All airlines / WestJet

WestJet

Canada's second-largest airline, flying domestic, transborder and international routes, including its Encore regional operation.

Official page Tariff

Restricted firearms Accepted An ATT is still required Ammunition Up to 5 kg Per passenger Handling fee $50 Per piece, each way Advance notice 72 h Before departure Sources disagree 3 rules Follow the stricter one

Is my firearm accepted?

Firearms accepted Published

Shotguns, handguns, pistols, rifles, BB guns, starter pistols, air pistols/rifles, paintball guns and related ammunition; checked baggage only. All other firearms are not accepted.

WestJet’s wording

Types Accepted: shotguns, handguns, pistols, rifles, BB guns, starter pistols, air pistols/rifles, paintball guns and related ammunition will be accepted only as checked Baggage. All other firearms and/or associated ammunition are not accepted.

Accepted Firearms: Restricted and Non-restricted Firearms; Handguns; Shotguns; Rifles; Pistols. Non-lethal Firearms: Air guns; BB guns; Starter pistols; Paintball guns

Tariff (westjet.com) westjet.com Verified 1 November 2026

Restricted firearms (e.g. handguns) Published

Yes - restricted firearms are explicitly listed as accepted, and must be locked with either a cable or trigger lock

WestJet’s wording

Accepted Firearms: Restricted and Non-restricted Firearms

Restricted firearms must be locked with either a cable or trigger lock.

westjet.com Verified 1 November 2026

Packing

Case required Published

Locked, hard-sided, opaque, heavy-duty gun case or container; may itself be contained inside standard baggage

WestJet’s wording

Unloaded firearms must be packaged in a locked, hard-sided gun case which may be contained in standard baggage.

Checked Baggage: Firearms must be rendered inoperable, such as with a trigger lock, and packed in a suitable hard-sided, opaque, heavy-duty container or case.

westjet.com Tariff (westjet.com) Verified 1 November 2026

Locks required Sources disagree

Firearm must be unloaded and rendered inoperable, such as with a trigger lock; restricted firearms must be locked with either a cable or trigger lock

The tariff requires every accepted firearm to be rendered inoperable (e.g. trigger lock). The website states the cable-or-trigger-lock requirement only for restricted firearms and states no lock requirement for non-restricted firearms. Not resolved here.

Tariff (contract of carriage)
Firearms must be rendered inoperable, such as with a trigger lock, and packed in a suitable hard-sided, opaque, heavy-duty container or case.

westjet.com
Unloaded firearms must be packaged in a locked, hard-sided gun case which may be contained in standard baggage. Restricted firearms must be locked with either a cable or trigger lock.

Follow the stricter of the two. Meeting the tougher requirement satisfies both, and the contract of carriage is what the airline can enforce at the counter.

Tariff (westjet.com) westjet.com

How much ammunition Published

Less than 5 kg (11 lbs); may not exceed 5 kg. Ammunition with explosive or incendiary projectiles is not accepted.

WestJet’s wording

Ammunition in amounts less than 5 kg (11 lbs) must be securely packaged and packed separately from the firearm; it is permitted in the same container as the firearm.

Ammunition must be in a container designed for its transportation. The firearm and its ammunition may be transported in the same piece of checked Baggage provided both are in a suitable container. The ammunition may not exceed 5Kg.

westjet.com Tariff (westjet.com) Verified 1 November 2026

How to pack ammunition Sources disagree

Securely packaged and packed separately from the firearm, in a container designed for its transportation; permitted in the same piece of checked baggage as the firearm provided both are in suitable containers

Internal ambiguity within a single website sentence: ammunition must be "packed separately from the firearm" yet "is permitted in the same container as the firearm". The tariff's wording is narrower and more coherent - same piece of checked baggage, both in suitable containers. Not resolved here.

westjet.com
Ammunition in amounts less than 5 kg (11 lbs) must be securely packaged and packed separately from the firearm; it is permitted in the same container as the firearm.

Tariff (contract of carriage)
The firearm and its ammunition may be transported in the same piece of checked Baggage provided both are in a suitable container.

Follow the stricter of the two. Meeting the tougher requirement satisfies both, and the contract of carriage is what the airline can enforce at the counter.

westjet.com Tariff (westjet.com)

Booking and check-in

Fee Published

CAD $50.00 handling fee per piece, per direction of travel, in addition to all other applicable fees and checked baggage fees

The website states a handling fee applies but does not state the amount; the tariff gives CAD $50.00.

WestJet’s wording

Handling fees are applied once per piece in each direction of travel. In addition to all other applicable fees, a handling fee of CAD $50.00 is applicable to each piece of the following types of checked Baggage: ... (b) firearms and ammunition

Checked Baggage Fees: Firearms are subject to a baggage handling fee in addition to checked baggage fees.

Tariff (westjet.com) westjet.com Verified 1 November 2026

Advance notice Sources disagree

At least 72 hours before departure, contacting all operating airlines on the itinerary; failure may result in refusal to transport at any stage

The domestic tariff requires 72 hours' advance notice to all operating airlines on the itinerary, with refusal to transport as the stated consequence. The fishing and hunting page states the 72-hour contact requirement only for international flights operated by a partner airline, implying no advance notice is needed for a WestJet-operated domestic flight. Not resolved here.

Tariff (contract of carriage)
Advance Notice: Passengers planning to travel with a firearm and/or ammunition must contact all operating airlines on the itinerary at least 72 hours before departure; failure to do so may result in a refusal to transport at any stage of the itinerary.

westjet.com
If your itinerary includes an international flight operated by one of our airline partners, you must contact the other airline a minimum of 72 hours in advance of your travel as their services and ability to accommodate your firearm/ammunition may be different.

Follow the stricter of the two. Meeting the tougher requirement satisfies both, and the contract of carriage is what the airline can enforce at the counter.

Tariff (westjet.com) westjet.com

At the airport Published

Fill out a firearms declaration form at check-in; failure to do so may result in seizure of the firearm

WestJet’s wording

Declaration: The passenger must fill out a firearms declaration form at check-in and adhere to all applicable rules and regulations pertaining to the transportation of the firearm and ammunition. Failure to do so may result in the seizure of the firearm.

Tariff (westjet.com) Verified 1 November 2026

Where you can fly

Where they fly it Published

Domestic and international accepted, except an explicit destination blacklist: Bahamas, Bermuda, Bonaire, Colombia, Denmark, Grenada, Honduras, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Turks and Caicos. Transborder US travel is not separately addressed.

WestJet’s wording

WestJet does not accept firearms and/or ammunition to the following destinations: Bahamas; Bermuda; Bonaire; Colombia; Denmark; Grenada; Honduras; Iceland; Italy; Japan; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Portugal; South Korea; Spain; Turks and Caicos

westjet.com Verified 1 November 2026

Other rules worth knowing

Other rules worth knowing Published

Traveller bears responsibility for all paperwork and permits; WestJet accepts no liability if a firearm is denied transport or confiscated. Maximum checked baggage length 9.8 feet. The tariff firearms rule does not apply to officers of the law travelling in the line of duty with legally prescribed sidearms. Game/hunting trophies: no CITES-listed endangered species and no trophies of cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion or rhinoceros from other countries.

WestJet’s wording

It is your responsibility to confirm that you obtain all necessary paperwork to travel with a firearm and/or ammunition. WestJet accepts no liability if your firearm is denied transport or entry or is confiscated at any point.

This rule does not apply to officers of the law travelling in the line of duty and carrying legally prescribed sidearms or other similar weapons.

westjet.com Tariff (westjet.com) Verified 1 November 2026

Not published by WestJet

WestJet’s own sources say nothing about: Prohibited firearmsWhen to arriveMinimum ageMaximum firearms Ask WestJet directly before you travel. FlyerArms does not guess.

What could not be determined

Fee HTTP 404. The baggage fees page is not at this path; the CAD $50.00 handling fee was taken from the domestic tariff instead. westjet.com

Is my firearm accepted?

Packing

Booking and check-in

Where you can fly

Other rules worth knowing

Not published by WestJet

What could not be determined

Official sources for this airline