WestJet will be flying direct to Costa Rica from Ottawa this winter.
On Monday, the airline announced it would launch five non-stop connections between Canadian airports and sun destinations, including once a week between the Ottawa International Airport and Liberia, Costa Rica, starting Dec. 20.
“Costa Rica is a popular destination for local travellers, famous for its sunshine, beaches, and eco‑powered adventures. The added capacity and choice created by WestJet’s new YOW–Liberia (LIR) service this winter will be incredibly welcome to Ottawa–Gatineau’s sun and adventure seekers,” said Joel Tkach, vice-president of business development and marketing at the Ottawa International Airport Authority, in a press release.
In addition to the Ottawa–Liberia flight, WestJet will fly from Calgary to Mérida, Mexico; Winnipeg to Belize City; Winnipeg to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and Regina to San José del Cabo, Mexico, beginning in November.
“These additions support the growing demand for options in Mexico and the Latin Caribbean, while sustainably expanding our schedule and managing our fleet during the peak winter travel season,” said WestJet executive vice-president and COO John Weatherill.
WestJet currently offers two other direct flights from Ottawa to popular vacation destinations: Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Porter Airlines is the only other carrier offering a direct route between Ottawa and Liberia, also flying weekly during the winter. That airline has introduced several new direct routes to sun destinations recently. Last month, it announced a flight to the Turks and Caicos, beginning Dec. 12.
Starting Nov. 7, Porter service will begin between YOW and Aruba, followed by Montego Bay, Jamaica on Nov. 25 and Los Cabos, Mexico on Dec. 18. All three routes will operate twice weekly. Porter also said it would be increasing the frequency of the three sun destinations it launched in December 2025: Cancun, Miami and Nassau, Bahamas.
