Air Canada has record European capacity; 6 new European destinations now served
Air Canada is by far the largest operator between Canada and Europe. Cirium schedule data for Q3 2026 (July-September) shows the carrier has 1.47 million one-way seats. It is one of 25 non-stop airlines operating in the peak summer.
The Star Alliance operator has record capacity. It has exceeded the prior high in Q3, held last year, by 4%, while it is up by 7% compared to before the pandemic in 2019. Things are different if flights are considered instead. Given the increasing use of narrowbodies (the 737 MAX 8 and A321XLR), outbound services have exceeded the prior record by 7%.
Air Canada now has just over 39% of the seats from Canada to Europe. But as other airlines have collectively grown faster, Air Canada’s share has reduced slightly year-over-year. Indeed, Cirium shows that it is now at the lowest level since Q3 2024.
Montreal overtakes Toronto for European routes
Air Canada’s European services are from six Canadian airports, as outlined below. 56 routes are available in Q3. With nine in 10 seats, the airline’s two primary hubs of Toronto and Montreal are, of course, utterly critical. In the past two decades, Air Canada also flew across the Atlantic from Edmonton (until 2015) and St. John’s (until 2019).
- Toronto: 699,800 one-way seats to Europe in Q3 2026 (+2% year-over-year); 23 routes; additions are Budapest (returning) and Ponta Delgada (new)
- Montreal: 629,500 (+6%); 26 routes; additions are Berlin (new), Catania (new), Nantes (new) and Palma de Mallorca (new)
- Vancouver: 79,700 (-1%); three routes
- Calgary: 26,300 (-4%); one route
- Halifax: 21,100 (+36%); two routes; Brussels is now served (new)
- Ottawa: 15,500 (-); one route
6 European airports join network
Cirium information for Q3 2026 shows that Air Canada operates to 34 European airports. Compared to the same three months last year, Berlin, Budapest, Catania, Nantes, Palma de Mallorca and Ponta Delgada are now served. No airport has been removed in this period.
17 European nations are served, with only Hungary new. Air Canada Rouge last flew there in 2019, with mainline now operating. With 307,000 one-way seats, up by 1%, the UK remains the leading market, with flights to Edinburgh, Manchester and London LHR. Particularly good growth year-over-year is available to Czechia (+26%), Sweden (+24%), Switzerland (+16%) and Portugal (+14%).
With 261,000 one-way seats, London LHR remains by far the most-served airport, with routes from Calgary (daily in Q3), Halifax (daily), Montreal (12-weekly), Ottawa (4-weekly), Toronto (26-weekly) and Vancouver (daily). While the 737 MAX 8 first appeared in 2018 and continued to be used, the A321XLR is scheduled for the first time in December (from Halifax and Ottawa).
