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CALGARY — Canadian carrier WestJet (WS) is making significant moves toward its product offering and future with the unveiling of its brand-new cabins, currently being rolled out on its Boeing 737 fleet.
The new seats mark a considerable shakeup for the airline, switching from exclusively using Recaro to opting for Collins Aerospace's Pinnacle economy seat product and MiQ premium seat product, the same seats found in the premium economy cabin of their Boeing 787 fleet.
Currently, WS’s fleet consists of 54 Boeing 737-800s and 58 Boeing 737-8 aircraft. The current standard cabin product features 12 premium recliner seats up front in a 2-2 configuration and 162 economy seats for a total of 174 seats. The new cabins will retain the 12 premium seats but will add one row of economy seats, increasing the economy capacity to 168 and the total to 180 seats.
Samantha Taylor, Executive Vice-President and Chief Experience Officer at WestJet, said in a statement, “The cabin has been thoughtfully designed to offer WestJet’s welcoming service at every budget,… It reflects our commitment to elevating every aspect of the travel experience and meeting guest demand for a broader range of product offerings.”
The first reconfigured aircraft, a former Lynx Air 737-8, was completed at the airline's maintenance facility in Edmonton (YEG), with further work scheduled to take place in Kelowna (YLW). WestJet says that the first reconfigured aircraft will enter service in October.
The New Cabins
Beginning with the new premium cabin, the seats are the same ones featured in the premium economy cabin of WestJet’s Boeing 787 fleet. They are similar to the seats featured on the current 737 fleet, with a few key differences, namely the upholstery, the lack of footrests, and the seat-back IFE screen, which includes a personal mobile device holder.
Key features include centre console storage, armrests with drink tables and fold-out tray tables, AC power sockets and USB-C charging ports, as well as coat hooks. The premium cabin is arranged in a 2-2 configuration with three rows of 12 seats on all aircraft, including the incoming 212-seat 737-10, which WestJet is on track to be the launch operator.
Moving on behind the curtain into the economy cabin, 168 total seats are arranged in a 3-3 layout across 28 rows, divided between Extended Comfort and standard economy, with the two types physically separated by a cabin divider mounted to the bottom of the overhead bins on each side of the cabin.
All seats in the economy cabin now feature seat back personal mobile device holders, USB-A and USB-C charging ports, and coat hooks, as well as four-way adjustable headrests and movable armrests, which are already standard in the carrier’s current cabins.
The first six rows of economy on the 737-800 and -8 are sold as Extended Comfort seats, providing more extra legroom and, most notably, the ability to recline. The standard economy cabin will not have adjustable reclining seats.
Taylor added, “The layout for our refreshed cabin caters to our guests’ diverse preferences. Whether they opt for Premium seating with extra amenities and legroom or for more affordable ticket prices with less space, we’re excited to introduce this range of products for our guests to enjoy.”
In addition to cabins, WS has been installing Starlink WiFi on its 737-800 and -8 fleet over the past year, with nearly the entire fleet of the two types now complete and in service. The service, sponsored by Vancouver-based Telus Communications, is free to WestJet Rewards members.
The fleet
Beginning in 2023, WestJet began integrating 737s in all-economy 189-seat layouts. This started with the integration of its wholly owned ULCC, Swoop (WO), in October of that year, which involved taking on ten 737-800s and six 737-8 aircraft. The following May, it was announced that the airline would take on nine more 189-seat 737 MAX 8s from defunct Canadian ULCC Lynx Air (Y9), as well as 18 more jets from Canadian leisure brand, Sunwing (WG), which they had recently acquired.
From May 2025, WS operated 43 all-economy 737-800s and -8s, making up a little less than 30% of the carrier’s 737 fleet. Many of these aircraft have already been fitted with Starlink hardware, and as WS announced with the new cabins yesterday, they will be the first aircraft to receive the cabin upgrades. The first will enter service in a few weeks, with all 43 planes expected to be complete by year’s end.
WestJet currently operates 150 Boeing 737s split between the 737-700, -800, and -8, with an order book of 116 more planes, 163 including options.
Featured image: WestJet
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