ULCC startup Lynx Air will open service to Tampa International Airport (TPA) in November, becoming the first Canadian airline to launch a new route to the Florida airport since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lynx will fly to TPA from both Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Montreal Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The YYZ-TPA route will commence from Nov. 16 and the YUL-TPA service will start from Nov. 17. Both routes will be operated 4X-weekly with Boeing 737 aircraft.

The start-up carrier will be the third Canadian airline flying to TPA and the 21st carrier serving the airport overall. The Calgary-based airline will compete with Air Canada—which operates to Tampa from multiple Canadian markets—on both routes. WestJet also serves the YYZ-TPA route. 

Lynx already operates from YYZ to Orlando International Airport, located about 90 mi. east of TPA.

“Our community is closely linked with our Canadian neighbors, who are the largest source of international visitation, home ownership and foreign direct investment in Tampa Bay,” TPA CEO Joe Lopano says in a statement.

TPA will become Lynx’s 16th destination. It operates a fleet of seven 737s, with plans to have 10 of the type by the end of 2023.

The TPA routes are two of a number of U.S. services Lynx will launch in coming weeks. New flights will include YYZ service to Los Angeles International Airport (starting Aug. 24) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (starting Oct. 12). Flights between YUL and Las Vegas Reid International Airport will get underway on Aug. 31.