Cheapflights is further expanding its reach and market position with the launch of a site in Canada - www.cheapflights.ca.

Canada is a natural market for Cheapflights into which to expand. It enjoys both high internet penetration - more than 19 million users and a proliferation of broadband access - some 59 per cent of the population*. In addition, the web is the preferred means of researching travel** and the second most popular type of online purchase after books and magazines***.  The market is ideal for the Cheapflights product because of price competition caused by charter flights, price discounting and low-cost airlines.

The rapid price changes in seat pricing due to competition, unsold capacity and seasonal variations means that consumers can be confused as to where to look for the best available fares.  Cheapflights daily sources its deals not only from airlines and budget carriers, but also from aggregators, online travel agencies and meta-search sites whose names read like a Who’s Who of the travel industry.

The Cheapflights launch will therefore fill a gap in the market providing Canadian travellers with a source for the best flight deals and information and enabling them to make an informed decision.  The Cheapflights flights price search and comparison model has already proved a success with both consumers and with travel operators on both sides of the Atlantic.  Circa six million unique users per month use the service which last year drove an estimated US$1.8 billion flights sales to Cheapflights’ advertising “partners”.

Cheapflights.ca already receives more than 100,000 visitors every month on its holding site in Canada. In addition, the US website, Cheapflights.com, receives a significant number of Canadian visitors searching for Canadian departures, who will shortly be redirected to the new website.

The Canadian website offers a light-launch set of features including a booking engine, hot deals section and extensive flights tips information. Advertising partners already include WestJet, Sears Travel, Flight Network and British Airways as well as established online travel agents such as Expedia.ca and Travelocity.ca.

The positive response from leading Canadian travel providers, in addition to Cheapflights’ significant success in the USA, were primary reasons for making the Canada site Cheapflights’ third (after the UK and the USA). The new launch will act as a significant step forward in international expansion and is part of Cheapflights’ wider strategy to go global within the next five years.

Cheapflights’ Hugo Burge, Vice Chairman and Head of International, commented: “With our significant successful growth in the USA, in addition to our leadership in our home market of the UK, now is the time to expand further into Canada as part of our global expansion strategy.  It has been most encouraging to see our existing partners embrace our international ambitions and work with us by developing multi-national business relationships.”
——-