Canada Is Getting A New Budget Airline & Here's Everything We Know About It So Far

If you're planning some travel for this year, Canada is getting a new airline that will offer cheap flights to Europe just in time for a summer vacay.

Low-cost carrier Play Airlines, which operates flights between Iceland and Europe, has announced new services in Canada that will allow Canucks to travel to places like Italy and Greece for cheap.

The airline is the newest low-cost carrier available to Canadians, servicing destinations like Barcelona, Brussels, Iceland, Lisbon, Paris and more.

Unlike other airlines, Play says it offers "no-frills service," meaning you don't have to pay more for things like magazines, Wi-Fi, and entertainment and can instead put that money towards your trip.

Play operates similarly to other low-cost Canadian airlines like Swoop, Flair Airlines and Lynx Air, where passengers only pay for the services and features they want and can avoid paying for anything extra that's included in the price of tickets from pricier airlines.

What sets Play apart, however, is its service to Europe; so far, no other Canadian budget airline offers low-cost flights to Europe.

The airline's first flights are set to take off from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport to 26 European destinations in June 2023.

The airline says that the lower cost of operating at Toronto-Hamilton Airport compared to other airports in the area means that Play can offer Canadians the lowest fares between Toronto and Europe.

And it looks to be true ⁠— with Play, Canadians looking to book a holiday can travel to European destinations for a fraction of the price of other airlines.

For instance, a June flight from Toronto to Venice, Italy, with Play will cost you as low as $573 one-way. However, the same flight with Air Canada rings up at a minimum of $994, a difference of over $400.

And with WestJet suspending most of its service to Europe from some Canadian cities, Play is looking all the more attractive.

The airline's inaugural flight will take off on June 22, 2023. If you want to book flights in advance, you can go to Play's website to lock in your trip.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.