Canadian airline Westjet will enter the transatlantic market with a new service to Ireland next summer.

The ambitious Canadian carrier has announced details of a new flight to Dublin between June and October.

The Irish Times reports that Westjet and the Dublin Airport Authority have confirmed the new route.

Westjet will begin non-stop flights from St John’s, Newfoundland, and direct services - with the same aircraft - from Toronto to Dublin.

The airline, based in Alberta, Calgary, has chosen Dublin as its European destination. It currently serves routes in North and South America and the Caribbean.

The new Westjet service will fly daily from Toronto, stopping off in St John’s and then travelling on to Dublin.

Both Aer Lingus and Air Canada will also operate services between Dublin and Toronto in 2013.

Westjet is a low-fare carrier and it is offering its Toronto service at a base one-way fare of less than $300 and St John’s at less than $200.

Dublin Airport Authority chief executive Kevin Toland said: “We welcome the news, the routes already announced for the airport for next year will deliver another year of strong growth.

“We have added one million extra passengers over the past 12 months, with significant growth in long-haul traffic to both North America and the Middle East.

“The new routes and expansions for next year already announced by customers such as Westjet, Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Norwegian and Air Canada Rouge will continue and strengthen our recent growth phase.”

Westjet vice president Chris Avery told the Irish Times that the new route will allow Westjet customers to fly on to more than 100 European cities from Dublin.