Potential Routes

[Jarvo]

A westbound LH scheduled flight has been on the WG wish list for more than a decade, I'm sure they'll be over the moon. Inbound, affluent tourism and business connections for the region, especially one avoiding all the immigration chaos of the USA is an ideal world scenario.

To be a total buzz kill on this though, I'm actually disappointed it seems to be Canada that the hype has been building for.
2-4 additional A321 departures a week to one destination is nowhere near as exciting as FR creating even a 1 aircraft base.
4 A321 legs a week of 198 seats is roughly 41k seats per year. 1 based FR doing just 2 return flights to new destinations on a 189 seat plane a day would be over 275k seats available per year.
Nothing scheduled available to France, Italy, Germany, Scotland, croatia, greece, malta or even Palma, Barcelona or Madrid from cardiff.


Toronto would be a prestige route which would advertise the airport, engage a new customer base and hopefully bring new customers from further afield. Without even a small European network, CWL will not see any of these new customers again for at least a year or two until they want to go to Canada again, missing an opportunity to make CWL an alternative choice for people. Especially more affluent travellers who may be willing to travel an extra hour by car to a smaller airport over the chaos of BRS or London airports for shorter journeys.

 

[gulftraveller]

The US market is stagnant with major airlines reducing frequencies. Nor is Canada the market it once was as many of the postwar family connections fade. Even MAN-YYZ is only 12 weekly or so at the height of summer.

Challenging for CWL but good news if something is pulled out of the hat. Maybe the management might then stop chasing prestige LH routes and concentrate on the patchy European network.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

I dont imagine for one minute that CWL have solely been concentrating just on a LH route. They've likely been banging on any airline door that will listen. They've got to take what will work with them.

 

[CWL94]

Does anyone know what Westjet’s frequency is between YYZ - EDI to gauge an idea?

Let's just say growth needs a solid base, it won't be 1 jet.

Wonder why VY are quiet?

I’m suggesting this will be another announcement alongside the rumoured Westjet service?

 

[Samdorob]

To be a total buzz kill on this though, I'm actually disappointed it seems to be Canada that the hype has been building for.

I sort of have to agree with you here. As big as this route would be, the airport has a patchy European network.

Someone did previously mention “bigger than loganair”, “it won’t just be 1 jet” and “wonder why VY are quiet”. I don’t know how much is true there - but it suggests a minimum 2 aircraft base from someone. Could that be on the cards as well?

—- ah, CWL94 beat me to it on that question.

 

[geoff]

That s the impression I got. I think we are talking about two separate and different announcements here, let's hope we hear some more good news soon, that's if all that has been posted so far is correct.

 

[Jonathan]

I’ve been waiting a long time for the return of Canadian flights from CWL. I lived in Vancouver for almost a decade and frequently had to fly to and from LHR because the alternatives via AMS were poorly timed and extremely expensive. If I move back to Canada, I’d use a CWL service regularly - as would many of my Welsh/Canadian friends who still live in Vancouver. I’ve known plenty of Canadians who’ve visited Ireland and Scotland simply because there’s a direct flight from YVR; many are surprised to learn that, to reach Wales, the only viable option is to travel via one of the London airports. Needless to say, I believe a route like this would be very popular.

 

[fly4gigs]

I agree that the patchy European network should be a priority to get sorted. It's more accessible price wise to the majority of people who live in south Wales.

A route to Canada is a coup though. I hope they are sensible with the frequencies. Hopefully there will be some good deals with travel agents.

 

[8mileshigh]

If there is a route to USA/Canada coming is it possibly Aer Lingus starting a Dublin flight connecting to their North America network!

 

[Jerry]

Does anyone know what Westjet’s frequency is between YYZ - EDI to gauge an idea?

It'll be 12 weekly in peak summer 2026. They also have connections available via Paris using Air France.
Dublin has 7 weekly departures.

I agree that the patchy European network should be a priority to get sorted. It's more accessible price wise to the majority of people who live in south Wales.

A route to Canada is a coup though. I hope they are sensible with the frequencies. Hopefully there will be some good deals with travel agents.

The challenge with the European network is that there's much more competition over the border. It obviously depends on the airline but many benefit from Cardiff not being served from some destinations. Others CWL will have to persuade that Cardiff and Wales is a destination there's demand for and that they can make money flying to it than another destination or by adding more frequency or bigger aircraft to another route ie Heathrow or somewhere else in Europe that doesn't have things like APD.

 

[Qing4theloo]

I dont imagine for one minute that CWL have solely been concentrating just on a LH route. They've likely been banging on any airline door that will listen. They've got to take what will work with them.

TBH Top of my personal wish list is a direct Turkish Airlines link to Istanbul, especially as they are gearing up to run an A350-1000 directly and non-stop to Sydney. THY have been doing well of late.

https://simpleflying.com/country-strongest-airline-capacity-growth-2025/

 

[Jerry]

TBH Top of my personal wish list is a direct Turkish Airlines link to Istanbul, especially as they are gearing up to run an A350-1000 directly and non-stop to Sydney. THY have been doing well of late.

https://simpleflying.com/country-strongest-airline-capacity-growth-2025/

I'd have thought going East the airport may concentrate on getting Qatar Airways to return though Turkish Airlines would be a fantastic replacement.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

 

[Jack Ruckley]

View attachment 33020

I think we all knew this for a while and Cardiff airport had tried its best to keep it a secret until the official announcement but it seems it’s been leaked beforehand again.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

I think we all knew this for a while and Cardiff airport had tried its best to keep it a secret until the official announcement but it seems it’s been leaked beforehand again.

Is it a leak when Westjet have put the information out there themselves?
Have CWL really tried to keep it a secret? They just haven't announced it and are probably just going through the processes awaiting it to go on sale.

 

[Jack Ruckley]

Is it a leak when Westjet have put the information out there themselves?
Have CWL really tried to keep it a secret? They just haven't announced it and are probably just going through the processes awaiting it to go on sale.

Well I was briefed that Cardiff airport wanted to not see it on social media or any speculation before the official announcement.

Obviously westjet maybe ahead of themselves and forgot or the map was updated ahead of time

 

[Samdorob]

Well I was briefed that Cardiff airport wanted to not see it on social media or any speculation before the official announcement.

Obviously westjet maybe ahead of themselves and forgot or the map was updated ahead of time

There’s been rumours on here about a link to Canada since someone mentioned long haul coming back to Cardiff on the CWL Facebook group.
It’s still not official yet - until Sean M puts a post up on Twitter

Still no news on frequency or when it starts yet either. Very exciting mind!

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Its 2025, unless you have air tight deals happening, something will get out. Theres been plenty of hints and speculation over the past few weeks, but when the involved Airline shows it, it cant be that well kept a secret.
In an ideal world an Airport will make their big grand announcement before anyone knows about it, but when information gets out there, people will work it out. Whether its released today on social media, or Monday by CWL, it doesn't really matter, as its all free advertising. The key matter is getting bums on seats.

Its not a gender reveal, no-one will get hurt by a spoiler.

Well I was briefed that Cardiff airport wanted to not see it on social media or any speculation before the official announcement.

Obviously westjet maybe ahead of themselves and forgot or the map was updated ahead of time

That's a contradiction in itself.
'We're going to tell you something is happening, but we dont want you to tell anyone that we've told you something is happening, so dont tell anyone and let us tell everyone'

So in fact, CWL leaked it, but asked people not to leak it more.

 

[Jack Ruckley]

There’s been rumours on here about a link to Canada since someone mentioned long haul coming back to Cardiff on the CWL Facebook group.
It’s still not official yet - until Sean M puts a post up on Twitter

Still no news on frequency or when it starts yet either. Very exciting mind!

I’m not disputing anything, it’s good and we all knew it was coming just we didn’t know what airline it was going to be.

I’m only putting forward the brief I was given that Cardiff were desperate for it to be a headline surprise grabber news session. Still it will be big news but not the full on surprise people would’ve been shocked at

Its 2025, unless you have air tight deals happening, something will get out. Theres been plenty of hints and speculation over the past few weeks, but when the involved Airline shows it, it cant be that well kept a secret.
In an ideal world an Airport will make their big grand announcement before anyone knows about it, but when information gets out there, people will work it out. Whether its released today on social media, or Monday by CWL, it doesn't really matter, as its all free advertising. The key matter is getting bums on seats.

Its not a gender reveal, no-one will get hurt by a spoiler.


That's a contradiction in itself.
'We're going to tell you something is happening, but we dont want you to tell anyone that we've told you something is happening, so dont tell anyone and let us tell everyone'

So in fact, CWL leaked it, but asked people not to leak it more.

I didn’t know what the route was or airline I was just told something big was coming and not to speculate or ruin the guesses. I was just fulfilling a request to not spoil anything. I was guessing it was Canada from the online speculation and long Haul and Canada teases.

 

[Tinkerman]

When CWL and GLA are both showing on the route map and the ACL slot announcment (Coupled with a hidden webpage leak), there’s not much you can do in 2025 as FLY as stated above.

Let’s face it, I don’t think the airport will mind, it’s amazing news … Great route with a great airline to some great destinations. Win-Win surely !