WestJet has cancelled three newly launched long-haul routes to Europe for 2027, ending planned service from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Glasgow (GLA) and from Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) to Copenhagen (CPH) and Madrid (MAD). The changes remove all three European cities from WestJet’s network after the airline introduced or restored service to them during 2026.
The cancellations represent a significant reshaping of WestJet’s European strategy as the airline responds to high jet fuel costs, route performance and the economics of connecting traffic. Although demand was reportedly strong on the Toronto-Glasgow route, its financial performance appears to have been less attractive than WestJet’s service to nearby Edinburgh. Consolidating Scottish traffic in Edinburgh could allow the airline to concentrate passengers and improve aircraft utilization and yields on the remaining route.
The three cancelled services were all operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8, allowing WestJet to connect Canadian cities with European destinations using a narrowbody aircraft. Their removal also demonstrates how quickly airlines can adjust seasonal international networks when operating costs and revenue expectations change. For travelers planning European trips in 2027, the cancellations mean several previously announced nonstop options will no longer be available.
WestJet Ends Toronto–Glasgow Flights After 2026 Return
WestJet’s Toronto-Glasgow service has had an unusual history. The airline first served the 2,862-nautical-mile (4,967-kilometer) market between 2015 and 2018, when Boeing 737-700 aircraft operated the journey through Halifax on a same-plane, same-flight-number basis. The route later returned as a nonstop operation in 2022 using the 737 MAX 8, during the difficult recovery period following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Service returned again in 2026 after a four-year absence. The first flight arrived in Glasgow on May 16, 2026, and WestJet operated four flights per week with its 174-seat MAX 8. The final 2026 departure from Glasgow to Toronto was scheduled for September 19.
WestJet had initially planned to continue the route in 2027 with another four weekly flights. However, the planned season was scheduled to begin on May 27, two weeks later than the 2026 operation, suggesting a more cautious approach to seasonal demand. The route has now been removed altogether.
The change leaves Air Transat as the sole nonstop operator between Toronto and Glasgow, using the Airbus A321LR. WestJet, meanwhile, will concentrate its Toronto-Scotland operation on Edinburgh. Air Canada is also expected to serve Edinburgh, including up to daily Boeing 787-9 flights, while WestJet plans daily 737 MAX 8 service.
Halifax–Copenhagen Route Ends After One Season
WestJet’s Halifax-Copenhagen route was another 2026 launch that will not return. The first flight departed Halifax on May 28, 2026, creating what appears to have been the market’s first nonstop connection between Nova Scotia and Denmark. The airline operated the route four times weekly with the 737 MAX 8, with the final return flight scheduled for September 7.
The route had an important strategic connection through WestJet’s codeshare relationship with SAS, potentially giving passengers access to destinations across Scandinavia. Yet available May-to-July 2026 booking data indicates that relatively few passengers used Copenhagen to connect onward. Instead, approximately 62% of passengers originated or ended their journey in Copenhagen, with many travelers connecting through Halifax to Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
Local traffic did grow substantially. OAG Traffic Analyzer estimated that Halifax-Copenhagen local traffic increased by about 455% year over year compared with May-July 2025. However, that percentage began from a very small base, and strong passenger growth does not necessarily translate into strong financial returns. The significant amount of connecting traffic through Halifax may also have placed pressure on average fares.
Madrid Disappears From WestJet’s Halifax Network
Madrid has followed a similar path. WestJet launched its first-ever Halifax-Madrid service on May 15, 2026, operating three to four times per week with the MAX 8. The final departure back to Canada was scheduled for September 29, while the airline had originally planned to restart the route on May 28, 2027.
Approximately 67% of passengers on the route were estimated to have connected to or from another flight at Halifax. That was even higher than the proportion recorded on the Copenhagen service. At the same time, OAG estimated that local Halifax-Madrid traffic increased by roughly 740% year over year.
The figures illustrate the difference between stimulating a market and generating sufficiently attractive yields. WestJet succeeded in creating substantial additional traffic on both new European routes, but the combination of connecting passengers, seasonal demand and elevated fuel costs appears to have made continuation difficult.
WestJet’s European Network Is Being Reshaped
WestJet inaugurated eight European routes in 2026, including three from Halifax as the airline expanded the airport’s role as a transatlantic mini-hub. Alongside Copenhagen and Madrid, the carrier also launched services from Halifax to Lisbon. At the time of the reported changes, Lisbon remained available for 2027.
The airline also introduced Toronto service to Cardiff and Ponta Delgada, while Edmonton and Winnipeg gained new links to Reykjavík. Those routes remained bookable for 2027 in the available schedule.
The cancellation of Glasgow, Copenhagen and Madrid therefore does not represent a retreat from Europe as a whole. Instead, it shows WestJet concentrating its international network around routes where aircraft capacity, passenger demand and expected revenue can better support long-haul operations.
For passengers, the most immediate impact is straightforward: Toronto-Glasgow, Halifax-Copenhagen and Halifax-Madrid will not operate as planned in 2027. Travelers who had expected nonstop service will need to consider alternative airlines, connecting itineraries or WestJet’s remaining European destinations.
