NEW long-haul flights to one of the world’s best cities to are launching from a regional airport – the first time in decades.
Cardiff Airport currently only has one long-haul flight route which is to Barbados.
However, from next year, the airport will be welcoming a new long-haul flight route to Toronto.
Launching from May 23, 2026, the route will be operated by Canadian budget carrier WestJet.
It will be the first direct flight between Wales and Canada in 20 years,
The last time Cardiff had flights to Canada was in 2008.
However, the collapse of airline Zoom led to the scrapping of the transatlantic route, despite hopes of another operator, Flyglobespan, taking its place.
Jon Bridge, Cardiff Airport’s chief executive officer, said: “This new Toronto route marks an exciting milestone in our growth and a major step forward in reconnecting Wales with North America.”
Chris White-DeVries, senior airport affairs manager at WestJet, added: “We’re thrilled to bring WestJet’s friendly, affordable and reliable service to Wales for the first time.”
Toronto was named one of the world’s best cities earlier. thisyear.
It came in 17th in the World’s Best Cities list for 2026.
Travel writer Emily Webber recently visited the city after Virgin Atlantic launced new flights.
She told The Sun: “The bucket-list destination is now even easier for Brits to reach, thanks to Virgin Atlantic’s new direct service between Heathrow and Toronto Pearson International Airport.
“After touching down, you can be in the heart of Canada’s “city that never sleeps” in just 25 minutes via the UP Express train (£6.70 one way).
“Step off at Union station and you’re surrounded by glitzy skyscrapers, great nightlife, fabulous food and Canada’s biggest natural history museum, the Royal Ontario Museum.
“You’ve even got the stunning Niagara Falls right on your doorstep.”
Cardiff is getting other new flight routes as well.
By the end of 2025, skiers will be able to travel from from Cardiff to Salzburg in Austria for winter breaks.
And Ryanair added extra flights to Alicante and Dublin from Cardiff Airport back in the summer.