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Air Canada Debuts Speedy City Shuttle Linking Downtown Montréal with Montréal-Trudeau Airport
Starting July 13, Air Canada introduces a direct motorcoach service from Palais des congrès de Montréal to Montréal-Trudeau Airport, cutting travel times and boosting convenience for travelers.
The gist
Air Canada launches a fast shuttle bus connecting downtown Montréal to its international airport, offering quicker trips and frequent service.
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Air Canada has inaugurated its City Shuttle service, a new motorcoach route connecting downtown Montréal directly to Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL). This initiative, effective from July 13, 2026, offers passengers a dedicated, rapid transit option between the Palais des congrès de Montréal and the airport. The service reflects Air Canada's strategic expansion of its partnership with The Landline Company to enhance multi-modal transportation options for its customers.
The City Shuttle aims to reduce travel times during peak hours by utilizing dedicated high-occupancy vehicle lanes on Montréal’s highways and a private entrance to the airport. This route optimization is projected to save passengers up to 25 minutes compared to traditional airport access roads, which often face congestion. Priced competitively at $9 one way plus taxes, the shuttle provides a cost-effective complement to existing transport modes such as taxis and ride-sharing services.
Air Canada's move to implement the City Shuttle follows growing demand for reliable airport transit solutions in urban centers worldwide. By offering a direct motorcoach connection from downtown core areas such as the Palais des congrès— a major convention and tourism hub— the airline targets improved accessibility for both business travelers and tourists. The frequency and speed of service intend to make airport transfers more predictable and convenient.
This service represents a significant development in Air Canada’s domestic ground transport strategy, built upon its broader multi-modal partnership with The Landline Company. The collaboration signifies a trend among carriers to integrate surface transport seamlessly with flight offerings, enhancing the overall passenger journey. By making the airport more reachable through faster shuttle buses, Air Canada improves customer experience and potentially increases its catchment area for air travel.
Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, serving as a key gateway for the Québec region, handles millions of passengers annually. Enhancing access from downtown Montréal not only benefits Air Canada's flyers but also supports the airport’s objective to streamline passenger flows. The inclusion of a dedicated shuttle with priority traffic lanes shows an innovative approach to urban mobility challenges related to airport accessibility.
The timing of this launch coincides with other network developments within Air Canada. Recently, the carrier has been focusing on expanding transatlantic routes via its leisure subsidiary, Air Canada Rouge, and adjusting its operational footprint to better serve evolving market demands. The City Shuttle complements these efforts by reinforcing the airline’s commitment to integrated travel solutions from gate to ground transport.
The City Shuttle sets a new precedent in Canada for airline-operated intermodal connections directly linking metropolitan centers to major airports. This initiative may encourage other airlines to pursue similar partnerships to expedite airport transfers and reduce reliance on private vehicles or conventional public transit for air travelers. Air Canada’s approach presents a model for cities where [congestion](https://www.touchandgo.aero) around airports impacts passenger experience.
Looking at the operational specifics, the dedicated high-occupancy vehicle lanes employed by the City Shuttle are typically reserved to minimize delays. Accessing Montréal-Trudeau via a private airport entrance further expedites the journey, allowing the shuttle to bypass standard traffic chokepoints. These infrastructural advantages are critical in reducing variability in journey durations, a major pain point for travelers concerned about making scheduled flight departures.
Going forward, the City Shuttle's reception by passengers and integration with Air Canada’s ticketing and scheduling systems will be key performance indicators. Its success could influence similar transport initiatives at other Canadian airports and within Air Canada’s broader network. Coordination with airport authorities, urban planners, and The Landline Company will remain important for service optimization and potential expansion.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Air Canada City Shuttle service?
- It is a new motorcoach service launched by Air Canada providing a fast, direct connection between downtown Montréal’s Palais des congrès and Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.
- How much does a ride on the Air Canada City Shuttle cost?
- The shuttle fare is $9 one way, plus applicable taxes.
- How does the City Shuttle reduce travel time to the airport?
- The shuttle uses dedicated high-occupancy vehicle lanes and a private airport entrance, saving passengers up to 25 minutes during peak travel times compared to normal airport access roads.
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Exploring South Tyrol: A Stunning Dolomites Destination with Rich Culture and Cuisine
We recently took a family trip to South Tyrol (Südtirol), in the Dolomites. While I won't be writing a full trip report series about the trip (reviewing flights thoroughly while wrangling two little kids is impossible), I did want to review some of the individual portions of it, and in this short series, would like to focus on our time in South Tyrol, in the Dolomites. This was my first time visiting the region since I was a little kid, and I was so excited to return. In this post I'd like to talk about our time there in general, and then three hotel reviews will follow, of the places we stayed. Long story short, if you love mountain activities (especially in summer), amazing food, and an interesting culture, this is a place you should absolutely put on your list. I already can't wait to return. There are even some cool points hotel options, both belonging to Small Luxury Hotels of the World (via the Hilton Honors partnership), and Design Hotels (affiliated with Marriott Bonvoy). Why we decided to visit South Tyrol for a summer trip As longtime OMAAT readers know, I have a connection to Germany — both of my parents are from Germany ( I have dual citizenship ), and most of my relatives still live there. For that matter, Ford loves languages, and he picked up German at the start of the pandemic, and is fluent at this point. We'd also like our kids to have a connection to the culture, so we try to travel there when we can. Anyway, this summer we had a month-long trip to Europe, starting in Skiathos, Greece, and ending in Sylt, Germany. Between those two places, we had a period of around 11 days. So several weeks back, I posed the question on the blog of whether there are any charming hotels in Germany or Austria that I wasn't thinking of. There's plenty of natural beauty in the southern part of Germany and Austria, and I've enjoyed my time in places like Berchtesgaden, Salzburg, etc. However, I was hoping for something else unique. Several people brought up South Tyrol, and that reminded me that I had visited the region when I was a little kid, but not since. With my memory having been jogged, that immediately became the obvious choice for this trip. For those not familiar, South Tyrol is an autonomous region in northern Italy ( with a fascinating history ), located in the Dolomites. It's also interesting culturally, as it's a mix between feeling like you're in Germany (well, or Austria) and Italy, in terms of the language, food, etc. The easiest way to get there is to fly into Innsbruck (INN), and then it's a roughly two-hour drive. But you can also fly into Munich (MUC), and then it's around a four-hour drive. In our case, we fly into Innsbruck, which I was excited about as an avgeek, as it's a unique airport — I remember always flying into this in Microsoft Flight Simulator, back when I was a kid… good times! We flew Austrian into Innsbruck (INN) South Tyrol is has so much to offer as a destination I'm not going to write a detailed guide about South Tyrol, but instead, I'd like to share my big picture thoughts on this as a summer destination. South Tyrol is made up of all kinds of charming little towns, so there are endless choices as to where to stay, and there's no single best option. We ended up staying at three different hotels (20-60 minutes apart by car), and then made little day trips around the region. On the most basic level, the scenery in South Tyrol is just breathtakingly gorgeous, no matter where you look. It almost doesn't look real. Scenery around South Tyrol Scenery around South Tyrol Scenery around South Tyrol Even beyond the scenery in the region, the towns as such are charming and historic. For example, one of the places we stayed was the town of Castelrotto, and we happened to be there on "Church Day" (Kirchtag), which was fun to watch. Scenery around South Tyrol Scenery around South Tyrol The activities in the area are endless, from hiking, to cable cars, to wineries. It's a great family destination, given the access to the outdoors (all the little towns also have playgrounds), but it's also a great couples destination, given how spa oriented it is. Scenery around South Tyrol Speaking of spas, just about all the hotels in the area place huge emphasis on facilities dedicated to wellbeing, since that's kind of one of the selling points of the region. So while you can use hotels as a base for exploring the region, plenty of people just enjoy the hotel facilities as well. Scenery around South Tyrol The food and wine in South Tyrol were also truly incredible. As you'd expect for a region like this, there's a huge culture around food and wine, and goodness, it didn't disappoint. I love how the food is kind of a hybrid between Italian and Austrian classics, so whether you want a wiener schnitzel, raclette, or a plate of pasta, you won't be disappointed. Honestly, I don't remember ever having so many consecutively excellent meals. Dining in South Tyrol Dining in South Tyrol Oh, also, since this is technically in northern Italy, the coffee quality is next level, which I was delighted by. Coffee in South Tyrol I also thought it was interesting how few American visitors there were. A vast majority of the travelers we encountered were Germans, with Italians probably making up the second largest group. After that, I was surprised that the next biggest groups were from Asia (China, Japan, and Korea), which I wouldn't have necessarily expected. I think on the entire trip we heard maybe five people speaking American English, so that was certainly unusual for Europe in summer! South Tyrol has a good selection of charming hotels South Tyrol has almost no cookie cutter chain hotels, with the exception of the Four Points by Sheraton Bolzano (you don't actually want to stay in Bolzano — it's the industrial capital of the region). However, there are several options affiliated with Small Luxury Hotels of the World (allowing you to earn or redeem Hilton Honors points), and with Design Hotels (allowing you to earn or redeem Marriott Bonvoy points). Personally, we stayed at the following three properties: Miramonti Boutique Hotel, Small Luxury Hotels of the World ; this is an incredible property I can't recommend enough, and best of all, we booked it with Hilton Honors points Hotel Schwarzschmied, Marriott Design Hotels ; we enjoyed this hotel and it was the lowest price of the hotels we stayed at, with an amazing view, but it was my least favorite of the three (but it was still great!) Hotel Schgaguler, Marriott Design Hotels ; we loved this hotel as well, despite some of its quirks, and in particular, the half board was really great Miramonti Boutique Hotel, Small Luxury Hotels of the World Hotel Schwarzschmied, Marriott Design Hotels Hotel Schgaguler, Marriott Design Hotels Even beyond the hotels we stayed at, there are many others to choose from. For one, I've heard Forestis Dolomites is absolutely amazing, and more than one person has told me this is their favorite hotel in the world. However, it's very pricey and adults only, so wasn't right for this trip. Beyond the ones we stayed at, the selection of Marriott Design Hotels properties in the region is nothing short of astounding, and each looks charming. Beyond the two we stayed at, there are also the following six options: Villa Arnica is the smaller and more charming sister property of Hotel Schwarzschmied, but it was sold out on the days we were staying, and is also adults only 1477 Reichhalter is another sister property to Hotel Schwarzschmied and Villa Arnica, and it's located in the actual center of the town of Lana, with just eight rooms Parkhotel Mondschein is another property we considered, but which wasn't available for our dates Hotel Greif is a charming-looking hotel located in the city of Bolzano; I don't have any interest in staying here, but it looks better than the Four Points! Arua Private Spa Villas consists of several two-bedroom villas, so it's a great option for families Vigl
Emirates offers free Dubai hotel stays for 6-26 hour layovers with Dubai Connect program
Emirates has a massive global route network through its Dubai (DXB) hub, and in some cases, passengers might find themselves with an extended layover. In these situations, Emirates offers passengers a free transit hotel, in the form of the Emirates Dubai Connect program. In this post, I'd like to take a closer look at how exactly the program works. I shared my experience using this several years back, but the terms and policies have changed since then, so I figure it's time to take an updated look. Separately, I've written about similar programs offered by Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa (ADD) , Qatar Airways in Doha (DOH) , and Turkish Airlines in Istanbul (IST) . Basics of Emirates Dubai Connect With Emirates Dubai Connect , passengers with extended transit periods may be entitled to a complimentary hotel stay, free meals, transportation to and from the airport, and a free entry visa into the UAE (if they'd otherwise have to pay). As you'd expect, there are some terms to be aware of, so let's go over all of those details. How long does your connection have to be? Emirates Dubai Connect is available to passengers with a connecting stopover time in Dubai of six to 26 hours. Note that this program only applies if you take the next available connecting flight to your destination. In other words, you can't intentionally book a connection for a later flight and still receive the free stopover hotel. Receive a hotel if your layover is 6-26 hours Who is eligible for a free transit hotel? Emirates Dubai Connect is available to travelers in all classes of service, ranging from first class to economy class. The major restrictions are that both your inbound and outbound flights to and from Dubai must be Emirates flights (marketed by Emirates or Qantas). Codeshare flights are otherwise not eligible for this program. Emirates marketed flights operated by FlyDubai may also qualify for Emirates Dubai Connect, but only if the flights arrive and depart from Terminal 3. Your itinerary must be booked as a single ticket, and it must be issued on Emirates ticket stock, meaning your ticket number starts with 176. Award tickets also qualify for this, assuming the ticket otherwise meets the requirements of Emirates Dubai Connect (in other words, you'd want to book through Emirates Skywards). Passengers in all classes of service are eligible for this Which transit hotels does Emirates use? There aren't specific hotels that are guaranteed for Emirates Dubai Connect. However, most commonly the airline puts passengers up at the Le Meridien Airport Hotel Dubai, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, and Copthorne Hotel Dubai. The hotel you stay at will also provide you with all applicable meals, and meals will be allocated based on the time of check-in, and could include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Emirates uses the Le Meridien Dubai Airport How do you book Emirates Dubai Connect? You can reserve Emirates Dubai Connect at least 12 hours ahead of your flight to Dubai. During the booking process on emirates.com, you'll be told if you're eligible for the program. Just to show an example of that, take an Emirates itinerary from Muscat to Dubai to Washington, with a roughly 14-hour layover in Dubai. Emirates Dubai Connect booking process When you get to step three of the booking process, you'll see that one of the listed options is "Dubai Connect," which is how you know that you're eligible. Emirates Dubai Connect booking process Once you book your flights, you can use your last name and booking reference number to manage your booking, and there you'll see the option to add the service. Then when you land in Dubai, you'll just want to clear immigration, head to the Emirates Dubai Connect desk, and you'll then be given the vouchers you need for your transit hotel. My take on the Emirates Dubai Connect program While Emirates isn't the only airline to have a free transit hotel policy for select connecting passengers, I think the airline has the most well organized program. In particular, I appreciate how Emirates lets you know during the booking process if you're eligible, lets you book a transit hotel online, and even allows this on award tickets issued by Skywards. With some other airlines, there are a lot of hoops to jump through with booking, and also lots of exclusions. So I commend Emirates for how straightforward this is. Also, being able to break up a long haul journey with some number of hours in a hotel can really make a big difference in terms of arriving well rested, especially if you're traveling in economy class. For those who haven't been to Dubai, it's also a fun way to be able to check out some of what Dubai has to offer (admittedly it has been a rough time for Dubai in recent months, with all going on). Also keep in mind that with the My Emirates Pass program , you can unlock savings at hundreds of restaurants, leisure destinations, and retail outlets, across the United Arab Emirates, all by just showing your Emirates boarding pass. This is a great chance to explore Dubai during a layover Bottom line Emirates Dubai Connect is an awesome program that gives passengers transiting in Dubai with a six to 26 hour layover a complimentary hotel stay. These packages also include transportation, meals, and waived entry visas. There are some terms to be aware of, but they're fairly limited compared to other comparable programs. If you have a long layover in Dubai on Emirates, this is definitely something worth taking advantage of. If you've used Emirates Dubai Connect, what was your experience like?
Heathrow Sees 1.2% Rise in North America Flights Amid 2026 World Cup Surge
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) enjoyed a fruitful June, with the facility's latest figures showing that long-haul demand from football fans jetting off to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the US made a difference to its traffic levels. Most notably, the West London hub handled almost two million passengers on flights to and from North America, representing a year-on-year increase.
London Stansted Tops UK for Italy Flights with 30 Summer Destinations
London Stansted has reinforced its status as the UK’s leading airport for travel to Italy. The airport now offers direct flights to 30 Italian destinations this summer, more than any other UK airport. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(119); }); This expansion gives holidaymakers, city breakers, and those visiting family and friends unmatched choice and convenience. Italy continues to captivate British travellers with its perfect mix of history, culture, food, stunning landscapes, and vibrant cities. From iconic spots like Rome, Venice, Naples, and Florence to beautiful regional destinations and beaches, Stansted makes exploring every corner of Italy easier than ever. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(127); }); Why Italy Remains a Favourite Italy ranks among the UK’s most popular overseas destinations year after year. Travellers love its world-class cuisine, rich heritage, dramatic coastlines, lakes, mountains, and lively cities. London Stansted’s growing network supports both leisure trips and visits to loved ones while boosting tourism in both directions. The airport, which handles over 30 million passengers annually, has seen strong and growing demand for Italian routes. Traditional beach holidays and lesser-known regional cities are both proving popular. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(128); }); Airline partners Ryanair , Jet2.com, and BA CityFlyer operate the extensive schedule, providing flexibility with frequent flights and competitive fares. Photo Credit: Stansted Airport An Unrivalled Choice of Destinations Stansted’s Italian network now covers the length and breadth of the country – from Sicily in the south to Venice in the north. Passengers can fly directly to: ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(129); }); Major cities: Rome (Ciampino and Fiumicino), Venice, Naples, Florence, Milan Bergamo, Bologna, Turin, Verona Coastal and beach hotspots: Bari, Brindisi, Cagliari (Sardinia), Catania, Palermo, Olbia, Rimini, Salerno, Trapani, and more services to Sicily and Sardinia Regional gems: Ancona, Genoa, Lamezia Terme, Parma, Perugia, Pescara, Pisa, Reggio Calabria, Trieste, and others This comprehensive list means travellers can reach historic hill towns in Tuscany, sunny Puglian beaches, Sicilian volcanoes, or Sardinian coastlines with ease. Whether planning a romantic weekend in Florence, a family beach holiday in Puglia, or a cultural adventure in Naples, options abound. Passengers can get a taste of Italy even before boarding. Terrocotta Italian Kitchen in the departure lounge serves authentic Italian dishes, allowing travellers to enjoy fresh pasta, pizza, or a glass of wine while waiting for their flight. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(130); }); London Stansted Comments Simon Gorrighan, London Stansted’s Aviation Director , highlighted the appeal. “Italy has an enduring appeal for UK visitors thanks to its unique combination of history, culture, food, beautiful landscapes and world-famous attractions.” He added: “We’re delighted to now offer our passengers more choice than ever before, with 30 destinations from Sicily in the south to Venice in the north making Italy our best-served country.” Gorrighan emphasised the variety available: “Whether passengers are looking for a short city break, relaxing beach holiday, a culinary adventure or are travelling to visit friends and family, London Stansted offers unrivalled access to every region of Italy.” ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(131); }); He credited the growth to strong passenger demand and close collaboration with airline partners. Photo Credit: Stansted Airport Stansted’s Role as Europe’s Gateway This milestone strengthens London Stansted’s position as a major European hub. The airport already provides extensive connections across the continent, and the expanded Italian network further cements its reputation for choice and convenience. With summer 2026 in full swing, travellers have more reasons than ever to choose Stansted for their Italian getaway. Easy access, diverse destinations, and a touch of Italian flavour before departure combine to create a seamless travel experience. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(132); }); As demand for authentic European escapes remains high, London Stansted continues to deliver exactly what passengers want: more flights, more destinations, and more memorable trips to one of the world’s most loved countries.
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