Air Canada has announced another chunky update to its Winter 2026–27 schedule, with new routes, earlier restarts, and a bit more love for Western Canada.
The headline additions are: new service to Quito (UIO), year-round Toronto flights to Manchester (MAN) and Copenhagen (CPH) starting late October 2026, and new Calgary non-stops to Cancun (CUN) and Puerto Vallarta (PVR) beginning in December 2026.
On top of that, there are earlier starts and extra frequencies to select Latin America routes (Rio, Lima, Santiago, and Bogota). Flights are already on sale.
All of this layers on top of the previously announced Vancouver–Sapporo route, which will be the only non-stop from North America to Hokkaido.
Let’s break down what’s new and how it might matter for your Aeroplan strategy.
In This Post
New Winter Flights to Quito from Montréal and Toronto
Ecuador’s capital, Quito (UIO), joins the Air Canada network in December 2026, with all flights operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner featuring Signature Class, Premium Economy, and Economy.
All flights are timed for decent onward connections at both hubs, so you can realistically connect from elsewhere in Canada or even Europe and wake up in the Andes with a latte and mild altitude headache.
For Aeroplan members, Quito adds another interesting South American option beyond the usual Lima, Buenos Aires, and Rio playbook, and the lie-flat cabin makes it much more attractive as a points redemption than yet another overnight in a recliner.
Toronto–Manchester and Toronto–Copenhagen Go Year-Round
Two existing seasonal routes from Toronto are graduating to full-time status as of late October 2026:
Both routes will be flown by Air Canada’s new Airbus A321XLR, which is notable because it’s the first narrow-body in the fleet with Signature Class lie-flat seats.
You’re essentially getting long-haul comfort on a smaller jet, which can be a sweet spot for Aeroplan bookings if pricing lands in a reasonable band.
This shift also lines up with Air Canada basing A321XLRs at Toronto Pearson International Airport, giving the airline more flexibility to run thinner, long-distance routes year-round without needing a widebody to justify them.
New Calgary Flights to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta
Calgary finally gets a bit of warmth injected directly into the schedule with two new winter sun routes, both operated by Air Canada Rouge Boeing 737 MAX aircraft:
Rouge flights come with two cabins (Premium and Economy), complimentary beer and wine, and free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan members, which is perfect for either trip-planning your next redemption or doom-scrolling social media.
Earlier Starts and More Flights Across Latin America
Beyond Quito, Air Canada is also tightening up its South American schedule for Winter 2026–27 with earlier seasonal restarts and extra weekly flights on existing routes:
Bogota flights will continue to use the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with three cabins, including lie-flat Signature Class, which keeps it competitive as a premium Aeroplan redemption to northern South America.
For anyone planning a South America trip during Canadian winter, the earlier start dates and added frequency should translate to better schedule choice and, hopefully, more decent-value award space once things settle in.
How This Fits into Air Canada’s Wider Winter Strategy
Taken together, this announcement reinforces a few themes in Air Canada’s network planning:
- More long-thin routes using A321XLRs, with lie-flats on transatlantic flights that would have been hard to justify with a widebody year-round.
- Deeper South America connectivity, especially out of Montréal and Toronto, where Air Canada clearly sees ongoing demand for both leisure and business traffic.
- Targeted sun flying from secondary hubs, like Calgary’s new links to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, alongside the headline-grabbing Vancouver–Sapporo launch for winter sports travellers.
From a Miles & Points angle, every new city and extra weekly frequency is another lever: more flights mean more chances for award availability, and the spread of lie-flat cabins onto narrow-bodies like the A321XLR opens the door to some fun mid-haul premium redemptions without paying long-haul pricing.
Conclusion
Air Canada’s Winter 2026–27 update is a solid expansion: Quito joins the map with Dreamliner service, Toronto gains year-round links to Manchester and Copenhagen on the new A321XLR, Calgary picks up non-stops to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, and South America sees earlier starts and extra flights.
For Canadian travellers, especially Aeroplan members, that means more non-stops, more schedule flexibility, and more options to swap snowbanks for mountains, beaches, or European Christmas markets, depending on your winter personality.
