Regional connectivity in southern Alberta will take a major hit this summer after WestJet confirmed on February 25 that it will suspend its Calgary–Lethbridge and Calgary–Medicine Hat services on June 24 2026. The two routes, operated by 34-seat Saab 340Bs under the WestJet Link brand, have been the only scheduled flights at both regional airports since Air Canada withdrew in 2018.
The airline said the cuts are part of a wider network review that prioritises profitability over ‘thin’ regional flying. Local officials estimate that the loss will force some 379,000 annual passenger journeys onto a three-hour highway trip to Calgary International, with knock-on effects for medical travel, business connectivity and tourism.
![WestJet to exit Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, cutting last remaining air links for southern Alberta]()
If those re-routed trips extend beyond Canada’s borders, VisaHQ can streamline the visa process so travellers spend less time dealing with paperwork and more time focusing on their business or leisure plans. From expedited applications to real-time status updates, the platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides support for dozens of destinations, ensuring that sudden itinerary changes—like a new leg through Vancouver or Toronto—don’t become a bureaucratic headache.
For corporate mobility managers, the change means employees based in southern Alberta—or fly-in personnel visiting energy and agri-business sites—will need ground transport or circuitous routings through Vancouver or Toronto. Companies with travel-time-sensitive assignments should budget for overnight stays and higher mileage costs. The City of Medicine Hat and the City of Lethbridge have begun joint talks to lure an alternative carrier, but industry insiders caution that pilot shortages and high fuel prices make replacement service unlikely in the short term.
The withdrawal underscores a broader trend of Canadian carriers trimming small-city routes as demand lags pre-pandemic forecasts and larger jets replace turboprops. Employers reliant on regional airports should monitor schedules closely and build contingency plans for sudden service cancellations.
The airline said the cuts are part of a wider network review that prioritises profitability over ‘thin’ regional flying. Local officials estimate that the loss will force some 379,000 annual passenger journeys onto a three-hour highway trip to Calgary International, with knock-on effects for medical travel, business connectivity and tourism.
If those re-routed trips extend beyond Canada’s borders, VisaHQ can streamline the visa process so travellers spend less time dealing with paperwork and more time focusing on their business or leisure plans. From expedited applications to real-time status updates, the platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides support for dozens of destinations, ensuring that sudden itinerary changes—like a new leg through Vancouver or Toronto—don’t become a bureaucratic headache.
For corporate mobility managers, the change means employees based in southern Alberta—or fly-in personnel visiting energy and agri-business sites—will need ground transport or circuitous routings through Vancouver or Toronto. Companies with travel-time-sensitive assignments should budget for overnight stays and higher mileage costs. The City of Medicine Hat and the City of Lethbridge have begun joint talks to lure an alternative carrier, but industry insiders caution that pilot shortages and high fuel prices make replacement service unlikely in the short term.
The withdrawal underscores a broader trend of Canadian carriers trimming small-city routes as demand lags pre-pandemic forecasts and larger jets replace turboprops. Employers reliant on regional airports should monitor schedules closely and build contingency plans for sudden service cancellations.
