• Codeshare will commence on 30 March 2025 in line with Virgin Atlantic’s route launch between London Heathrow Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport
• Partnership will provide connections from the UK via Toronto for thirteen gateways across Canada including Calgary (YYC), Edmonton (YEG), Vancouver (YVR), Winnipeg (YWG), Ottawa (YOW), and more
• The two airlines will co-locate at Toronto Pearson International Airport’s Terminal 3]

Virgin Atlantic and WestJet are delighted to announce an expanded codeshare agreement, strengthening vital business, leisure, and visiting friends-and-family connections between Canada and the UK and key connecting regions including India. The partnership will provide seamless connectivity for customers travelling between the UK and Canada with enhanced customer benefits for connecting passengers.

The two airlines will be conveniently co-located at Toronto Pearson International Airport’s Terminal 3, where Virgin Atlantic will partner with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), to support customer connections onwards via eligible cities. Customers will easily be able to transfer through Toronto Pearson without having to collect and re-check their baggage to their final destination.

The first phase of the agreement will allow customers booking through Virgin Atlantic to seamlessly connect from their preferred city on a WestJet flight via Toronto Pearson International onwards to London with Virgin Atlantic on one ticket. Cities include Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and more. Flights are on sale beginning 17 February 2025 for tickets to London Heathrow via Toronto (YYZ) commencing 30 March 2025. Loyalty partnership program benefits across both Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and WestJet Rewards are expected to roll out later in the year.

Virgin Atlantic will launch its Toronto route next month, the first route to Canada in more than a decade, linking two global financial hubs. The route will reinforce the airline’s commitment to the Indian subcontinent and its third largest market with optimal onward connectivity for Canadians travelling to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, as well as Dubai, the Maldives, Cape Town and Johannesburg via London Heathrow.

Juha Jarvinen, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented,

“Canada is an incredibly important opportunity for Virgin Atlantic as many of our customers travel between the Great White North, the UK, India and beyond. This expanded partnership with WestJet, alongside our partners at Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM, will create seamless connectivity for our customers via our new route launching between Toronto and London.

Our codeshare agreement with WestJet aims to respond to a continued demand for travel to the UK and India from across the region. Canadian customers can expect a premium, personalised experience at every step of the journey, delivered by our amazing people, the red thread that sets us apart.”

John Weatherill, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer at WestJet, commented,

"We are thrilled to enhance our partnership with Virgin Atlantic and support their return to Canada. As the first phase of this expansion, we are excited to welcome guests from across Virgin Atlantic’s global network by providing connectivity across Canada with WestJet.

This expanded codeshare will simplify travel and deliver a more seamless experience for our shared guests. We look forward to building closer ties in the months ahead, providing more options to connect Canada with the world."  

Virgin Atlantic appointed Canada Country Manager, Stephen Goulding, in January 2025. Having held various leadership roles at WestJet, Stephen will support Virgin Atlantic’s strategic growth in Canada alongside leaders at WestJet to grow the airline’s presence and drive awareness of customer connectivity benefits within Canada, the UK and in markets across the network.

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For further information please contact the Virgin Atlantic press office at press.office@fly.virgin.com.

About Virgin Atlantic       

Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2024, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the eighth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs 8,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 30 destinations across four continents throughout the year.       

Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. In February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers.  Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023 as the global airline alliance’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.         

Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, committing to Net Zero by 2050 and continuous action that reduces environmental impact.  The airline operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies, with an average age under seven years. In October 2022, Virgin Atlantic welcomed its first A330-900’s to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2028.  In November 2023, the airline led a consortium to deliver the world’s first flight across the Atlantic on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes. The need to scale production is an industry imperative and Virgin Atlantic is committed to radical collaboration across the energy chain to support commercialization ahead of 2030.  For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or via Facebook, X and Instagram @virginatlantic.