Air Canada Solidifies 2026 Hub Strategy with Quito Return and Expanded Year-Round Europe Service

MONTRÉAL – In a significant move to cement its position as a premier global gateway, Air Canada has today, January 28, 2026, unveiled a major expansion of its international network. The carrier’s strategically bolstered winter 2026-27 schedule features the high-profile addition of Quito, Ecuador, the transition of key European routes to year-round service, and the restoration of vital sun-destination links from its Calgary hub to Mexico.

This expansion leverages the arrival of the "game-changing" Airbus A321XLR and the continued reliability of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet to optimise connectivity across six continents.

South American Expansion

The headline of the announcement is the return of Quito (UIO) to the Air Canada network. Starting in December 2026, the airline will connect Ecuador’s historic capital to both Montréal and Toronto. These routes are designed to capture burgeoning leisure and "VFR" (Visiting Friends and Relatives) demand, while also tapping into high-yield cargo opportunities between the Andean region and North America.

“We are continuing our strategic expansion into Latin America, taking advantage of continued demand strength and cargo opportunities, while leveraging a new Airbus A321 XLR base at our Toronto-Pearson global hub to enable year-round service to Copenhagen and Manchester,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada.

The "A321XLR" Effect

For the first time, Air Canada’s services from Toronto to Manchester and Copenhagen will operate year-round. This shift is a direct result of the airline’s new Airbus A321XLR base at Toronto-Pearson. The XLR's narrowbody efficiency allows the airline to maintain daily or near-daily frequencies during the winter months when widebody capacity might otherwise be shifted to warmer climates.

This "right-sizing" of capacity ensures that business travellers and cargo shippers have consistent, nonstop access to Northern Europe throughout the calendar year.

Restoring the Mexican Connection

Western Canada is also seeing a boost as Air Canada resumes non-stop service from Calgary (YYC) to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. Operated by Air Canada Rouge, these flights provide a critical alternative for Albertan travellers looking to bypass larger eastern hubs for their winter escapes.

New Air Operations

The following table details the brand-new and newly year-round operations confirmed in today's announcement.

A Vision for Global Dominance

Reflecting on the scale of the expansion, Galardo emphasised the airline's broader ambitions to compete with legacy titans like Lufthansa and British Airways on the world stage.

“With a comprehensive network spanning all six inhabited continents, Air Canada's expanded winter schedule further cements our hubs as premier global gateways, facilitating fast, convenient travel. These exciting new additions and enhancements are a catalyst to facilitating tourism, trade and connectivity, and deliver more compelling opportunities for our customers and Aeroplan Members to travel almost anywhere in the world to, from or via Canada,” Galardo stated.