Charter Spotlight: Sunwest Aviation

Air Charter Guide recently spoke with Sunwest Aviation, a premier aircraft charter operator and fixed-base operator (FBO) based at the Calgary International Airport (CYYC). Founded in 1986, Sunwest has grown to become one of Western Canada's leading aviation service companies, offering a comprehensive range of services including aircraft charter, aircraft management, workforce transportation, and specialized aeromedical services.

1) Charter travelers' tips and know-how – how do you guide a customer through the process?
Sunwest Aviation's goal is to keep the charter process simple and transparent. Most first-time travelers are surprised by how flexible it is. Once we understand the details of your trip – where you're going, how many passengers, and when you'd like to fly – we provide aircraft options that match your mission and preferences. From there, our Charter Team coordinates everything from flight planning to ground transportation and catering. Sunwest has implemented technology to make it easy for customers to search for aircraft charter on our website, but the personal touch of our charter team ensures that each customer receives the attention they deserve. And our 24/7 Operations Center provides Sunwest passengers with peace of mind knowing support is available at any time.

2) How would you describe your fleet or flagship aircraft?
Most people would point to the Gulfstream G650ER as our flagship aircraft, and it’s certainly an impressive aircraft. But the most impressive aspect of our fleet is the diversity of aircraft type.

Sunwest offers access to nearly 30 aircraft across 13 distinct types. Our Turboprop lineup features short runway winners like the King Air 350 and airliner style Dash 8 aircraft – which also have impressive runway performance.

Sunwest Aviation, Challenger 300 at the Calgary International Airport

Our business jet lineup spans from Learjet 45 light jets (refurbished in 2024/2025), to Ultra-Long-Range aircraft including the Dassault Falcon 7X the Gulfstream G650ER. But the core of our business jets lies in our Challenger lineup. Sunwest operates four Challenger 300/3500s and three Challenger 604/605 aircraft, making it one of the strongest Challenger fleets in the country.

3) What does the future look like for your company?
Sunwest is focused on being a leader in Canadian private aviation. With our state-of-the-art base at the Calgary International Airport, our recent expansion to Toronto, and a growing global aeromedical division, we’re positioned to serve more clients across more regions than ever before. At the same time, we’re investing in the passenger experience at our Shell AeroCentre branded Calgary FBO and continuing to lead on safety, service, and sustainability across the board.

Sunwest Aviation, Gulfstream G650ER

4) What is your most popular itinerary/destination?
As expected, Sunwest's route popularity is seasonal. In the fall and throughout the winter, we see a lot of North to South traffic, Calgary to Palm Springs or Scottsdale, and then the reverse in the spring. Our West Coast route between Calgary and the Vancouver area is also very active year-round. These routes are so frequent that we offer fixed one-way pricing to further streamline the charter process. And due to the nature of our fleet, we see regular missions for longer flight routes including Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Europe.

Sunwest Aviation routes flown in a given year.

5) Do you specialize in ambulance or cargo?
Sunwest Aviation operates an internationally recognized and EURAMI accredited Aeromedical program. The flagship Sunwest Aeromedical aircraft is our Full-ICU Challenger 604, which can transition between passenger and air ambulance configuration without needing to return to base. That flexibility allows us to serve both emergency medical and executive travel needs across long distances, including international missions. While our primary focus is on medevac and passenger charter, we also assess cargo missions on a case-by-case basis.

6) Contact Info:
SUNWEST AVIATION, LTD.
217 AERO COURT NE
CALGARY, AB, Canada
Tel: 403-275-8121, 888-291-4566
Fax: 403-275-5900
Email: info@sunwestaviation.ca
http://www.sunwestaviation.ca