dailynewsnblog
For obvious reasons, 
Air Canada plays a critical role in Canada’s long-haul operations. According to OAG data, the 
Star Alliance member has an average of 68 daily long-haul departures in June. It’ll provide 36% of the nation’s activity.
Air Canada’s offering is at the third-highest level for this specific summer month. However, outbound services remain down by 2% compared to the record set in June 2018, when Rouge’s Boeing 767-300ERs played a reasonably important role on behalf of its parent to Europe. Air Canada now plans over 80 long-haul routes in the examined month — including seven that are new or will resume.
Air Canada Will Begin These 3 Long-Haul Routes From Toronto
The Star member’s entire long-haul schedule for January 2025 to May 2026 was compared to what is available in June 2026. This process revealed the links that will commence or restart in that specific month. It also highlighted other changes, including the markets that have ended or which are suspended. They’ll be covered another time.
On June 3, Air Canada will lift off from its primary hub of 
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Shanghai Pudong. A four-weekly, year-round service on the 298-seat Boeing 787-9 is scheduled. Unsurprisingly, flights on this long route were previously available until the pandemic forced them to stop in 2020. Nonstop service had existed since 2006, since which time the Airbus A340-300, A340-500, 777-200LR, 777-300ER, and 787-9 were deployed.
Two days later, Air Canada will begin the first mainline service from YYZ to Budapest. Depending on the month, three to five weekly seasonal flights on the 787-8 and the 787-9 are planned. The lower-cost unit Rouge served the Hungarian capital between 2016 and 2019. The parent’s launch will materialize after American Airlines resumed flying from its Philadelphia hub to Budapest on May 21. Significantly, Hungary has gained nonstop flights to North America for the first time since LOT Polish ceased flying to New York JFK in 2022.
The final inauguration is from YYZ to Ponta Delgada, which is controversial. After all, at only 2,443 nautical miles (4,524 km) each way, it is not long-haul. Still, it is included for completeness. Air Canada will lift off to the Azores on June 11, with a three weekly service on the 737 MAX 8. It’ll be the carrier’s third-shortest transatlantic narrowbody service in 2026. It is especially notable as WestJet will introduce the same link the following day. They’ll join the incumbent Azores Airlines. Given so much capacity, which carrier will blink first?
Flight Alerts: 13 Exciting New Nonstop Routes Launching This Week
See which notable examples made the list this week…
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These 3 Long-Haul Routes Will Launch From Montreal In June
Predictably, Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is Air Canada’s second-busiest hub overall and for long-haul activity. The airline’s schedule submission to OAG indicates an average of 23 daily long-haul departures in June, or 34% of the total.
The following table summarizes Air Canada’s upcoming long-haul links in the examined month. All are brand-new to its network. More than that, it’ll be the first time Sicily (and Mallorca) have had scheduled flights from Canada. In Catania’s case, it’ll become the record fourth carrier flying between North America and Sicily, joining 
Delta Air Lines, Neos, and United Airlines. The two US carriers launched flights in 2025.
Air Canada’s entry means that 31,000 round-trip seats for sale will be available between North America and Sicily in June 2026, which is a considerable amount of capacity. This has risen by a quarter year-over-year, with an extra 6,000 available for that month. While Air Canada will be able to effectively target the roughly 18,000 passengers who flew between Canada and Catania last year, it’ll also target those who are connecting to/from the US.
|
Start Date |
YUL To… |
Air Canada’s Operations |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
|
June 1 |
Nantes |
Three to four weekly during the summer only; A321XLR and 737 MAX 8 |
First time that Air Canada has flown to Nantes. It will compete directly with Air Transat, becoming the first time that two carriers have served the market |
|
June 4 |
Catania |
Three weekly during the summer only; 787-8 |
Brand-new destination for Air Canada and Canada |
|
June 17 |
Palma de Mallorca |
Three weekly during the summer only; 787-8 (this was originally to be on the XLR) |
Brand-new destination for Air Canada and Canada |
WestJet Cuts 41 International Routes: See All Flight Changes Here
There are some highly intriguing entries, some of which were inherited after acquiring another airline…
Then There’s This Long-Haul Service From Halifax…
On June 18, Air Canada will begin flying from Halifax / Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) to the Star Alliance hub of Brussels. It’ll operate three times a week through the peak summer using the 737 MAX 8. At 2,670 nautical miles (4,945 km), it’ll become Air Canada’s new longest service from Nova Scotia. It will contribute to the airline’s record transatlantic MAX services.
It is another brand-new market. However, in 2025, barely 3,500 round-trip local passengers flew between the two cities, which was utterly minuscule. It was Halifax’s fifth-largest unserved European city. While Air Canada’s new nonstop flights will certainly grow the market, it’ll boost loads by passengers connecting in Brussels with various partners and flying elsewhere via the capital of Nova Scotia.
