SAN DIEGO — The San Diego International Airport is welcoming a new airline to the runway named Swoop, the first airline added to SAN since 2018.

The Canadian airline will now offer nonstop flights from Edmonton, Canada to San Diego on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Swoop is an ultra-low cost carrier, offering one-way tickets starting at $99.

“Canada is the number one international visitor market to San Diego and this new nonstop flight from Edmonton will continue to strengthen both regions’ tourism economies,” said Kimberly Becker, president and CEO for San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

Canadians pour millions of dollars into the region, according to Julie Coker, president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority.

“With nearly 350,000 visitors in 2019 and those visitors left $183 million dollars in San Diego,” Coker said.  

Bert Van Der Stege, head of commercial and finance at Swoop, says Halloween is when Canadian airlines start to change their flight schedule for the winter.

Canada’s border was closed to foreign nationals for months, but now the border is open to fully vaccinated visitors.

“It’s a symbol of the reopening of both our countries and actually the world for air travel,” Becker said.

San Diego native Carlin Getez, who now lives in Edmonton full-time, said the nonstop flight was convenient for her.

“Previously, I was going through Denver, have a layover in Denver or a layover in Seattle,” she said.

Getez was visiting San Diego for her mother’s 70th birthday and said she will be using Swoop in the future.

“I have a family of five, so with kids flying, it’s nice to not have a layover,” Getez said. “And to get here faster to spend more time with family, it’s definitely helpful.”

Staring Nov. 8, all travelers entering the U.S. will have to show proof of vaccination status.