Canadians in search of sunshine and popular American tourist destinations will soon have another option in their quest.
Flair Airlines, a discount carrier that travels throughout Canada, will begin flying to six U.S. destinations starting in October. As the snow and cold of a Canadian winter begin to arrive, Flair will offer flights to Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
Flights will depart from several Canadian cities, including Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Abbotsford. One-way fares will begin at $63.
“We want Canadians to hear us loud and clear. You don’t have to rack up debt or save for months to enjoy travel this winter,” Stephen Jones, Flair President and CEO, said in a statement. “For years, Canadians have been over-paying for air travel to domestic and U.S destinations. Flair is here to ensure that Canadians are no longer taken advantage of and receive low prices for even better service.”
What Is Flair?
Flair began in 2006, offering limited service to just a handful of Canadian locations. But in 2019, it underwent a complete makeover and began expanding rapidly. It will now fly to 26 different locations and is aiming to have 50 aircraft in its fleet over the next five years.
Airport officials are pleased with the expansion and the push into American markets.
“As we see restrictions ease and passenger traffic increase, these new routes will allow for more travel options once we are able to explore freely again,” said Russell Atkinson, director of air service development for Vancouver International Airport. “We commend Canada’s airlines for continuing to serve Canadians through the last year and a half, and we are excited to see Flair expand their offer to provide unique travel experiences.”
Similar enthusiasm is also being expressed in the United States.
“These new routes from Flair Airlines will significantly increase the opportunity for Canadians to experience Las Vegas,” said Chris Jones, chief marketing officer for McCarran International Airport. “Historically, Las Vegas has been a top destination for travelers from across Canada, and we look forward to welcoming even more visitors to this world-class destination.”
Smaller Airports Targeted
In a few of the cases, Flair will be flying into smaller airports in the destination cities. The Orlando flights will go to Orlando-Sanford International Airport in Sanford, the Phoenix flights to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, and the Southern California flights to Hollywood-Burbank Airport.
It’s no secret what Flair officials are thinking with these locations, which include the homes of Disneyland, Disney World, and the gambling and entertainment offerings of Las Vegas. It also takes Canadians to some of the best golfing locations in the United States when the sport is shut down by winter weather north of the border.
On the flip side, the flights will give Americans looking for a break from warm weather a chance to experience skiing and a true winter atmosphere to the north.
“The fares to our new destinations ensure Canadians can easily enjoy travel this winter and spend some much-deserved time away exploring sunny new places,” Jones said.
Border Could Open Soon
Travel restrictions between Canada and the United States have only recently begun to loosen as the impact of coronavirus lessens. Non-essential trips, including tourism, are still banned until at least July 21.
“We’re very hopeful that we’re going to see new steps on reopening announced in the coming weeks,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier this month. “We’re going to make sure that we’re not seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, because nobody wants to go back to further restrictions after having done so much and sacrificed so much to get to this point.”
