Two new low cost airlines announced direct flights to major winter destinations in Florida, Arizona and Las Vegas.
Swoop Airlines
Upstart Canadian “ultra-low-cost carrier” Swoop is making its first push into the United States, revealing plans to fly seven routes from five U.S. airports.
The airline’s first US flights start on October 11th, when Swoop launches non-stop service between Las Vegas and Edmonton. The carrier will add six more US-Canada routes by the end of October. In addition to Las Vegas, Swoop’s new U.S. destinations will include Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Phoenix/Mesa, and Tampa.
Swoop will become the first ultra-low-cost carrier to start service to the US. Swoop began flying just this past June and currently serves five Canadian destinations including Abbotsford, British Columbia; Edmonton, Alberta; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Hamilton, Ontario; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Swoop is a wholly owned subsidiary of WestJet, a low-cost carrier that has grown during the past two decades to become Canada’s second largest airline. As it has grown, WestJet has begun to more closely resemble a traditional carrier. Swoop and WestJet operate as separate stand-alone brands but Swoop will take over four routes that had previously been operated by parent company WestJet. They are Edmonton-Las Vegas; Hamilton-Las Vegas; Hamilton-Orlando and Edmonton-Phoenix/Mesa.
Swoop is the airline that will allow the WestJet Group of Companies to compete against other ULCCs and serve more markets with continued growth and expansion of WestJet into a global airline.
Swoop’s fleet consists of just six Boeing 737 jets. Three more are scheduled to arrive by October, giving Swoop the aircraft it needs to launch the US routes. Four more Boeing 737’s are expected to arrive by early 2019, growing Swoop’s fleet to 10 aircraft. That will fuel more growth for the carrier, though the company has so far declined to offer specifics about where it’s looking. Swoop says that could be in Canada, the US or possibly to destinations in the Caribbean that appeal to Canadian travelers.
Flair Airlines
Flair Airlines announced it is introducing non-stop flights to six popular U.S. destinations this winter. The new routes will extend Flair’s rapidly growing network to Florida’s Orlando International Airport, St. Pete-Clearwater (Tampa Bay) and Miami as well as to Palm Springs, Las Vegas and Phoenix-Mesa Airport in Arizona.
The announcement comes less than a month after Flair’s ultra-low cost competitor Swoop, a subsidiary of WestJet, announced its own planned launch of US service.
Flair will make its first US flight on November 9th with service between Edmonton and Las Vegas.
Flights are now on sale, with the majority of service commencing beginning on December 15th. Introductory fares start at $99 to Las Vegas from both Winnipeg and Edmonton. (one way, taxes & fees included).
Flair Air will fly between Mesa Gateway Airport and Edmonton four times a week starting December 15th and on December 16th service to Winnipeg will begin two times a week. Other flights include:
From Winnipeg – Flair will fly to Las Vegas; Phoenix-Mesa; Palm Springs, Calif.; Miami; Orlando; and St. Petersburg, Fla.
From Toronto – Flair will fly to Miami.
From Edmonton – the carrier will service Phoenix-Mesa, Palm Springs, Orlando and Miami, in addition to Las Vegas.
Flair Air operates its flights with Boeing 737-400 aircraft. The carrier will go head-to-head with Swoop in the Edmonton-Las Vegas market.
