town of Sayulita or kicking it poolside at one of Punta Mita’s luxe resorts in about 90 minutes.
Tepic is not meant to be a replacement for flying into Puerto Vallarta; instead, it’s another option for accessing the top locales in Nayarit including Bucerias and Nuevo Vallarta, is much closer to resorts like the One&Only Mandarina and some expat areas than PV is, and its laid-back vibe and small size makes it less hectic to get through.
A brand new terminal is being built beside the current airport and expected to open in 2027, which will result in more seating areas and amenities for passengers.
Globe Guide tip: Driving to Tepic from the Puerto Vallarta or Nuevo Vallarta areas? It currently takes about two hours, though a bit of time will be shaved off when a new highway is completed in 2026.
You’ll want to build in a bit of a buffer in the event of an issue on the road (I know of a group that got stuck at a toll booth for half an hour when the driver’s toll reader malfunctioned); the good news is that you’ll get an hour back due to the time zone change between PVR and Tepic.
Duration: 5 hours
Frequency: 1x week on Saturdays
Dates: Mid-December to late April
Other Mexico flights
Speaking of Mexico, WestJet has gone all-in on connecting sun-starved Calgarians to their favourite getaway, now offering direct flights from YYC to 14 different Mexican destinations.
The latest additions include Guadalajara, Tulum (thanks to the new airport there), Cozumel and Puerto Escondido, as well as relaunching the Mexico City route with year-round service.
Panama City, Panama (PTY)
An inconvenient truth about living in western Canada is that many Caribbean destinations require a red-eye flight and awkward pre-dawn layover to get to. So it’s ridiculously exciting when a new direct route linking Calgary to these sunny locales is announced, and why I was psyched to see flights to Panama City on WestJet’s winter 2025/26 schedule.
I’ve actually been to Panama three times, and let me tell you: having to transit through Miami there and back is not the move. Being able to get to Central America in under eight hours is a game changer, especially for those heading out on a cruise.
READ MORE: The best things to do in Panama City, Panama in just one day
You can hit the highlights of Panama City in just one day, by exploring the pastel-hued streets in historic Casco Viejo and walking along the buzzing Amador Causeway.
With the Panamanian capital as your base, spend the rest of your time heading out on these incredible day trips like watching ships pass through the locks at the Panama Canal, relaxing on sun-soaked beaches in San Blas, learning about Panama’s indigenous tribes at Embera Quera, and spotting monkeys and crocodiles in the Gamboa Rainforest.
READ MORE: The best day trips from Panama City, Panama
Duration: 7 ½-8 hours
Frequency: 4x week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays (YYC to PTY) or Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (PTY to YYC)
Dates: Late December- end of April
São Paulo, Brazil (GRU)
WestJet’s 100th destination from Calgary was announced to much fanfare, especially as the announcement of a direct flight to Brazil unlocked a new continent from western Canada: South America.
The 3x weekly route starts up in fall 2026, saving Calgarians hours of time in transit as until now a layover in hubs like Toronto or Houston has been required to get that far south.
Being home to more than 20 million people there’s definitely no shortage of places to explore in São Paulo, like the trendy Batman Alley, Parque Ibirapuera which is the world’s largest urban park, bustling Paulista Avenue and cycling through waterways and green spaces on a guided bike tour.
The city is also the gateway to adventurous areas like the Ribeira Valley where you can rappel into a cavern, stand under cascading waterfalls, go canoeing through the rainforest and enjoy nature hikes with epic birding opportunities.
READ MORE: 10 best things to do in São Paulo, Brazil (that are mostly free!)
Duration: 13 hours
Frequency: 3X week on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays (YYC to GRU) and Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (GRU to YYC)
Dates: Winter season, starting in mid-November
Seoul, South Korea (ICN)
Flying all the way to Asia with a 7-month-old might seem like a bold choice, but thanks to WestJet’s direct flights from Calgary to Seoul the 11 hour journey actually isn’t too bad at all.
The convenience of this non-stop route is exactly why we picked South Korea for a family trip, and since it departs from Calgary in late afternoon we had a pleasant journey across the Pacific as our daughter was ready to sleep soundly just a couple hours into the flight.
It lands at Incheon International Airport around 7 pm, so by the time you transit into the city and check into the hotel you can go right to bed, starting fresh and ready to explore the next morning.
READ MORE: Helpful tips you need to know before traveling to South Korea
You’ll definitely want to spend at least 3 days in Seoul to see the incredible palaces, sample Korean fare at the night markets, admire the traditional architecture in Bukchon Hanok Village and heck, maybe even get a K-Beauty treatment.
Korea’s second largest city Busan is just a few hours away on the high-speed bullet train, and has oh-so-many Instagrammable attractions including skywalks, a cable car over the Songdo Sea, a colourful cultural village and the Sky Capsule which glides through a waterfront park.
Don’t miss a day trip to nearby Gyeongju which is like a living museum, boasting a dizzying array of impressive temples and tombs, pagodas and three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
READ MORE: Korea with Kids: A family-friendly South Korea itinerary
Globe Guide tip: WestJet operates its Calgary to Seoul flights on a spacious Dreamliner, and if you’re travelling with kids I highly recommend reserving seats in the bulkhead which is row 9.
They have a bassinet attachment, more leg room, and are the first row in economy so there’s no one in front of you. Snagging these seats makes a huge difference for comfort (we’ve reserved these multiple times during long hauls between Asia and Europe), and the extra legroom gives antsy tots a bit of space to move around.
Duration: 10½-12 hours
Frequency: 3-6x week depending on the month, except Wednesdays.
Dates: April to mid-November
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