That flannel permanently tied around your waist? The laptop that could double as a workout weight? We remember those days well. When flip phones were basically magic. When we all thought frosted tips looked pretty cool. When MapQuest was the height of travel technology.
For 30 years, we've been WestJetting.
We started with just six routes and one big idea: what if flying could be for everyone? Back when people only flew for really special occasions, we had a simple thought: what if more Canadians could just... go places? What if a weekend in Vancouver or a spontaneous trip to visit family wasn’t just a dream?
Fast forward three decades (and a few fashion trends), and we've added a few more pins on the map –connecting you to 130+ destinations across four continents. Our fleet's grown from three to 190+, and we've grown from connecting Western Canada to connecting you with the world.
Remember when listening to music meant carefully balancing your Discman so it wouldn't skip? We've put together the ultimate '96 throwback playlist with all the songs that were playing when we took our first flight, now without the skipping.
We made flying more affordable across Canada, and we're incredibly proud of that. But our greatest innovation has always been our people. Back in ‘96, we had just over 200 WestJetters. Today, we're 15,000+ strong, but here's the thing that hasn't changed: we still believe in caring from the heart. Rising to the challenge. Working together to win. Those weren't just nice words we put on a poster – they are in WestJet’s DNA.
“Nice belt!" Jen's been making guests and WestJetters smile with her jokes since 1996. One of our original 27 flight attendants, she and her crew pioneered toilet paper races and penny hunts to entertain guests. "We had a captive audience back then," she laughs. Now working in our office as program manager, in-flight standards, Jen's watched live TV and, most recently, Wi-Fi transform onboard entertainment. But her heart for people hasn't changed — "It's what keeps me here, 30 years later."
- Jen, WestJetter since '96
As a kid in Victoria, Thomas flew on Pacific Western Airlines, gazing up at the cockpit and imagining himself there someday. WestJet later bought some of the 737s previously flown by Pacific Western – and suddenly Thomas was piloting some of the exact same planes he'd admired as a passenger. What was just six aircraft and domestic-only routes in 1998 has grown beyond his wildest expectations. Twenty-eight years later, he's taking 787s to Barcelona, Tokyo, and Seoul – living that dream on a scale he never imagined.
- Thomas, WestJetter since '98
A stranger stopped Tom at a Calgary grocery store and asked, “Are you that rhyming flight attendant?" One of the original 27 flight attendants, Tom brought energy and creativity to every flight, reciting a safety poem at the start of his flights. With no seatback TVs, flight attendants were the entertainment, and Tom organized guessing games about crew tattoos and wrote safety poems to break through the "sea of newspapers." Tom had a unique way of measuring success back then: "How many hugs I got from people leaving the plane." Thirty years later, he is bringing that same creativity to the Marketing team and still believes that WestJet’s culture of care is what makes it so special – turning every interaction into a moment of genuine connection.
- Tom, WestJetter since '96
"We didn't have stats or metrics for call tracking back then – just a bell on the wall," Brenda laughs about WestJet's first call centre days. Back then, there was no way to check queue lengths or wait times. "But you could see everyone’s faces in the contact centre, and all of a sudden, everyone would go quiet. Then, someone would ring the bell – that's how we knew we'd cleared all the calls." The entire team would erupt in cheers. That celebration spirit was everything. Thirty years later, that "we're all in this together" energy still drives Brenda in her current role, helping WestJetters book business travel.
- Brenda, WestJetter since ‘96
"Walking into that call centre wasn't like starting a new job – it was joining friends," Doreen reflects on her unique path to WestJet in 1996. As a part-time travel agent, she'd call WestJet daily, always reaching the same handful of agents in their tiny call centre. Real conversations developed – not just business, but genuine connections. When they encouraged her to apply, it felt natural. Her interview was on a Friday, and she started that Monday morning in "true start-up style." Thirty years later, Doreen is a Sr. Manager in IT, and still marvels at how WestJet built a company where strangers became close friends.
- Doreen, WestJetter since ‘96
22.6 million guests started their travel stories right in this seat in 2025 alone. Lots has changed since '96. The in-flight entertainment is better, and you don't have to choose just 12 CDs for your entire trip. But that feeling when you buckle in and know your adventure's about to begin? That's been the same since day one.
We can't wait to help you write your next chapter.
Since our first flight in 1996, we have strived to enrich the lives of everyone in WestJet’s world by providing safe, friendly and affordable air travel.
