Discount airline Newleaf launches at Edmonton International Airport

There’s a more cost-effective domestic option for flights to and from the Edmonton International Airport.

NewLeaf Travel launched in Edmonton Friday morning, with the first flight taking off from Edmonton to Hamilton, Ont. The company has non-stop flights to 11 cities across the country.

“It’s really about focusing in on our cost,” NewLeaf COO Dean Dacko said. “The ability to provide lower fares really is structured in our ability to have a low operating cost.”

“We had an amazing opportunity to work with the Edmonton airport authority to come up with an arrangement that really works for us and works for them.”

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READ MORE: First NewLeaf flight lands in Saskatoon

As of Friday, a roundtrip from Edmonton to Hamilton cost $456. A roundtrip to Abbotsford, B.C. was $188.

NewLeaf is able to keep costs low by only changing the bare minimum for a seat on a plane. Anything else will cost you.

A carry-on bag can cost anywhere from $31.50 if you pay online ahead of time, up to $90 at the gate.

“Our distributions are through our own website so we avoid a significant amount of cost that way,” Dacko said. “It really is about keeping the cost low and we transfer all those savings in the form of lower fares to our customers.”

“The lower we can bring our fares, the more demand there is and it works.”

READ MORE: NewLeaf facing several hurdles with launch date fast-approaching

Dacko said just because flights are cheaper doesn’t mean passengers will have a cheaper experience.

“The seats are comfortable, the ride is amazing on a Boeing 737…and the experience is quite comparable, except the fare is that much lower.”