Air Canada launches new long-haul routes to Tenerife and Sapporo for 2026/27 winter

Air Canada is set to enhance its long-haul international offerings for the 2026/27 northern winter season by inaugurating three new routes. Starting October 31, the airline will connect Montréal-Trudeau International Airport with Tenerife South Airport, marking the first-ever direct link between these cities. This service is planned to operate twice weekly throughout portions of the season, utilizing the Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which seats 182 passengers in a two-class configuration.

The Montréal-Tenerife route will initially operate once a week on Saturdays, but due to strong booking demand, a Tuesday flight has been added beginning late January through March. Flight times are nearly seven hours westbound, with the overnight return leg taking just over eight hours. The aircraft deployed—the A321XLR—features 14 Signature Class seats alongside 168 Economy Class seats, suggesting a focus on both premium and leisure travelers.

In addition to Montréal, Toronto Pearson International Airport will also gain new Tenerife service. The twice-weekly Toronto-Tenerife flights use the smaller Airbus A321LR, seating 199 passengers, and will run from October 25 through the end of April. This route will become the longest nonstop flight from the Canary Islands, stretching over 3,135 nautical miles. Current data indicates Air Canada and Air Transat will collectively operate four Canada-Canary Islands nonstop routes during this season, reflecting growing demand for sun destinations among Canadian travelers.

Air Canada's entry into the Tenerife market comes amid increased Canadian carrier interest in the Canary Islands, with Air Transat launching new services from Toronto and Montreal to Gran Canaria starting December 2026. The addition of these flights reflects a trend towards more diverse leisure travel options for Canadians seeking winter sun, though how sustainable the multiple routes will be after initial demand remains to be seen.

The most notable new route is Air Canada's direct connection between Vancouver International Airport and New Chitose Airport near Sapporo, Japan. Launching December 17, this thrice-weekly service will be North America’s only nonstop flight to Sapporo, significantly simplifying travel to the popular northern Japan ski destination. Flights will operate on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays westbound, with return flights on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

This Vancouver-Sapporo route covers approximately 3,726 nautical miles and will be operated using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners configured with 20 Signature Class suites, 21 Premium Economy seats, and 214 Economy seats. It offers the shortest transpacific route in Air Canada’s Asian network, complementing year-round flights to Tokyo-Narita and Tokyo-Haneda, as well as seasonal summer services to Osaka-Kansai. The new service eliminates the need for North American travelers to connect through other Asian hubs.

Air Canada’s network developments this winter emphasize increased accessibility to leisure destinations both in Europe and Asia from Canada’s major hubs. The introduction of these routes reflects strategic growth into profitable sun and ski markets, leveraging the capabilities of long-range narrowbody and widebody aircraft. These routes also position Air Canada competitively within winter seasonal tourism corridors, responding to evolving travel demands.

With direct links between Canada and the Canary Islands now numbering four, and a new direct Asia-Pacific route to a prominent ski region, Air Canada is strengthening its international reach during a key travel season. The airline’s capacity to offer nonstop service on these niche long-haul routes utilizes its fleet versatility and aligns with anticipated passenger preferences for convenient, point-to-point connections.