Canada's New 'Ultra-Affordable' Lynx Air Has Tickets For Just $39 & Here's Why It's So Cheap

Pack your bags, travellers! Canada's new "ultra-affordable" airline Lynx Air has officially taken off and the cheapest tickets start at just $39 one-way.

On April 11, new Canadian airline Lynx took to the skies for the first time during its inaugural flight between Calgary and Vancouver.

To celebrate the occasion, the carrier launched a huge sale and ticket prices dropped below $100 for return trips between destinations all over Canada.

So, you might be wondering how the brand new company can offer flights as cheap as $39 between six Canadian cities: Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Kelowna and Victoria.

Well, it's actually pretty simple.

The airline says it uses an "à la carte system," which allows passengers to only pay for the services they actually intend to use on their trip.

This means that almost no extras are thrown in with the original ticket price, including food, additional luggage and entertainment.

Instead, all that's included is the seat price and one small personal item, which, to be clear, is not the same as a carry-on bag.

In an email sent to passengers before takeoff, the personal item is described as, "about the size of a purse or small laptop bag," which could fit a refillable water bottle, a tablet, and a granola bar.

"Choose your experience, whether you want an affordable no-frills flight or extras. Our à la carte system means you only pay for what you want and nothing more," Lynx says.

If you want things like priority boarding, seat selection, carry-on or checked baggage, you'll need to be prepared to pay extra for it.

To add priority boarding services, a $10 charge will apply.

To call the contact centre, you can expect to pay a $15 fee.

The cost of seat selection and luggage varies depending on the flight, distance and a few other factors.

For example, seat selection fees are partially determined by the distance the plane is set to travel. For LYNX Plus, you can expect to pay between $40 and $46 to choose where you sit on a short-haul trip. This climbs to between $50 and $57.50 when your flight is over 3,000 kilometres.

A similar system is in place for baggage, where short-haul passengers may fork out between $39.99 and $67.79 for a 23-kilogram checked bag, or up to $90.39 for the same on a long-haul flight.

A penalty of $99 is charged at the airport for any checked bags that weigh more than 23 kilograms.

It's also worth noting that there is no food or drink on board available for purchase, so you do need to be prepared beforehand!

So, while the airline definitely has affordable fares, you'll want to consider your needs before you book a trip across the country.

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.

This article's right-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.