WestJet begins its first non-stop flights between Calgary and São Paulo on Sunday, 8 November, opening the first direct air link between Western Canada and South America. The route will operate three times a week between Calgary International Airport and São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport.

São Paulo is WestJet’s 100th destination from Calgary, a milestone for the airline’s hub in the Alberta city. The service will be flown by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, WestJet’s long-haul wide-body aircraft.

Flights from Calgary are scheduled to depart at 22:45 and arrive in São Paulo at 15:35 the following day. The return service is scheduled to start on 9 November, departing São Paulo at 19:40 and arriving in Calgary at 05:15 the following day. The schedule published with the announcement was marked as pending government approval.

WestJet Group chief executive Alexis von Hoensbroech said: “Our first flight between Western Canada and South America is the beginning of an exciting chapter in WestJet’s Calgary story. From our very first flight in 1996 to 100 non-stop destinations on four continents, this city has stood alongside us every step of the way.”

He added that WestJet was grateful to its Calgary partners and to the millions of passengers who had flown with the airline, and said the support had made the journey from one destination to 100 possible.

The airline presents the route as a new winter gateway for Western Canadians, offering a direct connection to warmer-weather destinations. From São Paulo, travellers can reach the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, as well as Lima in Peru and the vineyard valleys around Santiago in Chile, according to the airline’s announcement.

São Paulo is also significant for business travel and freight. As the largest city in the Americas, it adds business opportunities for the airline, including belly-cargo capacity in the hold of the passenger aircraft, supporting businesses on both continents with more flexible access to expanding markets.

The city is a global hub for LATAM Airlines Group, WestJet’s key South American partner. Through that partnership, WestJet passengers are expected to gain access to more than 30 onward destinations across the continent, including Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo, subject to the relevant government approvals.

The new service also fits into WestJet’s wider Latin American partnerships, including a codeshare agreement with Aeroméxico and an interline agreement with Copa Airlines. Those agreements allow passengers to book connecting journeys through partner airlines on a single itinerary.

For Calgary, the route strengthens the airport’s position as a long-haul hub. WestJet describes Calgary as the best-connected mid-sized city in North America, and the São Paulo service takes its Calgary network to 100 non-stop destinations across four continents.

For Brazil, the direct link removes the need for Western Canadian travellers to connect through Toronto, Montreal, the United States or Europe to reach São Paulo, the country’s largest city and its main economic centre. That is likely to matter for tourism, family visits and business travel between the two countries.

The service is part of WestJet’s winter schedule, when demand for sun destinations rises in Canada. Tickets for the Calgary–São Paulo flights have been on sale through the airline’s website since the route was announced in January 2026.

The first departure is scheduled for the evening of 8 November local time in Calgary. The return leg begins the following evening from São Paulo, completing the first round trip of a service that WestJet hopes will become a lasting link between Western Canada and South America.