WestJet First Major North American Airline To Offer Only Craft Beer

While several North American airlines have offered craft beer to customers for years, they have continued to also offer beer from the large, multinational breweries that dominate the majority of beer sales. But starting on July 15, 2026, WestJet will become the first major airline in North America to offer solely craft beer, from Tool Shed Brewing Company.

Three of Tool Shed’s beers will be available on all WestJet Group flights that offer beverages for sale. Tool Shed People Skills will be WestJet’s regular ale offering, Tool Shed Golden Hour Hazy Pale will be WestJet’s premium beer offering and Tool Shed Local Legend will be WestJet’s light lager offering.

While WestJet now flies to almost 40 destinations across Canada, about 20 destinations in the United States and 20 other countries, the airline was founded in Calgary, Alberta and considers Calgary International Airport its base. Similarly, Tool Shed Brewing was founded in Calgary.

WestJet’s first took flight in 1996 while Tool Shed first mashed in in 2012. WestJet started as a discount airline, but has since become a full-service carrier. Similarly, Tool Shed Brewing started as a homebrewing project in the founder’s backyard and is now marketed as “Canada Craft Brewery.” Because beer distribution is provincially regulated, Tool Shed beers have not been available across Canada, but the WestJet agreement will change that.

Elevating The Guest Experience

Offering exclusively craft beer will elevate the guest experience, said Sam Taylor, chief experience officer of WestJet Group. As part of the process to select Tool Shed, beers were tasted blind by panels of WestJet customers. Tool Shed beers were selected in all three of the beer categories WestJet wanted.

“We did know where we would end up when we started this process,” said Taylor in a telephone interview. But after a year-long process that included many breweries, the tasting panels expressed a desire for better beer. “We knew our customers wanted quality and variety. We saw we needed to provide a premium product and variety,” said Taylor.

Taylor also noted that

Tool Shed Brewing is an award-winning brewery, having won medals at multiple editions of the Canada Beer Cup.

Tool Shed Brewery Takes Off

The five-year agreement to be WestJet’s exclusive beer supplier is a huge jump for Tool Shed. The craft beer business has notoriously thin margins and relies on volume for profitability. The agreement with WestJet could potentially triple Tool Shed’s production volume, according the Graham Sherman, president and found of Tool Shed.

“This is one of those few moments in life when you get to sit back and ask yourself, ‘Is this real life?’” said Sherman. “This started as a small backyard project and now our beer will be available across Canada and in 22 countries.”

WestJet said the Tool Shed’s connection to Calgary, which was where WestJet was founded, its authenticity and entrepreneurial spirit were a perfect match for Westjet. “We want to partner with Canadian companies that align with our values,” said Taylor. “We are incredibly proud of this partnership.”

A Boon To Calgary Tourism

In a separate announcement, but with coincident timing, WestJet also announced a stopover plan in Calgary. WestJet customers connecting through the Calgary International Airport, one of WestJet’s hubs, can stay in Calgary for up to seven days before proceeding on to their ultimate destination. WestJet partnered with Tourism Calgary on the program.

Not only does the stopover program promote travel to Alberta’s largest city–and nearby tourism hotspots like Banff and Lake Louise–but it will further the relationship with Tool Shed. Visitors to Tool Shed Brewery’s taproom in Calgary can show a WestJet boarding pass the day before, the day of or the day after their flight to receive a discount.