By Belize Live News Staff: Manitoba, the Jewel has been expecting you. WestJet announced on Monday, July 20, that Belize is one of five destinations in its latest non-stop expansion, with a once-weekly Winnipeg to Belize City service launching December 14, right on time for the depths of the Canadian winter.
The new route slots in beside WestJet’s existing non-stops from Toronto and Calgary, making Belize reachable from three Canadian cities without a single connection. Mérida, Punta Cana, San José del Cabo, and Liberia round out the expansion list, but Belizeans know which destination wins that lineup.
WestJet’s pitch leans into the season. “We are excited to offer more ways for guests to trade their snow boots for sandals in the destinations that matter most to them,” said John Weatherill, the airline’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, framing the additions as answers to growing demand across Mexico and the Latin Caribbean during peak winter travel.
And what waits at the end of the flight needs little introduction. Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America, with a currency pegged steady to the US dollar, no language barrier, no exchange-rate roulette. The Belize Barrier Reef, second largest on Earth, serves up world-class snorkeling, diving, and fly-fishing, while inland the cultures of the Creole, Maya, Mestizo, and Garifuna people, the ancient Maya sites, the birding, and the famous cave tubing fill an itinerary faster than a vacation can hold.
The timing carries a subplot. Belize’s airlift took hits this year, with JetBlue suspending its thrice-weekly service in May and Spirit Airlines folding altogether, yet the Belize Tourism Board kept selling the destination hard, and WestJet’s deepening commitment reads like the payoff. Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler called the route “a strong sign of confidence in our destination’s continued growth,” noting Canadians now have more options than ever to experience Belize.
Flight days and times are still to be announced, but the December 14 start date gives escape planners their target.
So here is the friendly local guidance for every Manitoban reading from under a blanket. If the dream is beach, point yourself to Placencia and the guest-exclusive luxury of Chabil Mar Villas, where the Caribbean laps at your veranda. If the dream is jungle, head west near San Ignacio, where Villa Massis Resort sits on the Mopan River with good food, good vibes, and the ancient Maya sites of Cayo minutes away. And if you would rather hand the whole adventure to experts who live it daily, Barefoot Services in Placencia is the local travel agent to call first.
Snow boots off, Winnipeg. Belize will take it from here.
