It’s times like this when you realize what companies actually care about their customers vs solely profiting.
UPDATE: 3,000+ stranded Canadians have been given free seats home thanks to Sunwing, including those in the Caribbeans, Mexico, Cuba, and Florida!
If you’re a Canadian or Canadian permanent resident stuck in a city or country where Sunwing flies, they are offering free flights to you (if seats are available obviously).
Sunwing Destinations flying Canadians home
(as of now)
- Camaguey, Cuba
- Cancun, Mexico
- Cayo Coco, Cuba
- Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba
- Daytona Beach, Florida, USA
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
- Holguin, Cuba
- Ixtapa, Mexico
- Los Cabos, Mexico
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Nassau, The Bahamas
- Orlando, Florida, USA
- Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- St Maarten
- Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
- Varadero, Cuba
For Canadians in any Sunwing destinations who can’t get home or just can’t afford to come home (looking at certain airlines that jacked the price up during this time), Sunwing is offering free flight seats to Canadians and Canadian permanent residents if seats are available at no cost.
Even if you have a plane ticket with another airline, but want to depart earlier, you can get standby seating on any return Sunwing flight at no extra cost. They will still try to fly you home as a non-Sunwing customer if there are available seats. This is a company I can support!
HEADS UP: If you’re flying with another airline and you get a plane ticket with ‘GTE’ on it, this is what GTE on your ticket means – be prepared!
If you’re a Canadian looking to return home, follow the steps:
1. Check the most up to date Sunwing flights from your nearest airport: https://www.sunwing.ca/pages/en/flight-status-alerts
2. Go to the Sunwing Airlines check-in counter and ask if there are available seats for the flight you want to take home.
3. Make sure you arrive as early as possible
4. If there are available seats prior to departure, available seats will be offered to Canadians free of charge
5. Don’t call them. Go to their counter in person as availability can only be confirmed at the airport ahead of the closure of check-in for each flight service.
The CEO of Sunwing had this to say to Canadians: “We understand a lot of Canadians are still stranded outside the country and struggling to get home. That’s why we want to open up any extra capacity we have. It’s the Canadian thing to do.”
Thank you Sunwing for doing the Canadian thing and helping Canadians out. We must all stick together and help each other out during these times.
Sunwing will be operating almost 400 flights from southern destinations and spending more than $26 million to bring Canadians home safely at no extra cost. They are expecting to have all Sunwing flyers home by Mon March 23.
Ryan Thomas Woods is the voice behind Out With Ryan. He’s an LGBTQ+ Advocate & Travel writer for this website and many other publications. He was recently voted Travel Influencer of Year in Canada and dedicated the award to all LGBTQ travelers making the world a better & safer space for our community, as he strives to do on his website & social platforms.
