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Home » Jetlines » Jetlines: Canada’s New Ultra-Low-Cost Airline
Jetlines

Jetlines: Canada’s New Ultra-Low-Cost Airline

Matthew Klint Posted onSeptember 12, 2017November 14, 2023 11 Comments

a plane flying in the sky

Hoping to become Canada’s first truly ultra-low-cost airline, Jetlines boasts an ambitious two-year plan for growth in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Service starts on June 1, 2018.

Jetlines plans to build upon the success of ultra-low-cost-carriers (ULCCs) on both sides of the Atlantic to offer cheap, no-frills service from secondary airports in Canada to popular destinations in other provinces as well as leisure destinations including Florida, Cancun, and Las Vegas.

But first Canada. The airline ordered five Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in December 2014 with an option for 16 more. Even so, it will use leased 737-800s for its initial operations.

Flights will begin June 1, 2018, from airports in Hamilton, Ont., and Waterloo, Ont., to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Halifax, Canada Jetlines chief executive officer Stan Gadek said Monday in Toronto.

Assuming initial operations go well, the carrier will add Las Vegas, Orlando and St. John’s after 60 days using two additional aircraft. Then over the next two years it will expand to more destinations in Florida and also Cancun.

Jetlines Route Map

a map of the world

By the end of its second year, Jetlines plans service to:

  • Canada
    • Alberta
      • Calgary (YYC)
      • Edmonton (YEG)
    • British Columbia
      • Vancouver (YVR)
    • Manitoba
      • Winnipeg (YWG)
    • Newfoundland and Labrador
      • St. John’s (YYT)
    • Nova Scotia
      • Halifax (YHZ)
    • Ontario
      • Hamilton (YHM)
      • Waterloo (YKF)
    • Quebec
      • Montreal (YUL)
  • United States
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas (LAS)
    • Florida
      • Ft. Lauderdale (FLL)
      • Ft. Meyers (RSW)
      • Orlando (MCO)
      • Tampa (TPA)
  • Mexico
    • Quintana Roo
      • Cancún (CUN)

Is Jetlines Viable?

Jetlines’s survival depends upon ancillary fees. The carrier will offer $10 introductory fares, but CEO Gadek hopes to sustain sub-$100 fares across many markets. To be successful, the carrier must keep costs extremely low while squeezing out ancillary fees from each passengers for items such as carry-on or checked bags, food/drink, and seat assignments. Jetline is aiming for $20 in ancillary fees per passenger in order to break even.

Rather than flying out of Toronto Pearson or Toronto City (Billy Bishop), Jetlines will use Hamilton and Waterloo airports for Ontario passengers. Both airports are about an hour away from central Toronto. The carrier also hopes to use the weak Canadian dollar to its advantage to entice U.S. travelers in upstate New York and Michigan to cross over the border for cheap fares to Las Vegas and Florida.

Competition from WestJet

WestJet has also announced (and delayed) its plans to launch an ultra low-cost-carrier. It’s a tad ironic that a low-cost-carrier is launching an ultra-low-cost-carrier, but look for direct competition between Jetlines and Westjet.

CONCLUSION

The explosion of new low-cost carriers continue, now in Canada with a new carrier called Jetlines. I do wonder if there is enough pie for everyone, but if this new airline takes off I suspect consumers will benefit…especially if other carriers match pricing.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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11 Comments

  1. James Reply
    September 12, 2017 at 7:44 am

    What about the Canadian low cost carrier New Leaf, which also operates from Hamilton, which is already operating?

  2. scott Reply
    September 12, 2017 at 8:29 am

    westjet is not a low cost carrier and you guys should know this by now

    do a fare comparison with AC – they are the same, perhaps a few dollars less

    • Matthew Reply
      September 12, 2017 at 1:53 pm

      It’s not about price, it is how the carrier brands and styles itself.

  3. James Reply
    September 12, 2017 at 8:36 am

    What is/are the difference(s) between ‘low cost carrier’ and ‘ultra low cost carrier’?

    • Matthew Reply
      September 12, 2017 at 1:55 pm

      Good question — I’d say key difference includes unbundling every possible item, including booking fee and carry-on fee.

      See this from Jetlines itself–

      https://jetlines.ca/strategy/ulcc-airline-model/

  4. CP@YOW Reply
    September 12, 2017 at 1:21 pm

    First, a very minor point – while YHX certainly makes more sense, the actual airport code for Halifax is YHZ.

    Anyway, it is interesting how the airline development cycle goes. When WestJet first started expanding eastward they used YHM as their primary “Toronto” destination because YYZ is so much more expensive. As they grew up they gradually made YYZ one of their biggest hubs and reduced YHM to only a few flights a day.

    • Matthew Reply
      September 12, 2017 at 1:56 pm

      Thanks, fixed!

  5. Jerry Reply
    September 12, 2017 at 1:36 pm

    I think everybody would rejoice if an airline could effectively bring lower fares to Canada.

  6. chasgoose Reply
    September 13, 2017 at 1:09 am

    Pretty sure Hamilton/Waterloo is the name of the one airport, not two separate airports.

    • Matthew Reply
      September 13, 2017 at 7:41 am

      Don’t think so.

  7. Michael Reply
    September 14, 2017 at 3:39 pm

    They are separate cities and airports.

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