WestJet Encore

Market conditions leading to formation (2005–2013)

Prior to the formation of WestJet Encore, WestJet internal studies concluded in 2005 that WestJet would saturate the Canadian commercial airline market when it reached a 90–100 Boeing 737 aircraft fleet. Westjet had 50 Boeing 737 aircraft at the time. WestJet Airlines became the second-largest airline in Canada in 2002. Solutions included slowing expansion of the airline or adding smaller aircraft models to serve routes with less traffic. The absence of turboprop aircraft in the WestJet fleet was seen as a disadvantage compared to competitor Air Canada. In some cases Air Canada had more frequent flights on smaller aircraft while WestJet either avoided the market or had only one daily flight on a larger Boeing 737 aircraft.

WestJet made an initial order of 20 Bombardier Q400 NextGen (now De Havilland Q400 NextGen) aircraft through a letter of intent on May 1, 2012, which resulted in a conditional order on June 28, 2012. A firm order of 20 Q400 NextGen and 25 options was announced on August 1, 2012. The ATR72-600, had been considered, having a lower initial acquisition price and better fuel economy on short flights but slower speed, worse fuel economy on longer flights and slightly less passenger capacity.

Inauguration of air service and operating conditions

The parent company, WestJet Airlines, Ltd., formed WestJet Encore as a wholly owned, but legally separate, airline from WestJet. Prior to the selection of the Encore name, other names were considered, including Chinook, Echo, and Reach. Calgary was selected for the WestJet Encore corporate headquarters but Toronto Pearson International Airport was also considered. WestJet Encore received an Air Operator Certificate separate from WestJet Airlines on June 12, 2013.

On June 24, 2013, Westjet Encore service began with two Q400s between Calgary International Airport and Saskatoon, Nanaimo (British Columbia), and Fort St. John (British Columbia) as well as between Fort. St. John and Vancouver. The International Air Transport Association, IATA, assigned WestJet Encore an airline code of "WR".

Some WestJet Encore flights were new routes not served by the WestJet mainline carrier because there was insufficient traffic to support Boeing 737 flights. Other WestJet Encore flights increased frequencies on existing WestJet routes. WestJet Encore's service was initially limited to Western Canada, but in June 2014, the airline opened service in Ontario between Toronto and Thunder Bay. It later began service on eastern routes centred on Toronto and Halifax, since discontinued. WestJet Encore moved into the international market in 2016, with flights serving Boston Logan Airport; Nashville International Airport was added the following year.

WestJet Encore flies Q400 NextGen on regional flights up to 700 nautical miles. 50% of WestJet Encore passengers are travelling on connecting flights with WestJet. The WestJet Encore fleet of Q400s expanded to 18 aircraft by March 2015, and later to 34 aircraft by December 2016 and to 43 aircraft by December 2017. In 2015, WestJet Encore was the fastest-growing operator of Q400 aircraft. By 2017, it was the fourth largest operator of Q400 aircraft in the world.

In August 2015, WestJet Encore adopted a revised livery. The tail and type style used with the word "WestJet" remained the same, but the teal-and-blue geometric widget ahead of the WestJet titles was replaced with a teal-and-blue stylized maple leaf of a similar pattern.

WestJet Encore has a partially unionized workforce. Initially having an entirely non-union staff, the airline became a target for union drives starting in 2014. Starting January 1, 2016, the airline management initiated WestJet Pilots Association, a subgroup of the WestJet Proactive Management Team, to ratify pilot contracts between with WestJet Encore. The pilots union which represents many pilots that fly for U.S. carriers, the Air Line Pilots Association, was successful in unionizing the 500-pilot workforce in November 2017. A pilot base is located in Calgary. WestJet pilots are required to be Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents. Pilot shortages in the airline industry affected WestJet Encore in 2018, resulting in requirements that newly hired pilots needed only 1,000 flight hours of experience prior to hiring.

Pilots are guaranteed an eventual higher paying position flying larger jets at WestJet, unlike competitor airline Jazz, which operates as Air Canada Express and does not offer guarantees of an eventual job at Air Canada. WestJet Encore and its flight attendants reached an agreement regarding compensation and work rules beginning January 1, 2018, for a one-year period. However, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which was not a party to the agreement, announced that it would continue efforts to unionize the flight attendant ranks.

On October 31, 2016, a $2 billion, two million square foot international terminal for U.S. cross border and international flights opened at Calgary International Airport, the largest hub of WestJet Encore and its affiliate WestJet.