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WestJet is a Canadian airline that flies passengers to destinations across Canada, the United States, and beyond, and sells vacation packages too.
WestJet is one of Canada's big airlines. It flies people on scheduled passenger flights across Canada, into the United States, and to international destinations, and it also sells vacation packages and handles cargo. If you live in Canada and want to get from one city to another, or to a sunny beach in winter, WestJet is one of the main names you'd check.
The airline business works like this: planes are expensive, fuel is expensive, and airports charge fees. A plane only makes money when it is full and flying. So WestJet's job is to fill seats at prices high enough to cover those costs and still leave a profit. It competes mainly with Air Canada at home, and on international routes it faces many carriers. Customers pick it for price, route, and schedule. WestJet has long leaned on a friendly, value-focused image rather than fancy premium service. WestJet used to be a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker WJA, but those shares no longer trade. In 2019, private equity firm Onex Corporation agreed to buy the airline, taking it private in a deal worth about $5 billion including debt. So today WestJet is owned by private investors rather than public shareholders, which means it no longer files the same public reports and its shares don't trade on an exchange.
Going private gave WestJet freedom to make big changes away from quarterly shareholder pressure. It has invested in more fuel-efficient planes, expanded its network, and pushed into vacation packages to compete harder for leisure travellers. The trade-off is real: airlines are a tough, cyclical business, and private ownership doesn't change the fact that fuel prices, recessions, and competition can swing profits sharply. WestJet's bet is that a leaner, more focused airline can win in Canada's crowded skies.
Saved answer · last researched 12 Nov 2026