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Boeing 737 MAX expands presence on US-Canada-Europe transatlantic routes

Boeing 737 MAX expands presence on US-Canada-Europe transatlantic routes
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CEO Kelly Ortberg | Boeing

Transatlantic flights operated by the Boeing 737 MAX between North America and Europe are increasing, according to recent data from Cirium Diio. In September, an average of 24 daily transatlantic flights will be flown by the 737 MAX, compared to 19 daily flights during the same month last year. The aircraft will be used by Air Canada, Icelandair, United Airlines, and WestJet.

The analysis shows that the Boeing narrowbody model will account for about 3.3% of all transatlantic passenger services in September. This means one out of every 30 takeoffs on these routes will use a 737 MAX. However, only about a fifth of all single-aisle transatlantic flights will use this type; most are operated by Airbus A321LR and A321XLR models—including those flown by Aer Lingus—which together represent over 46% of departures with 1,558 scheduled flights.

Several new routes are among the ten longest transatlantic Boeing 737 MAX flights scheduled for September. These include WestJet’s service between Halifax and Barcelona, which is Spain's second largest city and a major tourist destination. This route is timed at up to seven hours and forty-five minutes westbound due to headwinds, making it one of the longest operated by a Canadian carrier from Halifax.

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Another new link is Air Canada’s Montreal to Edinburgh service. Montreal is Air Canada's second-busiest hub. As of now, this seasonal route is not scheduled to return next summer, though Air Canada’s main Toronto–Edinburgh flight using the larger Boeing 787-9 remains on schedule.

The longest scheduled transatlantic Boeing 737 MAX flight in September is Icelandair’s Keflavik (Iceland) to Orlando (Florida) route with a block time of up to eight hours. Although this isn’t the longest route by distance—services to Seattle and Vancouver are slightly longer—the difference is minimal. The Orlando route has transitioned entirely to the MAX 8 after years being served by the Boeing 757-200; next summer it will switch again to Airbus A321LR operation.

Flight schedules show that Icelandair’s Orlando-bound flights depart Keflavik at 16:45 and arrive in Florida at 20:45 local time. The return flight leaves just over an hour later at 21:55 and arrives back in Iceland at 09:15 the following morning. This timing allows passengers arriving from Florida to connect with other European destinations departing after 10:00 from Keflavik during summer months.

WestJet has also resumed its Amsterdam service after two years away from Schiphol Airport. Previously served with widebody aircraft from Calgary between 2021 and 2023, WestJet now operates this link from Halifax using its Boeing MAX fleet. Service frequency peaks at six times per week during most of summer but drops as low as four weekly later in September.

This high frequency on WestJet's Amsterdam route is supported by its codeshare partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, enabling connections through Schiphol Airport especially into France, Portugal, and Italy via KLM-operated flights.

WestJet was founded in 1994 and operates as a full-service carrier with hubs in Calgary International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport.

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