WestJet maps new Winnipeg-Iceland route ‘More than convenience — it is about connection’: weekly direct flight to Icelandic capital from Manitoba begins in June By: Aaron Epp Posted: 5:37 PM CST Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 Last Modified: 12:16 PM CST Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 Updates

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This article was published 18/11/2025 (304 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Come summer, only a six-hour flight will separate Winnipeggers from the land of fire and ice.

WestJet Airlines announced on Tuesday a direct flight between Winnipeg and Keflavík, Iceland, as part of its summer 2026 schedule. The weekly flights to the town, located 50 km. southeast of Reykjavik, are slated to begin June 27.

The airline is also expanding the route schedule between Winnipeg and Cancun, Mexico, to year-round. In mid-May, it will add thrice-weekly flights to London, Ont.

With the introduction of the new summer route to Iceland, WestJet will be operating transatlantic service from Winnipeg for the first time since 2019, said April Crane, the Calgary-based airline’s vice-president communications and engagement.

Manitoba is home to the world’s largest Icelandic population outside of Iceland, Crane noted during a news conference at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport.

“So that makes this announcement very special for all of us,” she said.

The last time there were direct flights to Iceland from Winnipeg was in 2011, when Iceland Express offered them, according to a Winnipeg Airports Authority executive.

“The route is more than convenience — it is about connection,” said Scott Marohn, vice-president commercial. “This flight strengthens the deep ties between our regions. It gives Manitobans the chance to explore their heritage, experience Iceland’s rich culture or use it as a gateway to Europe.”

Marohn said he met Icelandic President Halla Tomasdottir when she visited the keystone province in August for the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba in Gimli. Their conversation underscored for Marohn how meaningful the connection is between the two regions.

“Summer in Iceland is spectacular,” Marohn said. “Think nearly 24-hour daylight, breathtaking landscapes, whale watching, geothermal pools like the Blue Lagoon and countless festivals. And for those planning, Aug. 12, 2026, brings a rare total solar eclipse — the first in Iceland since 1954.”

“Think nearly 24-hour daylight, breathtaking landscapes, whale watching, geothermal pools like the Blue Lagoon and countless festivals.”

The return of direct air service to Iceland marks an important milestone, said Ryan Kuffner, president and CEO of Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism, adding it will expand the Manitoba capital’s global reach and connect the city to key destinations across Europe.

“This route is a catalyst for economic opportunity,” Kuffner said. “Iceland and Manitoba share a complementary relationship. Iceland relies heavily on imported goods, creating strong potential for Manitoba exporters at a critical time, particularly in sectors such as agriculture and food production.”

A direct route to Europe has long been a priority for Winnipeg’s business and tourism sectors, Kuffner added. “(This service) improves accessibility for travellers and investors, and gives local companies a more seamless path to build relationships overseas.”

Approximately 25 per cent of foreign direct investment stock in Manitoba comes from Europe, making the new route especially valuable, Kuffner said. The announcement also comes at a time when tourism in Winnipeg is gaining momentum. Spending by overseas visitors is up more than 20 per cent this year over last.

“Improved access to Europe will only build on that growth and help us welcome more travellers eager to experience what makes Winnipeg such a vibrant and welcoming destination,” Kuffner said.

“This route is a catalyst for economic opportunity.”

Speaking of the route to London, Ont., which starts on May 17, Crane from WestJet said she believes it will create new opportunities for both business and two-way tourism as Canadians seek to explore their own country.

If the Ontario and Keflavík routes are successful, she said, they will be extended beyond the airline’s summer schedule, which typically runs until August or September.

The relationship between Manitoba and the Nordic island stretches back 150 years, when the first Icelandic settlers landed on the shores of Lake Winnipeg at what is now Gimli.

WestJet began offering four-times-weekly service from Calgary to Keflavík in May 2024. The airline announced Tuesday a direct flight between Edmonton and the Icelandic town.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca

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Aaron Epp
Reporter

Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. Read more about Aaron.

Every piece of reporting Aaron produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.