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Air Canada will launch seven new direct routes, including five new destinations, in the summer of 2027, along with increased schedules for key markets, as the airline expands the reach of its global network.

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Canada’s biggest airline said the new routes flying from Toronto, Vancouver and Montréal will create 1,500 new jobs by 2028, while increasing the airline’s contribution to Canada’s gross domestic product by over $7 billion per year.

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“Summer 2027 marks the most extensive intercontinental expansion in Air Canada’s history, cementing our position as the second largest North American carrier by global destinations served,” executive vice-president and chief commercial officer Mark Galardo said in a press release.

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The airline will launch year-round services from Vancouver to Guangzhou, China, after government approvals. This will be Vancouver’s newest link to China’s commercial and culinary hub and Air Canada’s third destination in mainland China.

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The airline said it was the only North American carrier to serve Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province in the Pearl River Delta. Currently, Air Canada is the leading carrier between Canada and mainland China, with up to 24 weekly flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

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From Toronto, the carrier will begin service to Oslo, Norway, Shannon, Ireland and Nice, France.

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The Toronto-to-Oslo route is the airline’s third Scandinavian destination after Stockholm and Copenhagen. Air Canada is currently the only North American airline with non-stop flights to Norway.

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Shannon will be the airline’s second destination in Ireland, complementing its long-standing service to Dublin. Air Canada is the only airline to offer non-stop flights between Canada and Shannon on Ireland’s west coast.

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Air Canada is also the only airline offering non-stop service from Toronto to Nice, adding to its existing flights from Montréal. The routes will provide daily service to France’s top summer vacation spot and one of Europe’s leading beach destinations.

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The airline will also resume its London Heathrow day-tripper, as well as boost its Toronto-to- Shanghai flights to daily.

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Beginning in December, it will start year-round flights from Toronto to Guatemala City.

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From Montréal, Air Canada will launch new services to Basel, Switzerland and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Air Canada is the only North American airline to serve all three major cities in Switzerland: Zurich, Geneva and soon, Basel.

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Air Canada’s Montréal flights to Tenerife, Lima and Guatemala City will be extended to year-round.

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“As Canada’s flag carrier, we are further investing to better connect and position our country as an important intersection of major international demand flows under our New Frontiers strategy,” said Galardo.

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Air Canada plans to operate more than 125 international routes to more than 85 destinations in Europe, Asia, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America by the summer of 2027.

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• Email: [email protected]

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