Image Credit: Curtis Goodrum / CFJC Today

By Curtis Goodrum

KAMLOOPS AIRPORT

Edmonton flight bolsters Kamloops Airport summer activity

Sep 18, 2025 | 5:04 PM

KAMLOOPS – A steady number of passengers arrived and departed from the Kamloops Airport this summer, in part because of a new direct flight to Edmonton, which worked well for both WestJet and Kamloops Airport.

“Our forecast passenger numbers going into 2025 were relatively comparable to what we expected. 2024 was slightly higher at the beginning of the year. We anticipated the turn to happen in July. We’re starting to see that now in August as we head into the last half of the year,” said Jim Moroz, the managing director at Kamloops Airport.

The direct flight to Edmonton – which operated on Fridays and Sundays in July and August – went very well, according to YKA, but WestJet has not yet announced whether the flight will return.

“From our perspective and their perspective, we’re all very pleased with the performance,” Moroz added. “Given the short lead time from announcement to that first flight, the passenger volume was quite good and it continued to rise through August. Overall, it was a good flight.”

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“[WestJet is] building out their 2026 schedule right now so they’ll be looking at all of the numbers connecting western Canada as they always have. Nothing to announce from them, that will come directly from the airline.”

Kamloops Airport will release its summer numbers next month, though Moroz said there were slight decreases in both July and August when compared to last year.

Moroz’s comments come as the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) board voted to contribute $5,000 to the Kamloops Airport Authority Society. While its a relatively small figure, it could lead to future conversations about promoting tourism in and around Kamloops.

“It’s a game-changer, looking at the Kamloops Airport and its growth. The TNRD is a logical partner as it’s a regional airport and the 27 directors that we have at the table at the TNRD are all supporters of the airport,” said Bill Sarai, the president of the Kamloops Airport Authority Society.

Sarai said part of those conversations could include talks with tourism organizations across the Kamloops area and possibly more funding from the TNRD as well.

“We need to see where that $5,000 went and what they did to entice or help marketing. What was the result of it?” he added. “A regional grant-in-aid project that the TNRD have could prolong that for another year or two years. I think it’s prudent that we look at the results after a year.”