GREAT BAY--Canadian airline WestJet is preparing to increase its Toronto to St. Maarten service to as many as eight weekly flights during the peak 2026-2027 winter tourism season, providing additional capacity on one of the island's established international air routes.
According to Canadian travel industry publication PAX News, WestJet will operate six weekly flights from Toronto beginning in November, with frequencies expected to increase to as many as eight per week during the busiest winter travel period. The service is scheduled to continue through April 2027.
The expanded winter schedule was outlined during a tourism promotional event in Toronto involving representatives from both the Dutch and French sides of the island. Karen Puebla, representing WestJet and Sunwing Vacations, confirmed the planned service during an interview with the publication.
The additional frequencies are particularly relevant as St. Maarten enters its traditional high tourism season, when demand from North American visitors typically increases. Toronto remains an established source market for the destination, with Canadian travelers contributing to hotel occupancy, vacation rentals, restaurants, transportation services and other tourism-related businesses.
The planned increase builds on WestJet's existing Toronto service rather than introducing a new route. The airline already operates nonstop flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Princess Juliana International Airport, with frequencies varying throughout the year. While the winter schedule provides additional flights compared with some lower-frequency periods, a direct comparison with winter 2025-2026 would be needed to determine the full year-over-year increase in capacity.
The Canadian market will also benefit from continued service through Montreal. Sunwing Vacations is offering weekly Thursday departures from Montreal to St. Maarten between November 5, 2026, and April 29, 2027. The vacation packages are supported by WestJet-operated flights following the integration of Sunwing Airlines into WestJet in 2025.
Air Canada and Air Transat also serve St. Maarten from Canada, with seasonal schedules generally increasing during the winter months. The presence of multiple Canadian carriers provides travelers with additional options while supporting the destination's accessibility during one of its most important tourism periods.
The reported expansion comes as St. Maarten continues efforts to strengthen its position in the Canadian travel market. The recent Toronto promotional event brought together tourism representatives from both sides of the island to engage travel professionals and promote the destination's accommodations, attractions, culinary offerings and visitor experiences.
For St. Maarten's tourism industry, the significance of additional airlift extends beyond the number of flights. Increased seat availability can support visitor arrivals, improve travel options and create opportunities for hotels and other tourism businesses to attract additional bookings during the winter season.
However, the final economic impact will depend on passenger demand, actual flight frequencies, seat capacity and the number of visitors choosing St. Maarten as their vacation destination.
WestJet representatives indicated that demand would be an important factor in determining whether additional frequencies or Canadian departure markets could be introduced in the future.
The winter flight plans reinforce the importance of maintaining reliable air connections with Canada as St. Maarten competes with other Caribbean destinations for visitors during the 2026-2027 high season.
