“We've got a big, bold expansion at YTZ,” said Mark Galardo, chief commercial officer of Air Canada. “We're literally doubling our capacity inside that airport.”
Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium indicates that Air Canada's daily departures from YTZ will increase from 12 to 25 with this expansion. Porter Airlines remains the largest carrier at the airport with an average of 41 daily departures.
The introduction of these new U.S. routes comes amid market uncertainty following recent political developments between the U.S. and Canada. According to data from the U.S. International Trade Administration, Canadian air travel to the U.S. dropped nearly 12% in the first seven months of this year compared with last year, while overall foreign arrivals by air declined by just 3%.
“While there is a bit of a slowdown in Canadian origin travel to the U.S., primarily for leisure purposes, there has been no notable slowdown in business travel on the Canada-U.S. sector, and there's been no slowdown in Americans coming to Canada,” Galardo said regarding market conditions. “The Canada-U.S. corridor is still, for all intents and purposes, a pretty robust corridor.”
Galardo noted that Air Canada's confidence in launching these new flights stems from its established customer base in Toronto and ongoing plans for further expansion into U.S. markets through its main hubs.
Air Canada's growth strategy includes adding up to 15 new U.S. airports as part of its “sixth-freedom” business model—facilitating connections for travelers transiting through Canadian hubs en route between other countries.
Competition at Billy Bishop remains strong with Porter Airlines operating most routes except LGA directly from YTZ; however, Porter serves New York via Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Regarding competition with Porter’s expanding network, Galardo commented: “Competition is a sign of a healthy, dynamic market… There is a strong segment of brand-loyal Air Canada flyers that want Air Canada services at the downtown airport and that's who we're targeting.”
Both airlines offer free snacks and drinks onboard flights departing YTZ; however, Air Canada highlights its provision of free inflight Wi-Fi—a feature not currently offered by Porter on comparable aircraft—and access for eligible travelers to its Aspire Air Canada Cafe lounge.
Porter Airlines continues its own growth strategy at Billy Bishop while exploring partnership opportunities with American Airlines that could lead to more direct service into key American hubs such as Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
For now, Air Canada's focus remains on executing its announced expansion plan:
- Four daily flights between YTZ-LGA starting March 29, 2026
- Two daily flights between YTZ-ORD beginning June 1, 2026
- One daily flight between YTZ-IAD starting June 1, 2026
- Three daily flights between YTZ-BOS commencing July 1, 2026
All new routes are operated jointly with United Airlines under their existing partnership covering all cross-border flights.
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