Winter Schedules Take Off Sunday
A new Sydney airport, fresh Christchurch links and Canadian sun routes all start this week, giving advisors new routings to quote for the southern summer and northern winter.
The northern winter scheduling season starts today, 25 October, according to IATA, and it arrives with an unusually dense week of launches. For advisors the new options sit on two fronts: a second Sydney gateway with trans-Tasman service from day two, and new or returning winter sun and long-haul flying out of Canada and the UK.
Western Sydney opens
Western Sydney International opened its doors to passengers today. The first departure is a Jetstar Airbus A320 to the Gold Coast at 11am, according to the Prime Minister’s office, with Jetstar offering up to 14 weekly flights to Melbourne, four to the Gold Coast and three to Brisbane from launch.
Air New Zealand starts the airport’s first scheduled international service tomorrow, 26 October, with three return flights a week to Auckland on Monday, Wednesday and Friday using A320 and A321 aircraft, the airline says. Singapore Airlines follows with daily flights to Changi from 23 November, and Qantas starts QantasLink E190 services to Brisbane and Melbourne on 28 March 2027, according to the government. The government intends 1 November as the gazettal date for overnight operations at the airport.
Christchurch gains Australian and Asian links
Christchurch Airport is the other big southern beneficiary this week. Jetstar resumes Sydney to Christchurch on 26 October, four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the airline says. Jetstar’s new Perth to Christchurch route follows on 27 October, three times weekly on the A321 until 27 March 2027, according to the airport. Air New Zealand then restarts nonstop Christchurch to Singapore on 28 October on the 787, the airline says.
Northern hemisphere departures
British Airways returns to Sri Lanka with London Gatwick to Colombo from 23 October, three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the winter season, with Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins. Flight BA2045 leaves Gatwick at 16:40; the return BA2044 leaves Colombo at 10:35 from 24 October.
Air Canada launches Canary Islands flights on the new Airbus A321XLR, which has 14 lie-flat Signature Class seats and 168 in Economy. Toronto to Tenerife South starts 25 October, twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays; Montréal to Tenerife South starts 31 October, weekly on Saturdays. Both run until late April 2027.
Air Transat is keeping two former summer-only transatlantic routes in the air for winter: Toronto to Paris Charles de Gaulle from 25 October (up to four weekly at peak) and Montréal to Barcelona from 27 October (up to two weekly).
The week at a glance
| Start | Route | Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Oct | London Gatwick–Colombo | British Airways |
| 25 Oct | Western Sydney–Gold Coast (airport opening) | Jetstar |
| 25 Oct | Toronto–Tenerife South | Air Canada |
| 25 Oct | Toronto–Paris CDG (now year-round) | Air Transat |
| 26 Oct | Auckland–Western Sydney | Air New Zealand |
| 26 Oct | Sydney–Christchurch (resumes) | Jetstar |
| 27 Oct | Perth–Christchurch | Jetstar |
| 27 Oct | Montréal–Barcelona (now year-round) | Air Transat |
| 28 Oct | Christchurch–Singapore | Air New Zealand |
| 31 Oct | Montréal–Tenerife South | Air Canada |
Sources
- IATA: Calendar of Coordination Activities
- Prime Minister of Australia: It’s official, Western Sydney to open for passengers 25 October and freight 26 July 2026 (10 June 2026)
- Air New Zealand: Tickets on sale for new Western Sydney International route (2 April 2026)
- Air New Zealand: Major international expansion set to boost Christchurch and South Island growth (20 May 2026)
- Jetstar: Jetstar announces return of Sydney to Christchurch (25 June 2026)
- Christchurch Airport: Christchurch Airport’s biggest ever international summer takes flight (19 August 2026)
- British Airways: Menu collaboration with Hoppers to celebrate new route to Colombo (14 October 2026)
- Air Canada: Air Canada Brings the Sun Next Winter (6 April 2026)
- Air Transat: Winter 2026-2027 new offerings (17 April 2026)
Casie Stewart is Senior Editor at Not An Atlas, usually found in a Toronto coffee shop in a cute outfit, laptop open, coffee in hand and phone (always) within arm's reach. Some of her warmest memories are of fishing and camping in New Zealand's Bay of Islands with her family as a kid. She's a New Zealand citizen, and it will always feel like home. She takes the window seat (she wants to see the world, not the beverage cart), swears by her Trtl travel pillow (comfort over cool, always) and orders whatever the locals are having. Waking up to the sounds of the rainforest in the middle of the Costa Rican jungle is her “this is why I travel” moment, and Arizona's deserts and sunsets are where she'd go back tomorrow. She covers the places, people, food and festivals that make a destination memorable. Friends say funny, effervescent and organized. Her mum adds cuddly. Next stop: Bali.
