WestJet was founded on 1996 by four entrepreneurs from Calgary. The company wished to provide a low cost service in Western Canada modelled on the original low cost pioneer, Southwest Airlines. The airline began with 220 employees and three airplanes between cities like Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg. Since then the company has continued its expansion adding routes throughout Canada and to major cities across the US including red-eye flights to Hawaii.