How a new airline will get you from Kelowna to Vancouver for $39

• New low-cost airline
• Hoping to encourage more air travel
• Summer bookings already busy

Kelowna will soon have another option in the affordable air travel market.

Lynx Air has announced it will operate out of YLW with non-stop service to Calgary and Vancouver twice a week starting Friday, April 15.

Fares to those cities will start as low as $39 one-way for a limited time, according to the airline.

CEO Merren McArthur told Kelowna10 the airline's goal is to make air travel accessible and affordable for everyone.

“We believe the airfares have been too high in Canada for a long time and we believe there’s a lot of people who either can’t afford to travel or can’t afford to travel as much as they like,” she said. “By offering super low fares, we believe we’ll be allowing more people to travel, which is very exciting.”

McArthur said Lynx Air picked Kelowna as a new destination because it’s popular for year-round travel in and out and sees the potential for growth, and to offer more flights in the future.

“There will be more destinations on our network as we grow and expand but Kelowna was just one of the bigger opportunities immediately that we thought filled our reasons for choosing,” she said.

Lynx Air also serves Toronto and Winnipeg.

The airline has three brand-new Boeing 737 aircraft with more expected in the coming months. The airline has firm orders and lease agreements in place for a total of 46 aircraft over the next seven years to meet anticipated demand.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on the industry, McArthur said reservations are high since the booking website launched, particularly in the summer.

“We know that the demand for air travel that’s coming back fastest is for pleasure,” she said. “People in Canada want to go on a holiday, and they want to see family and friends. We’re focusing on domestic long haul and short haul initially.”

She said by May, Lynx will operate 76 flights per week and wants to add more routes over summer.

“We are excited to see Lynx Air launch routes to Kelowna from Calgary and Vancouver in April,” Airport Director Sam Samaddar said in a media release. “An affordable airline like Lynx will open doors for travelers looking to explore our beautiful region and increase travel opportunities for the Okanagan community.”

Swoop and Flair Airlines also market themselves as affordable carriers operating out of YLW.