Passengers can fly from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam for as low as $169 and tickets are already available online.
The Amsterdam flights have a stopover in Iceland and operate up to five times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
"We are thrilled to launch our services to Amsterdam and connect more customers to our affordable travel options," Birgir Jónsson, CEO at PLAY said in a press release.
"Amsterdam is one of Europe's biggest hubs and a vital destination for our VIA operations between Canada and Europe. At PLAY, our mission is clear: to provide low-cost flights and offer our customers more value for their money. We aim to give the competition a run for their money with our low prices, providing people in Canada the opportunity to save money on their flights and enjoy more experiences in their destination."
You can choose from several fare options when booking a flight. PLAY Basic is the cheapest way to fly and includes taxes and a personal item. PLAY Value and PLAY Flex are pricer and include things like a checked bag, priority boarding, and seat selection.
Earlier this year, PLAY announced that is is offering flights from Hamilton to 26 European cities including Paris and London beginning June 22. Amsterdam is the newest city to be added to the list.
Thinking of planning a trip? If you're considering booking a cheap flight with one of Canada's discount airlines, you'll want to know which offers the most bang for your buck.
If you're wondering whether you should fly with Lynx Air, Canada Jetlines or the country's newest budget airline, here's a breakdown of what you can get with Canada's cheap airlines that you might want to consider before your next trip.
Flair Airlines is one of Canada's major budget airlines, and it launched in the country in 2017.
Where They Fly: The airline travels to quite a few more destinations than other low-cost airlines in Canada, with services to 37 locations in total.
Flair offers trips to sun destinations like Cancun, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico and also flies to several U.S. spots, including Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York.
In Canada, Flair services major airports like YVR, Montreal-Trudeau, Calgary International Airport and Winnipeg Airport.
Ticket Costs: In terms of pricing, you can find tickets for as low as $13 with Flair -- the lowest price of any of the major low-cost carriers in Canada.
Baggage: As for what you get on a trip with Flair, the airline allows for one free personal item (like a purse, tote bag or laptop bag, for instance) which can be stored at your feet.
Carry-on baggage and checked luggage, however, are not included. Online, it'll cost you $29-$59 + tax per flight, per passenger for carry-ons and $44-$69 + tax for your first checked bag, with prices higher at the airport.
However, Flair does have bundles with checked and carry-on bags that you can purchase for a bit less.
Pets: If you want to bring a furry friend on board, you absolutely can -- although you'll have to pay a minimum of $79.
Food: If you're hungry during your flight, Flair does have an in-flight menu, although there are no complimentary drinks or snacks.
Some of the things you can get include bottled water, tea, coffee, snacks like Kit Kat, Pringles and energy bars, and hot meals like carbonara pasta and a deep dish cheese pizza, with prices ranging from $3-10.
Swoop, another major low-cost carrier in Canada, offers many of the same features that Flair does, with some notable differences.
Where They Fly: Swoop flies to a lesser 25 destinations, although the airline offers more services to the Caribbean and Mexico than any other low-cost carrier.
The airline flies to Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, like Flair, but also services the Mexican city of Mazatlan, Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Varadero Cuba.
Swoop also flies to a handful of U.S. sun destinations like Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Phoenix, Arizona.
While the airline offers more routes to overseas locations, it falls a bit short in the number of major airports it services. While Flair flies from Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary and Montreal, the major airports Swoop flies to include Toronto, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
Ticket Costs: Swoop has super low rates, with prices as low as $19 available for some routes.
Baggage: Like Flair, Swoop allows passengers to bring one free personal item on board. But the freebies end there, with carry-on bags, checked luggage and just about everything else costing extra.
With Swoop, you can bring carry-on and checked luggage with you for $42 on short-distance flights, with the amount increasing according to the length of the trip.
Pets: Unfortunately, Swoop doesn't allow pets on its flights -- sorry Fido!
Food: While the airline doesn't offer complimentary food or drinks, travellers are able to order snacks from the in-flight menu for a fee.
The menu is more snack-oriented rather than meal-oriented, with things like cheese and crackers, hummus snacks, Mr. Noodles, gummy candy and chips for $3.99-10.99.
Unlike Flair, Swoop's menu offers cocktails, szelters, beer, wine and other spirits for around $8-12.
Where They Fly: One of Canada's newer discount airlines, Lynx Air currently only flies to 14 destinations, most of which are in Canada.
Lynx did, however, recently launch new flights to the U.S. for 2023, with service to Los Angeles, Orlando and Phoenix available now, and service to Las Vegas set to begin later this month.
What may be a plus among travellers is that the airline services quite a few main airports in Canada, including Toronto Pearson Airport, YVR, Calgary and Winnipeg.
Ticket Costs: While Lynx can't quite compete with Flair's $13 flights, you can find Lynx Air flights for just $45, and flights from Toronto to Vancouver could cost as little as $75 one-way.
Baggage: With Lynx, you can fly with carry-on baggage for $39.99+ (depending on whether you book online or at the airport) for short-distance flights, and checked baggage for $49.99+ for the first bag.
Pets: While Lynx does allow pets in its cabins, some conditions must be met. Travellers also have to pay a fee of $59 per direction.
Food: Lynx doesn't offer any food or drinks on board (with the exception of free water), but does offer passengers a 10% discount at certain airport vendors.
Canada Jetlines is another newer airline in Canada and had its inaugural flight in September 2022.
Where They Fly: Canada Jetlines currently only flies to 14 destinations but offers an impressive lineup of North American locations.
The airline is the only major low-cost carrier in Canada to offer flights to Melbourne, Florida and the Space Coast, where you'll find the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, a launch point for tons of U.S. spacecraft.
It also flies to popular Canadian tourist cities like Banff, Jasper Whistler and Niagara Falls, and flies to main airports like Toronto Pearson and Vancouver International Airport.
Ticket Costs: Canada Jetlines' prices are a bit more than that of some other low-cost carriers -- however, you can find flights from Toronto to Vancouver for just $155, and flights to Florida for $200.
Baggage: Unlike other cheap airlines, Canada Jetlines allows passengers a free carry-on item in addition to a personal item, like a laptop, purse or briefcase.
With checked baggage, the airline says that some fare types allow for up to two checked bags, but in general, the first checked bag is $50.
Pets: Canada Jetlines allows pets on board, provided that they're older than eight weeks, and that they remain in their kennel and are stored under the plane seat in front of their owner at all times.
Food: In terms of food, the airline offers an in-flight menu with snacks like chips, ramen and chocolate, and hot meals like pizza and breakfast along with beer, coolers, wine and spirits.
Passengers can also get complimentary drinks including tea, coffee, pop and juice.
Canada's newest budget airline, Play, operates flights between Iceland and Europe, and recently announced a new service to Canada.
Where They Fly: With Play, Canadians can get cheap tickets to tons of European cities, including Athens, Venice, Lisbon, Paris, Reykjavik, London and Barcelona.
Ticket Costs: Since Play Airlines only offers international flights, prices are a bit higher than other discount airlines. However, as an example, a June flight from Toronto to Venice, Italy, with Play will cost you as low as $570 one-way.
Baggage: Baggage fees with Play are slightly higher than other airlines. Passengers are allowed one free personal item but must pay $76 for a carry-on bag (which also gets you priority booking) and $89 for checked luggage.
Pets: Unfortunately, Play doesn't allow pets on board, with the exception of service dogs.
Food: Play offers an extensive in-flight menu complete with cold drinks like pop and juice, sweets like Icelandic chocolate and coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
Passengers can also purchase small bites, snacks like chips and pretzels and choose from a selection of sandwiches, with prices ranging from 3 to 7 euros and 9 to 10 euros for wine and beer.
Happy travels!
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.
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Canadian airlines should be quaking in their boots with the arrival of Canada Jetlines, a new "value-focused" airline that's flying between Toronto and Calgary starting from $99.
Canada Jetlines had its inaugural flight from Toronto to Calgary on September 22, where I got a first look at the plane — but before writing a full review, I wanted to experience a typical flight on the airline without the added fanfare.
I booked a flight back to Toronto on Sunday, September 25 — and I was not disappointed with the experience.
I travel back and forth from Toronto to Calgary about three times a year to visit my family, so I'm pretty familiar with the short flight, and I almost exclusively fly it on Air Canada.
I'd never actually flown on a value airline like Flair Airlines, Swoop Airlines or Lynx Air because I'd always been scared the price wouldn't be worth the impact on comfort.
However, despite being a new airline, my Canada Jetlines flight ran just as smoothly as a more established and expensive airline at a fraction of the cost — and it's totally changed my view on budget airlines.
Here's what the experience was like.
Booking experience: 5/5
I booked my return flight pretty last minute on September 23, so prices were a little higher at $157 for the cheapest flight.
Compared to prices at WestJet or Air Canada, though, this was still pretty dang cheap for domestic travel.
Prices start at $99 and go up depending on which level of comfort you choose, with options ranging from JetLite, JetPlus, JetFlex, and JetLines.
I went with the cheapest option, JetLite, which is pretty bare-bones. If you have a checked bag or want to select your seat, you'll have to pay extra, and you aren't able to cancel or make changes to your reservation.
Since I was just travelling with a carry-on and don't ever preselect my seat, it wasn't really an issue for me and was worth saving the money.
I booked my ticket online, and the website was super easy to navigate and took a total of maybe five minutes.
All in all, I'd give it a solid 5/5.
Check-in & boarding: 5/5
Not to be dramatic, but this was the easiest check-in and boarding experience I've ever had in my life.
I got to the airport two hours before my flight, but I could have arrived an hour later and still had time to pick up a caramel macchiato from Starbucks.
There was no line at the check-in desk and the employee helping me was so warm and friendly.
She even gave me the choice of a window or aisle seat, which I thought was pretty cool.
(I chose the window, FYI.)
After breezing through security, I had over an hour to kill at my gate, so I grabbed a coffee and relaxed.
Boarding took place on time, and I was comfortably seated on the plane within five to ten minutes.
With minimal lines and great service, check-in and boarding get a 5/5 from me.
Seats: 4.5/5
I'm a seat snob — just thought we should get this out of the way.
My back and knees always hurt during flights, and whoever I'm visiting is usually forced to give me a deep tissue massage afterwards.
I was expecting a more affordable airline would mean less comfortable seats, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Despite not having a lot of cushion, the firmer padding on the seats was super comfortable, and I had a good amount of leg room to stretch out without even having to recline my seat.
The seats also went up fairly high, and instead of having a bulky headrest, that inevitability causes a knot in your neck. They were just slightly more padded near the top, which I found much more comfortable.
The only issue I could see people having with these seats is if you really prefer a more pillowy cushion as opposed to a firmer seat.
I also got pretty lucky because I'd been given an aisle seat despite requesting a window at check-in, but a flight attendant swapped me to an empty row when I asked if I could switch.
After the flight, my knees and back were totally fine, which is pretty unheard of for me.
Food & drink: 4/5
Canada Jetlines did not come to play on this flight.
Free coffee, tea, and juices were offered twice during the journey, and water was offered in between services. This was pretty special considering, in my experience, most airlines I've flown on only offer water twice unless you buzz and ask for it.
Booze was also available on the flight for anyone looking for a mile-high happy hour, and there was a good selection of meals and snacks on the menu, from pizza to pringles, at a pretty reasonable price.
Considering how cheap the tickets are, I would say the food and drink selection was impressive.
A small complimentary snack would have been a nice perk, but still wouldn't have been expected for the price.
Entertainment & service: 4/5
Is there anything more daunting than sitting alone with your thoughts for hours on a plane?
Thankfully I didn't have to find out because although the flight didn't have a TV console, it did have a QR code and WiFi to connect to stream movies, play games, and more on your device.
I scrolled through the movie selection, which had a decent catalogue of popular films, shows and documentaries and landed on watching My Salinger Year.
The selection of entertainment wasn't bad for an affordable airline, but if your phone was dead or you didn't have a device you could stream on, you would be out of luck on this flight.
But there is a USB charging port in every seat, so you'll just need to keep your charger handy.
When it came to service, every interaction I had with a staff member was lovely, from offering drinks to just consistently checking in on everyone during the flight.
Overall score: 4.5/5 OR 22.5/25
Canada Jetlines gets the seal of approval from me.
The next time I book a flight out west to visit my family, you can bet I'll be using a low-cost carrier instead of Air Canada.
The value you get for such an affordable flight is definitely worth it, especially if you're flying out for a weekend and don't need to check a bag.
Despite being "value-focused," this flight had pretty much everything a larger, more established airline would have, just on a smaller scale, and I found it to be just as comfortable as a pricier flight.
The newness of the brand also plays to the customer's advantage with shorter lines and plenty of opportunity to snag an entire row of seats to yourself, which is basically the budget version of first class.
My only advice would be to plan ahead and to try and get the cheapest flight out possible at $99 to avoid paying more than you need to.
If you're headed for a longer vacation and need to check multiple bags, you'll have to upgrade and pay more to avoid getting hit with expensive add-on fees.
Lynx took off for the first time on Thursday, April 7, with its inaugural flight from Calgary to Vancouver.
In recognition of the big day, the Canadian carrier announced its "biggest sale yet" in the form of a discount code to give customers even more money off on flights.
To get up to 70% off all routes, all passengers need to do is use the code LYNXLAUNCH when selecting their flight online.
The discount will be valid from April 7 through to 11:59 p.m. MT on April 10, 2022.
It applies to trips taken between April 7 and June 28, 2022, so it's perfect if you're looking for a cheap flight this spring or summer.
Plus, the promo code can be used more than once!
WE ARE FLYING! To celebrate our big day, we're offering up to 70% off base fares with promo code "LYNXLAUNCH" \n\nExperience the future of air travel in the latest generation @Boeing by booking your flight at the link in our bio.https://www.instagram.com/p/CcEV-ecPqM0/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=\u00a0\u2026
After initially being introduced to Canadians back in November 2021, the airline has been growing its network to reach six Canadian cities in total: Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Kelowna and Victoria.
One-way fares between cities start at $39 and with the latest discount, passengers can currently find round-trip flights for less than $100.
By the summer, the low-cost carrier says it will be operating 148 flights per week coast to coast across Canada, with plans to expand into Hamilton, Halifax and St. John's by the end of June, then Edmonton by the end of July.
While Lynx Air's focus is currently domestic short-haul and long-haul flights, the company ultimately intends to launch in the U.S. and eventually worldwide, too.
The airline is using an "ultra-low-cost carrier model," promising low fares, brand new aircraft and great customer service.
CEO Merren McArthur told CTV News the super cheap fare structure will be based on "simplicity" and "transparency," allowing passengers to pick and choose the services they actually want to pay for.
This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
On Saturday, March 5, the airline announced that it's offering 50% off select base fares with the discount code SPRINGSALE.
Travellers can use the Lynx Air promo code to get discounts on eligible flights across Canada between April 7 and June 28, 2022.
If you've been planning multiple trips, there's even more good news, as the code can be used more than once.
The low-cost carrier recently announced several new routes across the country, including out west. The network now reaches six Canadian cities in total: Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Kelowna and Victoria.
Spread your wings this spring! Lynx Insiders can travel to Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver or Kelowna for 50% off. \n\nOffer valid book by Sunday, March 6th for travel between April 7th to June 29th: https://flylynx.com\u00a0pic.twitter.com/3ykTV6xYqE
As it's a new airline, introductory prices are still available. Right now, travellers can fly from Vancouver to Calgary or between Kelowna and Vancouver for less than $40.
Plane tickets between Toronto and Calgary start at $46, while you can fly between Vancouver and Toronto for $52.
With prices pretty low to start with, it means the 50% off base fare promo code could make your cross-Canada trip cost less than $100 round trip.
You'll have to be speedy though, as the code is only valid until 11:59 p.m. MT on Sunday, March 6, 2022.
The company announced its launch in Canada back in November 2021, promising cheap tickets, flexibility and choice to Canadian travellers with its "ultra low-cost carrier model."
The airline's first flight will be from Calgary to Vancouver on April 7.
Lynx Air may not be the only airline offering super competitive prices in the near future, either. Recently, WestJet announced its plans to buy Sunwing and says that means "new travel options" and "more affordable fares."
Happy travels, Canada!
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time.
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.
Booking my ticket online.
Jetlines check-in at the Calgary airport.
A row of seats on the plane.
Brooke Houghton with a glass of water.
Canada Jetlines menu.
Entertainment page.