Quantcast

Air Canada's busiest European route is London Heathrow amid growing transatlantic competition

Ryanair scraps three Vienna routes, demands lower taxes and fees
US orders Delta and Aeromexico to dissolve their partnership over fairness concerns in Mexico
Southwest Airlines adds Sonoma County in California expansion - The Points Guy
Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 8, 2025)
Delta Sees Record Premium Seats in '26, Main Cabin Flat or Down
Tycoon unveils £25 billion rival Heathrow expansion plan
Boeing and Airbus ground green plane projects
50 New Routes Launching In September 2025
Proposals for commercial planes to operate with one pilot shelved after critical EU report
Air Travel Fatalities Up 300% in 2024, According to Shocking Global Report
Aviation sector faces steeper losses in FY26; passenger growth slows amid headwinds: ICRA - The Times of India
Boeing Halts Strike Talks Amid $36 Billion Deal & Union Dispute
FAA’s Broader Runway Safety Push Builds on EMAS Legacy
Ryanair CEO says aviation sustainability targets are 'dying a death'
US FAA funds system to prevent accidents involving runaway airplanes
Exclusive: Korean Air makes airline's biggest-ever Boeing jet order amid Trump-Lee summit
Boeing Stock Jumps on Massive Korean Air Order
2025 Air Canada flight attendants strike - Wikipedia
FAA EMAS: Proven Safety Wins Since 1996
Air Canada flight attendants try to build on US gains on unpaid work
Cathay Pacific warns of declining fares and cargo uncertainty, shares fall
Clear intentions, cloudy path: aviation's ongoing ESG challenge
Turkish Airlines is preparing binding offer for Spain's Air Europa, executive says
Air Canada flight attendants approve strike mandate
US criticizes use of AI to personalize airline ticket prices, would investigate
Ethiopian Airlines' annual revenue rises as it draws more passengers, adds routes
Major strike action to hit 12 Spanish airports that have Ryanair flights
JetBlue, United partnership gets go-ahead from U.S. Transportation Department
United-JetBlue partnership gets US DOT approval
The aviation industry just got exactly what it wanted from Trump's EU deal
Air Canada's busiest European route is London Heathrow amid growing transatlantic competition
Policy
Webp 11
Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer | Air Canada

Air Canada remains a significant operator in the transatlantic market, with its European network connecting six Canadian airports to 28 destinations across Europe. In September, the airline operated 1,365 one-way flights from Canada to Europe.

According to data for September, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) was Air Canada's most popular European destination. The airline scheduled 269 flights to LHR from Canadian cities, accounting for nearly 20% of its total European operations that month. Services were operated using a range of aircraft, including Boeing 777s and 787s, Airbus A330-300s, and Boeing 737 MAX 8s. Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) provided the highest number of departures to Heathrow.

Competition on routes to Heathrow is strong. Air Canada faces rival carriers such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic on the Toronto-Heathrow route. Other routes from Montreal and Vancouver also see competition from British Airways, while Calgary’s route has WestJet as an additional competitor. These routes feature airlines representing all three major alliances: Star Alliance (Air Canada), oneworld (British Airways), and SkyTeam (Virgin Atlantic).

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Beyond Heathrow, Air Canada operates flights to Manchester and Edinburgh in the UK. Manchester saw only 12 flights in September—all departing from Toronto—while Edinburgh had 32 flights primarily from Toronto with a few originating in Montreal. On these routes, Air Canada competes with WestJet and Air Transat.

Notably, Air Canada does not serve London Gatwick Airport (LGW), which is served by other Canadian carriers like Air Transat and WestJet—a decision possibly influenced by frequency limits within the bilateral air service agreement between Canada and the UK.

Frankfurt in Germany and Paris Charles de Gaulle in France are also key destinations for Air Canada, each receiving over 100 flights during September. Frankfurt is served mainly from Toronto but also sees departures from Montreal and Vancouver; it is a hub for Lufthansa—Air Canada's Star Alliance partner—which allows both airlines to coordinate their schedules. However, German carrier Condor competes with Air Canada on some Frankfurt services.

Paris receives direct service from both Montreal and Toronto but faces competition from French flag carrier Air France as well as Canadian airline Air Transat on both routes. Additional French cities served by Air Canada include Toulouse, Nice, and Lyon—all flown out of Montreal.

A review of all European destinations shows that many are hubs for fellow Star Alliance members or codeshare partners—including Athens (Aegean Airlines), Lisbon (TAP Portugal), Brussels (Brussels Airlines), Vienna (Austrian Airlines), Zurich/Geneva (SWISS). The network design facilitates easier connections for passengers through shared alliance hubs.

Looking ahead to Summer 2026, Air Canada plans further expansion in Europe with new routes announced: Montreal-Catania in Italy using Boeing 787-8s three times weekly; Montreal-Palma de Mallorca in Spain using Airbus A321neo aircraft four times weekly; plus a return of Toronto-Budapest service using Boeing 787-9s four times weekly.

With these additions planned for next summer season, Air Canada's European network will span more than 30 destinations across six Canadian airports—with further reach enabled through alliance partners and codeshare agreements worldwide.

"Ultimately, these partnerships and inter-airline cooperation provide better connectivity for passengers," according to the company statement. "While the airlines enjoy cost savings by sharing resources and achieving greater economies of scale and extended networks."

In addition to alliance arrangements within Star Alliance, Air Canada's codeshare partnerships include Aer Lingus, Edelweiss, airBaltic, Turkish Airlines among others throughout Europe.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Flying Food Group, Inc. has announced the recipients of its 2025 scholarships, with all five applicants receiving awards this year.

Oct 23, 2025

Dnata, a global provider of air and travel services, has entered into a joint venture with Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Group to launch ground handling and cargo operations at Alat International Airport, located in the Alat Free Economic Zone in Baku.

Oct 22, 2025

Delta Air Lines has announced the release of version 7.5 of its mobile app, introducing new features aimed at making travel planning and management easier for customers during the holiday season.

Oct 22, 2025

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a former employee of dnata Airport Services was unfairly dismissed and awarded $36,468.39 in compensation.

Oct 22, 2025

The 13th Annual Breast Care International Walk for the Cure took place in Kumasi, Ghana, drawing around 30,000 participants, including survivors, healthcare professionals, students, traditional leaders, and advocates.

Oct 22, 2025

The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has announced the closure of Terminal 5 to allow for a significant redevelopment.

Oct 22, 2025