In this honest Lynx Airline review, I’ll go over what to expect when flying Lynx Air in Canada. I’ll highlight the pros and cons of flying Lynx Air, as well as suggest a few tips and things to know before booking or flying with Lynx Air so that you can have the best possible flight.
What is Lynx Air?
Lynx Air, commonly referred to simply as “Lynx”, is an ultra low-cost airline in Canada that’s focused on providing highly competitive fares with a pay-for-what-you-need service structure.
They offer lower base fares and give passengers the option to add on additional services, such as luggage, seat selection and onboard snacks or refreshments.
Lynx Air operates a fleet of brand new Boeing 737 planes and offers flights to many destinations within Canada, as well as internationally to several destinations in the United States as well as Cancun, Mexico.
As Lynx is a budget airline, it sometimes has a bad reputation and you’ll hear stories of lengthy delays, lost luggage and unexpected fees. But honestly, lost luggage is a thing with almost any airline lately – that’s why we try to travel with carry on only!
Where Does Lynx Air Fly?
Lynx offers flights from many Canadian airports, including Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Quebec City, Fredericton, Halifax, Charlottetown, St. Johns, and of course, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal.
International destinations include Boston, Fort Myers, Las Vega, Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, San Francisco and Tampa Bay in the United States, and Cancun in Mexico.
Lynx Airline Review
In this Lynx Airline review, we’ll go over the following:
▸ Pros & Cons of Flying Lynx Air
▸ Booking Experience
▸ Extra Options
▸ Baby & Kids Allowances
▸ Check-In and Boarding
▸ Seats
▸ Food & Drink
▸ Customer Service
▸ Our Personal Experience
Pros of Lynx Air
Low Cost
Lynx Air prides itself on offering affordable airfare. As an ultra low-cost carrier, Lynx has some of the most competitive prices on the market, and often offers deals and discounts on fares. In our experience, they are a great airline for finding cheap flights.
After our first flight with Lynx, we were given a card with a discount for flights within the next two months.
As I’m writing this post, their website states that there is a promo for 25% off base fares on all routes, which is a great deal if you’re ready to book a flight.
Newer Planes
Lynx Air operates a fleet of modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, all Boeing 737’s. These planes are not only better for the environment but are also designed for passenger comfort, with large overhead bins and extra legroom seats, available for an additional fee.
Clean Seats
Like many other airlines in the post-2019 era, Lynx Air emphasizes cleanliness and maintenance of the cabins.
Seat and cabins are regularly cleaned and sanitized, and we’ve honestly never had an issue with the cleanliness. I always wipe down arm rests, seats and windows anyways, but I’ve never felt like I had to on a Lynx flight. And during the flight, crew come around several times to collect any trash.
Booking Options
Lynx Air’s pay-for-what-you-need model can be a benefit for families and others looking to travel. The a-la-carte pricing strategy means you only pay for the services you need – such as extra baggage or seat selection.
For families who don’t need those extra options, this means additional savings compared to other airlines.
Cons of Flying Lynx Air
Delays
Honestly, these operational issues happen with other airlines too. To be fair, budget airlines like Lynx may have fewer resources to deal with these disruptions quickly. It just seems that you’ll see plenty of reviews when it’s the smaller, budget airlines that are delayed.
Of the five times that we have flown with Lynx, only one flight was delayed and that delay was less than an hour. (Yes, I realize we may have just been lucky, but I’ll take it!)
Hidden Costs
One of the primary drawbacks of Lynx Air’s ultra low-cost model is the additional fees for services that many people consider essential.
Your basic fare is just that – just your ticket. You pay extra for everything else.
Charges for carry on bags, checked luggage, seat selection, and onboard food and drinks can add up, and often offset the savings from a lower ticket fare.
Limited In-Flight Amenities
As with most budget airlines, Lynx Air has limited in-flight amenities compared to full-service carriers.
There are no complimentary meals or snacks, although water is served during the flight. There are also no TVs or entertainment options on the backs of the seats – not even charging ports.
The limited amenities extend to families as well. Unlike other full-service airlines, there are no special extras for children, such as activity packs, colouring books or even headphones.
Lynx Air Baggage Allowance
Like other low-cost carriers, Lynx Air baggage allowance has very specific baggage policies with strict limits on size and weight, both for checked luggage and carry-ons.
One personal item is included with your fare, and carry-on and checked luggage are an additional fee.
The few times we travel with checked luggage (usually with extra presents after returning home from Christmas with family), our bag has been weighed each time. I’ve also had my personal bag measured a few times, and luckily they let me on even though it was slightly too big for their baggage sizers.
Personal Item: 6” x 13” x 17” (15cm x 33cm x 43cm)
Carry-On Bag: 9” x 15.75” x 21.5” (23cm x 40cm x 55cm)
Booking Experience
The booking process with Lynx Air is very similar to other airlines. You can book directly on their website or through a travel agency.
What’s nice about booking directly on their site is that you can see all of the available flights and fares in one place. Once you’ve selected the departure airport, the ‘to’ field will populate with available destinations.
The departure and return date fields are also nice and straightforward. Simply click on the travel dates and a calendar will pop up for you to choose your travel dates.
On the next page, you’ll see the fare and available flight(s) for your chosen departure date, as well as all of the lowest fare for three days before and after your travel date.
Choose your departure flight, then scroll down to select your return flight. Again, you can see the fare and flight times for the day you have selected, as well as the lowest fare for three days before and after, which you can choose if you are flexible with the travel dates.
Extra Options
Once you’ve selected your flights, you’ll be taken to a page where you can choose to add any extras to your fare. This “Add-Ons” page is exactly that – where you can add on any services and extras in addition to your base fare.
This is where the extra fees come in.
- Seat Selection
- Baggage
- Priority Boarding
- Accessibility Requests
- Pets
Seat Selection
Here’s where you can choose your seats, if you want to seat everyone together or if you just prefer aisle, window, etc. If you choose not to select a seat, one will be randomly assigned to you before the flight.
Family Seating
While not guaranteed, Lynx Airlines does try to keep families with young children together.
All children under the age of 12 will be seated next to a parent or guardian, at no additional cost. Children 12 and 13 will be seated ‘nearby’ the parent or guardian, again at no additional cost.
If the parent chooses to select their seat for a fee, they can select their child’s seat at no additional charge.
Canadian regulations state that kids must be seated by an adult. This doesn’t mean the whole family will be sitting together, just that each child is seated beside one parent or guardian, without any extra charge.
As I always fly solo with my kids, I’ve been seated beside both of them on every flight, but other families have been separated (sometimes the other parent is sitting a row or aisle away).
If you’re travelling with older children or two adults, it may be worth paying for seat selection.
Baggage Fees
Lynx Air allows you to bring one personal item on board for free, but any carry-on luggage or checked bags are an additional fee.
Carry-on baggage starts at $59.99 to $ 79.99, depending on the length of your flight, and the price will increase if you decide to add your baggage either at web check-in (although I can never seem to find this option) or at the airport.
Checked bags are the same price, but a second or third checked bag will increase in price.
If you think you may need baggage for your flight, it’s best to add it on when booking your ticket, as prices increase after. (You can add baggage and any other extra services up to 24 hours before your flight, without paying the increased prices at the airport check-in).
The website states that you can add checked or carry-on bags during the web check-in process, but I have never been able to do this. I’ve had to pay at the check-in counter in the airport, and ended up paying $113 for a bag, which would have only cost $79.99 if I had added it when I booked the flight.
Personal Item
Each traveller is allowed one personal item, but that’s a small personal item.
The website states it could be purses, laptop bags, briefcases, small backpacks or tote bags.
Personal Item Size: 15cm x 33cm x 43cm (6” x 13” x 17”)
When we flew with Lynx, both boys had a backpack that was slightly smaller than the personal size limit, and while mine was definitely an inch or two more, luckily (on every flight except one) they didn’t measure it.
Carry-On Bags
Fees for carry-on luggage vary depending on the distance you are travelling and if you purchase it ahead of time or at the airport.
For mid-distance flights over 1000km, a carry-on bag is $69.99 if purchased with the initial fare. Longer flights over 3000km start at $79.99 and can increase to $103.49 if purchased at the airport.
Carry-on luggage can be a backpack or small suitcase.
Carry-On Size: 23 cm x 40 cm x 55 cm (9” x 15.75” x 21.5”)
This is slightly smaller than other airlines’ carry-on dimensions but is similar to size requirements for European budget airlines.
Checked Luggage
With checked luggage, you’re allowed to check up to 3 pieces of luggage, but fees will increase in cost depending on how many bags you check.
If you’re just checking one bag, the fees will be the same as they are for a carry-on bag, but each additional bag will cost more.
Checked luggage is allowed to have a combined dimension of 158 cm (62”) and a maximum weight of 23kg (50 lbs).
It’s important to note that the fees for carry-on are the same as they are for checked luggage, which is different than most other airlines we have flown with.
On one of our return flights, I did check a large backpack and while it was heavy, it was under the 50lb limit and no one measured the dimensions.
This may not be the case for every traveller, but we have flown with Lynx five times now and each time, my bags (carry-on or checked) haven’t been measured – although on one flight it was weighed and I was required to take a few items out. My personal bag has been questioned twice, but each time it fit in the sizer, and I was allowed to continue on.
Baby and Kids Allowances
Interestingly, Lynx does charge extra to bring a stroller on board, which most airlines do not.
If you are flying with an infant under 2 years old, you can bring a diaper bag for free, in addition to your own personal item. Car seats are free to check in, and you can bring one additional baby item, like a stroller or playpen, but there is a fee to check those.
Any child, whether you’ve paid for a seat or have a lap-held infant, is allowed to check a car seat free of charge.
If you have purchased a seat for your child on the flight, you can bring a car seat or an approved restraint system (like the CARES harness) on board.
We have always carried our booster seats on board, but my guys use the small, portable mi-fold seats and they fit in the pocket on the back of the seat.
Checking In
Check-in is allowed 24 hours before your flight. Like many airlines, Lynx Air sends an email to let you know that web check-in is open.
When you check in, you’ll see your seat assignments, and have the option to purchase extra baggage if needed.
**Saying this, on two different flights, I have not been able to add baggage when checking in on the web. It’s best to add it when
Airport Check In
If you have checked luggage, you will have to check in at the airport. I prefer to do this anyways, and Lynx doesn’t charge you to issue the boarding pass.
If you’ve checked in online, you can still check in at the counter to get your baggage tags if you’ve paid for carry-on luggage, or you can show your pass at the gate to get your tags.
Boarding
Boarding is easy and like any other airline.
Unless you’ve purchased priority boarding, boarding is done by which section of the aircraft you are seated in. It’s usually fairly quick and efficient.
There are overhead bins above every seat, so you don’t have to worry about not having space for your carry-on luggage.
Seats
The seats are slim and there’s not a lot of legroom, but that’s the same as other budget airlines. I’m short and don’t need a lot of legroom, so the seats were fine for me. My dad is 6’0” and after recently flying with Lynx Air, said while the seats weren’t spacious, they weren’t too cramped either.
Food & Drink
Similar to other budget airlines, Lynx Air does not include complimentary meals or snacks on board.
However, unlike other budget airlines, there is no food or snacks available to purchase. They do offer water during the flight, but you will have to bring your own food or snacks on board.
In our home airport, there’s a sign at the Tim Horton’s before security, reminding you to bring food or snacks if you are flying Lynx!
Customer Service
If you need to contact customer service for any reason, there is an online chat option. A virtual travel assistant pops up and helps you through some basic questions or prompts. There is an option to speak with an agent, and this is free of charge. However, if you call the contact centre, there is a $20 fee per transaction.
Our Personal Experience with Lynx
We have flown with Lynx Air five times over the past few years. Four out of those five times, we had no issues and our experience was great. We flew out of smaller airports, and the entire process, from checking in and boarding to the actual flight, was fine.
The last flight we took with Lynx, we flew out of Toronto Pearson and it wasn’t as easy of a flight. While I understand it’s a bigger airport, there was one person working at the check in desk, and I waited an hour and a half to check in my bag. I managed to get my bag checked with just over a half hour to go before the flight departure time. Which then meant my kids and I had to rush through security and speed walk to the boarding gate. We made it though!
That same flight was also delayed in departing, but that was in part due to weather conditions (we were flying on the last day of December) and the plane had to be de-iced. The flight was smooth, and while there were no treats or extra perks, it was early morning so my kids slept and didn’t miss the lack of entertainment.
While it’s not the friendly and bubbly flight staff that Swoop and WestJet are known for, the staff was pleasant and the flight itself was fine.
Bottom Line: If you’re just looking for a basic flight to get you from one destination to another, Lynx Air is a good choice.
We often fly Lynx Air for short 2-hour flights from Halifax to Toronto and have had no major issues. Just know what you’re getting for your fare, and don’t set your expectations too high.
Tips for Flying Lynx Air
Pay for baggage when booking the original flight. It costs more to add both checked bags and carry-on after booking, and even more ($113!) if you are adding the bags at the airport.
Bring your own snacks. There are no snacks or drinks available on Lynx Air. And while I always pack snacks for travel – who doesn’t when travelling with kids?? – I always make sure to have extra snacks for me too when flying Lynx. Unlike other airlines, there are no snack options at all, not even to purchase if you wanted to. We always travel with a refillable water bottle as well – just be sure to empty it before passing through security and then refill before boarding your flight.
Read the fine print. Understand what you are paying for in your fare and what is an extra fee. A personal item is free to bring, but even carry-on is an extra fee.
Charge your devices before the flight. There are no outlets or charging ports on the planes.
Fly only with carry-on if you can. Even though you will have to pay for a carry-on bag (your ticket only includes a personal item), you will avoid having to wait in line like I did to check your bag, and you also avoid the potential of lost luggage.
Check your carry-on and personal items sizes before hand! Counter staff may make you fit your bag in the bins to ensure it’s the proper size, and if not, you may have to pay for the bigger sized bag. They can also be picky with weight – my checked bag was 1 lb over last year but luckily grandparents were at the check-in with us, so I was able to leave a few things with them and reweigh the bag.
Final Thoughts: Is Flying with Lynx Airline worth it?
To sum up this Lynx Airlines review, even with the extra costs, I think flying with Lynx Air is worth it!
In fact, we’ve flown with them multiple times, and will fly with them again.
It’s great value for your money. Just do your research and know what to expect (and you won’t be surprised with extra fees at the airport).
And since Canada isn’t known for cheap domestic flights, it’s nice to have a budget airline like Lynx as an option (especially as we fly Halifax to Toronto a few times a year!). Of the five times we’ve flown with Lynx, four of those times we have had good experiences, and only one flight was less than stellar. That’s an 80% success rate!
For more tips on travelling with kids, be sure to check out these posts:
- 10 Fantastic Toys for Travelling with 4 & 5 Year Olds
- 10 Best Travel Toys for 2 & 3 Year Olds
- The Best Car Seats for Travel in 2024
- 10 Great Travel Games for Families
- How to Get Through the Airport When Travelling Solo with Kids
- How to Find Cheap Flights: 10 Tips to Get You the Best Flight Deals in 2024
- Is Booking.com Legit? Our Experience and a Guide on How to Use It
