Maritimers are getting more direct access to Europe this summer. “Between May and October of 2026, we’ve seen a 40 per cent increase in the seat capacity for service to Europe,” explained Leah Batstone, communications manager with the Halifax Stanfield International Airport Authority. “Seat capacity represents the number of seats available on aircraft. And it basically is a great way to measure the opportunity to travel. And so, seeing that 40 per cent increase over the summer period is great news for the community.” With these additions, Batstone says Halifax Stanfield is expecting a record-breaking year. “Apart from the summer season, which is expected to be a very busy one, we are anticipating a record number of passengers this year, so by the end of 2026, we’ll have served our expected numbers… 4.4 million travelers, which will be a record for us,” she said. The airport is partnering with airlines to bring more travel opportunities to the East Coast. “We have some new services coming online this summer. Air Canada is launching a brand-new service to Brussels starting on Thursday. We’ll be celebrating the inaugural flight here with the Air Canada team, and that service is a summer seasonal service,” said Batstone. She mentioned Air Canada also operates a year-round service to London Heathrow for those seeking transatlantic flights year-round. “We’re also welcoming three new services to Europe from WestJet, which is in addition to the number of other destinations that they’ve been serving for several years now. The new services from WestJet include Lisbon, Copenhagen, and Madrid. And those have started,” she said. CTV News spoke to Maritimers who stated non-stop flights are what they’re looking for, something echoed by travel agents in the region. “Direct is important for a lot of people. They just want one flight, get there, get off, start their vacation,” said Myranda Miller, Maritime travel agent. “And we have such an increased capacity this year direct to so many different destinations in Europe. It’s really exciting.” “It makes for a more seamless experience, and it means you can start your vacation sooner. Also, the flight times are pretty reasonable. You know, five to seven hours. And because of our geographic location, it’s an excellent starting point for these services. And I think people are just really looking forward to having some new options for travel destinations,” added Batstone. “It’s also important to remember that these flights also bring people to our region,” added Batstone. “It’s wonderful to see that tourism is performing really well this summer season. We’re hearing from our partners that hotels and bookings are performing well, and part of that is because of having these flights.” She said they do their best to help promote new destinations, and Lisbon has been particularly popular. “The other destinations are excellent, too. I mean, Copenhagen can then give you opportunities to travel onward to other Scandinavian countries as well with Brussels.” Not having to go through Pearson in Toronto or Pierrie Elliot Trudeau in Montreal is a game changer for many travellers. “These flights can be your final destination, or it can help you connect on to other destinations,” said Batstone. “Instead of maybe connecting at another Canadian airport, you can connect in Europe and then travel onwards to another country, another continent. It just opens a lot of doors for travelers.” And while Maritimers seem to be leaning into Europe, flights to the United States are adding locations too. “There has been a bit of a softening in the demand for travel to the United States. We saw it more pronounced earlier in the year, which we did expect,” said Batstone regarding sunny destinations like Florida. “Interestingly, last year, our U.S. travel sector performed very well compared to other Canadian airports, but we did anticipate it would be softer at the beginning of 2026.” She said this is exactly what they’ve observed. Batstone suspects people are choosing to go elsewhere instead of the United States. “We know Americans love to visit the East Coast of Canada and Atlantic Canada, and so the summer season is usually the busiest time for those U.S. services. We also have some new U.S. destinations that are available on our website.” As for why the new flights to Europe, Miller said people want to explore. “With the increased capacity that we have from Halifax and direct service, it’s a good time to go. “We’ve had a great response from the community, from travellers to travel trade partners, some travel agents, business and tourism operators who have said that they really appreciate having these services, and it does make an impact for people to have these options and to be able to have visitors coming in,” added Batstone. Which for travellers means giving yourself extra time when you head to the airport. “Knowing that the airport is going to be busier than it’s ever been before, it’s important for people to remember to arrive here early for their flight, know where you’re going to park and advance, make sure you have all your documents ready and understand your limitations for baggage and things of that nature, just to make sure that it’s a smooth process when you get here,” she added. The additions also mean Halifax is up there as an international hub. “In total now we have 15 nonstop flights to Europe. So transatlantic flights and with those services were in fact the most internationally connected airport of our size in North America with under 10 million passengers. So, when you think about airports that are of similar size, ours is the most internationally connected, which is pretty incredible,” said Batstone. “And, you know, this is this facility is right in your backyard. There’s all these options for nonstop flights that can make your trip start sooner. So, we just encourage people to not forget about the wonderful asset that we have here. Book your trip nonstop. Arrive early, enjoy some of the restaurants and shops that we have here and just enjoy your vacation.” The 15 Summer European Flights include: For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
