dailynewsnblog
Air Canada naturally plays a critical role in the country’s international operations. Between April to September 2026, the 
Star Alliance member has scheduled an average of 274 daily international departures, equivalent to 37% of such services from Canada. Its offering is over three times the volume of the second-ranked WestJet.
The latest schedule submission to Cirium Diio shows that Air Canada’s international services have risen by 1% year-over-year. This is mainly driven by growth to Europe (+6%), and largely due to the Airbus A321XLR. The overall increase is despite the airline’s transborder offering, which accounts for the vast majority of its international flights, being flat. This partly reflects the current political situation and fewer Canadians visiting the US.
13 Routes Won’t Operate Between April & September
Using Cirium to compare Air Canada’s international routes between April and September 2025 with what is available in the same period in 2026 shows that 13 markets are no longer served. This does not include other cuts. For example, while Air Canada will not fly to New York JFK between July and September 2026, the affected routes do not count as they’ll still operate for some of the examined period. The same criterion applies to many other links.
Seven of the 13 entries have ended; they are not scheduled to return. They include Montreal to Algiers and Vancouver to Tampa. They will all be discussed in the next section. The remaining six markets will not see the airline at any point between April and September. However, flights are due to return in the upcoming winter season. They will be examined in the final section.
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These Seven Routes Have Ended
Schedule analysis shows that Air Canada last operated three routes in April 2025: Ottawa to Tampa (Rouge A319), Ottawa to Tulum (Rouge A319), and Quebec City to Tulum (Route A319).
Meanwhile, Air Canada’s final service from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) to Algiers took place last September. The Francophone link, primarily for Canadian Algerians, was to return in 2026 on a four-weekly seasonal basis using the A330-300, but all flights have been removed.
|
Days |
YUL To Algiers; Local Times* |
Days |
Algiers To YUL; Local Times** |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays |
10:55 PM-11:40 AM+1 |
Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays |
2:50 PM-6:40 PM |
|
* What was planned for July 2026 |
** What was planned for July 2026 |
It was the carrier’s longest route to Africa and was probably already among its lowest-yielding long-haul markets from YUL. The war in Iran, with the consequence on the price and availability of fuel, probably pushed it over the edge. This leaves Air Algérie to serve the route, which relies massively on the diaspora and, as such, the visiting friends and relatives market.
In October, Air Canada ended flights from YUL to Bermuda (Rouge A319) and Seattle (A220-300). The service to Bermuda, 892 nautical miles (1,652 km) away, only existed between June and October, with just 18 round-trip services available. The airline launched it because of the entry of BermudAir in the same month, which continues to serve YUL today.
Then there’s Vancouver to Tampa, which last operated in November. This long transborder route was only part of Air Canada’s network from June to November. It was driven to launch flights because of the entry of WestJet in the same month. Until then, the market had not been served at all. Air Canada did catastrophically, with only 54% of seats filled — it was the airline’s worst US route in this sense.
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These Six Routes Will Return In The Winter
Air Canada itself and/or its lower-cost Rouge unit has paused these six routes: YUL to Cayo Coco and Varadero, along with 
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Cayo Coco, Holguín, Santa Clara, and Varadero. In all cases except Santa Clara, Air Canada mainline 737 MAX 8s coexisted with Rouge’s A319s/A320s/A321s last year, even if only briefly. Of course, all the 737 MAX 8s will eventually be operated by Rouge.
All the links are to Cuba, to which Air Canada has temporarily ceased flying due to a shortage of jet fuel, which is a consequence of the war in Iran. It would otherwise still be flying there, just as it did during each month in 2025, which continued through February 2026. Other Canadian carriers have also paused flights to the Caribbean country for the same reason. While it might change, Air Canada is due to resume services on October 27.
