Air Canada adds four cities, 12 routes in major U.S. expansion
Air Canada announced a major U.S. expansion, unveiling four new destinations as it detailed 12 new routes between the USA and Canada.
The new cities joining Air Canada’s route map are Jacksonville, Fla.; Salt Lake City; San Jose, Calif.; and Washington Dulles. The airline will begin flying to all four cities this May. Air Canada will fly to three of the new cities – Jacksonville, Salt Lake City and Washington Dulles – from its biggest hub in Toronto. Air Canada’s San Jose flights will be to its hub in Vancouver.
Air Canada described its growth in U.S. markets as part of a broader international-focused effort aimed at funneling more North American passengers to overseas destinations via its hubs in Canada.
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“These new routes will ... support our international expansion by making it easier for international travelers flying to and from the U.S. to connect to Air Canada's global network through its major Canadian hubs,” Ben Smith, Air Canada’s President - Passenger Airlines, says in a statement. “International travelers are increasingly finding that connecting through Canada on Air Canada is the most convenient way to fly to and from the U.S. and between the U.S. to both Europe and Asia.”
The schedule for Air Canada’s four new U.S. destinations will be:
- Toronto-Salt Lake City: Daily service begins May 27.
- Toronto-Washington Dulles: Twice daily service begins May 2.
- Toronto-Jacksonville: Two weekly seasonal flights (Saturday and Sunday) begin May 21. Florida's First Coast News notes "Air Canada does not currently provide service to Northeast Florida, making them the newest entrant to the market."
- Vancouver-San Jose: Twice-daily service begins May 9. Air Canada last served San Jose in 2001, but ended service shortly after the 9/11 terror attacks. "We had Vancouver service before, and our customers have been asking for it," San Jose airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes says to The Mercury News of San Jose. "We're happy to see them back."
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Beyond those new destinations, Air Canada also is expanding service to eight U.S. cities it already serves. The carrier’s other new U.S. routes being resumed or added are:
- Toronto-Portland, Ore.: Daily seasonal service begins May 26.
- Montreal-Denver: Daily service begins June 4.
- Montreal-Houston Bush Intercontinental: Daily service begins June 6. Air Canada previously flew the route, but ended it about three years ago, according to the Houston Chronicle.
- Montreal-Philadelphia: Twice-daily service begins May 24.
- Calgary-Phoenix: Three-times-a-week service, converted from seasonal to year-round service.
- Calgary-San Francisco: Daily service begins June 18.
- Vancouver-Chicago O’Hare: Daily service begins June 4.
- Vancouver-San Diego: Daily seasonal service begins June 2.
The new routes wiil be operated by a mix of Air Canada's "mainline" service as well as the airline's "Air Canada Express" and "rouge" affiliates.
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Air Canada pledged that the expansion would bolster its presence in the important U.S. market.
“Air Canada is the foreign carrier operating the most flights to the U.S., carrying the most customers and serving the most destinations. As such, we are pleased to strengthen our market presence, particularly as the U.S. is the top destination for Canadian travelers and Canada is one of the most popular destinations for Americans,” Air Canada's Smith says in the airline's statement.
“For those traveling onward in the U.S. these new routes strengthen Air Canada's connections with major hubs of its partner United Airlines, including Houston, Denver, San Francisco and Washington-Dulles, giving customers more travel options and convenient connections throughout the U.S. and Latin America,” Smith adds.