Air Canada plans a network expansion of 10 to 15 U.S. hubs during the next three years. With these additions, the airline is looking to route more American passengers to Europe and Asia via its hubs. Here’s what to know.
Air Canada plans 60 to 65 US “stations”
During the Routes Americas conference in Nassau, Bahamas, Alexandre Lefèvre, Air Canada’s Vice President of Planning and Scheduling, said the airline plans to serve 60 to 65 U.S. “stations” by 2028. Examples include LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Lefèvre commented: “We need to offer more connectivity. We need to offer more dots on the map, [and] basically create more value.”
Schedule info from aviation analytics company Cirium shows the airline will serve 50 U.S. locations by Q2. This year, the carrier has added one new destination: Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). Other cities that fit the mold of Air Canada’s plans include Salt Lake City, Louisville, and San Antonio.
To keep up with growth, Air Canada’s fleet continues expanding. As of October 2024, the airline had firm orders for 83 aircraft, including 18 Boeing 787-10s, 30 Airbus A321XLRs, and 27 Airbus A220-300s. Deliveries will continue through 2029. With the new planes, the carrier will expand its schedule by 5% or 6% yearly during the next three or four years, according to Lefèvre.
Another aspect of Air Canada’s growth is its partnership with United Airlines. The two companies work together on scheduling and fares for transborder flights. Additionally, United helps Air Canada sell fares to American passengers.
But even with its expansion plans, Air Canada’s primary traffic originates at its largest hubs, according to Lefèvre. He added: “Most of our international connections are still big markets — San Francisco, LAX, Chicago and New York — all those cities, none of them have enough nonstops to serve the demand.”
