Boxing Day flight sales from Canadian airlines are real — WestJet, Air Canada and Porter have each run them in recent years, typically 20% off (or up to CA$100 off) base fares for a few days starting December 26. But the discounted fares almost always apply to travel dates months later, not to the Christmas or New Year’s trip you’re about to take. If you still need to fly over the holidays themselves, waiting for Boxing Day won’t help — see our Christmas 2026 flights within Canada guide for that instead.
✓ Fact-checked · Nov 2026
Every December, Canadian airlines advertise Boxing Day flight sales alongside the retail ones. They’re genuine promotions, not a marketing myth — but what they discount, and when you can actually use the discount, catches a lot of people out.
What is a “Boxing Day flight sale” in Canada, exactly?
It’s a short promotional window, usually opening December 26 and running three to five days, where an airline offers a percentage or dollar discount off base fares across some or all of its network.
WestJet’s most recent Boxing Day sale offered 20% off, or up to CA$100 off, on eligible UltraBasic, Econo, Premium and Business fares, with bookings accepted from December 26 through December 29. The catch: the discounted fares were only valid for travel between January 7 and the following June — not for flights taken during the sale window or over the holidays themselves. That booking-now-fly-later structure is standard across Canadian Boxing Day airline sales, not specific to one carrier.
Does the Boxing Day sale help if I need to fly during Christmas or New Year’s week?
No. By the time the Boxing Day sale opens on December 26, Christmas-week flights are already close to their final price, and the sale’s eligible travel dates typically start in the new year anyway. If you still need a seat for December or the first days of January, book directly rather than waiting — our Christmas flights within Canada guide and last-minute domestic flights guide cover what to do if you’re booking close to the date.
Where the sale is genuinely useful is for trips later in 2027 that you haven’t booked yet — a spring visit to family, a summer trip, or any domestic travel you know is coming but haven’t locked in.
Is a Boxing Day fare actually cheaper than booking in November?
Sometimes, but not automatically, and this is the part the “20% off” headline doesn’t tell you.
| Booking approach | What you’re actually getting |
|---|---|
| Book in October/November for a known date | A fare set by normal demand, often in a cheaper fare bucket before seats thin out |
| Wait for the Boxing Day sale | A percentage off whatever the base fare is on your travel date, which may already be higher than it was in November |
A 20%-off fare is only a good deal if the base fare it’s discounted from is itself reasonable. For a route and date you already know you need, compare the Boxing Day sale price against what the same route cost two or three weeks earlier rather than assuming the discount is automatically the lowest price of the year.
Which Canadian airlines run Boxing Day sales?
WestJet, Air Canada and Porter Airlines have each run Boxing Day or year-end seat sales in recent years, usually announced in the days immediately before or on December 26. Flair Airlines has also run December seat sales, though timing and structure vary year to year. (Lynx Air ran similar sales in past years but ceased operations in February 2024, so it’s no longer part of the market.)
Sale structures differ by airline — some lead with a flat percentage off, others with a lowest-fare-guarantee style promotion — so the comparison in the table above is worth doing per airline, not just per sale.
How to tell a genuine Boxing Day flight deal from a marketing headline
- Check the exact travel-date window the discount applies to — “up to 20% off” is meaningless if your dates fall outside it.
- Look for blackout dates on the specific route you want; holiday and long-weekend dates are commonly excluded.
- Compare the discounted price against the same route’s price from two to three weeks earlier, not just against the airline’s own “regular” fare, which can be inflated right before a sale.
- Factor in baggage and seat-selection fees on the cheapest fare classes — a 20%-off UltraBasic fare can end up costing more than a mid-tier fare once extras are added.
- Note the booking window closes fast, typically three to five days, so a sale isn’t something to plan a last-minute holiday booking around.
Frequently Asked Questions
When exactly is the Boxing Day flight sale each year?
Most Canadian airlines open their Boxing Day sale on or around December 26 and run it for three to five days, closing by December 29 or 30. Exact dates vary by airline and by year, so check directly with the carrier once the holiday approaches.
Do Boxing Day flight sales apply to Christmas or New Year’s travel?
Usually not. Boxing Day sale fares are typically valid for travel starting several weeks or months after the sale window, not for the holiday period itself. If you need a seat for Christmas or New Year’s, book it directly rather than waiting for the sale.
Is Black Friday or Boxing Day better for Canadian flight deals?
Both are genuine promotional windows and neither is consistently better — it depends on the airline and route. Airlines sometimes run similar discount structures for both, so it’s worth comparing a specific route’s price at each sale rather than assuming one event is always cheaper.
Do all Canadian airlines run Boxing Day sales?
Not all. WestJet, Air Canada and Porter Airlines have each run Boxing Day or year-end sales in recent years; smaller or ultra-low-cost carriers run their own promotions on different schedules, so it’s worth checking each airline you’re considering separately.
What should I check before booking a Boxing Day flight deal?
Confirm the eligible travel-date window covers your actual trip, check for blackout dates on your route, compare the sale price against the same route’s price a few weeks earlier, and add in baggage or seat fees before assuming the cheapest fare class is the best value.
Planning a trip for later in 2027 and want a fare checked against the current Boxing Day sale? Call +1-877-700-0520 or WhatsApp us your dates.
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