Air Canada to Launch U.S. Flights from Toronto Island in a Major Expansion at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

• New, daily services to New York, Boston, Washington and Chicago
• Increased daily frequencies to Montréal and Ottawa
• Ongoing service enhancements include becoming the only carrier to offer Fast, Free Wi-Fi on flights to and from Billy Bishop
• Expansion complements Air Canada’s presence at Toronto Pearson with more than 600 flights a day to more than 120 destinations next summer

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Canada today unveiled a major expansion at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport with new transborder routes to four major U.S. cities and increased daily flights to Montréal and Ottawa. The new services, with frequencies favourable to business travel, further heighten the customer experience at Billy Bishop airport, including the introduction this month of fast, free onboard Wi-Fi, complimentary onboard premium snacks, beer and wine, and exclusive access to the Aspire Air Canada Café for eligible domestic customers.

Beginning in Spring 2026, Air Canada will launch new, non-stop return service four-times-daily to New York’s LaGuardia Airport, three-times-daily to Boston Logan International Airport, twice-daily to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and daily to Washington Dulles International Airport. The start of transborder services from Billy Bishop will follow the opening of U.S. Customs Pre-Clearance at the island airport, a convenience for customers flying to U.S. airports from Canada that allows them to clear U.S. customs before departure. In addition, beginning in January 2026, Air Canada will expand its daily services in Canada’s busiest domestic travel corridors by increasing the frequency of return flights to Montréal to nine from eight, and to six from four to Ottawa.

“This is our most significant expansion at Toronto Island since Air Canada first served the airport 35 years ago. The new transborder routes will especially benefit our loyal customers and business travellers by creating frequent and easy connections between the heart of Canada’s financial capital and the major markets of New York, Boston, Washington and Chicago. Moreover, we are increasing at the island the daily frequency of return flights from Toronto to Montréal and Ottawa, which are Canada’s most heavily travelled corridors for business traffic,” said Mark Galardo, Air Canada Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, and President, Cargo.

“These exciting new services reflect Air Canada’s commitment to further elevate the customer experience at Billy Bishop Airport. Our flights are the only ones from Toronto Island to offer travellers the productivity tool of fast, free in-flight Wi-Fi and the comforts of the Aspire Air Canada Café, a quiet space for eligible domestic customers to work or recharge prior to their flight. All customers can also enjoy complimentary premium snacks, beer and wine that we offer on board. Our expanded services at the island complement our already extensive services from Toronto Pearson where we will operate more than 600 return flights a day to 124 destinations next summer. This expansion ensures the Greater Toronto Area and beyond are highly connected for business and leisure travel, making Air Canada the preferred choice for travel to and from the GTA.”

“We are delighted to welcome Air Canada’s expanded routes at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport – a milestone that underscores our shared commitment to enhancing connectivity, convenience, and choice for travellers. This expansion of routes not only continues to strengthen Toronto as a place for business and leisure, but also reflects confidence in Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport’s role as a gateway to the future of passenger-centric urban air travel. We look forward to working with Air Canada to help shape the next chapter of growth and innovation for the airport and the city and region we proudly serve,” said RJ Steenstra, President & CEO PortsToronto, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

“Today’s announcement represents a new era of business and leisure travel convenience, comfort and accessibility at Billy Bishop Airport,” says Jennifer Quinn, CEO, Nieuport Aviation. “Made possible next year by our new U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance facility, we will offer more destinations within reach, further strengthening our role in connecting communities and driving economic growth across Ontario and Canada.”

“This announcement is excellent news for Canadian travellers. With Air Canada’s new flights from Billy Bishop Airport to the U.S., along with increased flight frequency from Toronto to Ottawa and Montréal, we’re strengthening regional and cross-border connectivity. These additions will make travel more convenient, help connect families across distances, support business growth, and enhance service quality for Canadian travellers,” said the Honourable Steve MacKinnon, federal Minister of Transport.

“Today’s announcement is great news for travelers across the province. This expansion not only strengthens connectivity but supports economic growth, tourism and business opportunities across Canada and the United States - our closest trading partner. Toronto is a key hub for travel and this critical expansion at Billy Bishop Airport will provide more options for Ontarians and improve the customer experience,” said the Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario Minister of Transportation. 

"We congratulate our members, Air Canada, Nieuport Aviation and PortsToronto, on this exciting expansion. This is exactly the kind of growth-enabling infrastructure Ontario’s economy needs. By boosting connectivity, cutting travel time and opening access to key Canadian and U.S. markets, it delivers real value for businesses across the province,” said Daniel Tisch, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce. 

New Transborder Flights

Air Canada’s new services from Toronto Island airport to New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport will begin in Spring 2026. With return service up to four times daily, the new routes will make it convenient to travel between the core of Canada’s financial capital and these major American markets for a quick business trip or more extended visit. All flights are operated as Air Canada Express, by Air Canada’s regional partner Jazz Aviation LP, using a 78-seat, De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft. Flights from Toronto Island (YTZ) to:

New York LaGuardia (LGA) begins March 29, 2026

Boston Logan (BOS) begins July 1, 2026

Chicago O’Hare (ORD) begins June 1, 2026

Washington Dulles (IAD) begins June 1, 2026

Increased service to Montréal, Ottawa

In January 2026, Air Canada will add new daily flights from Toronto Island in the popular and heavily travelled Eastern Triangle of Canada. This includes an additional flight to Montréal, bringing the service to nine return flights daily. Between the island and Ottawa, the carrier is adding two frequencies to bring to six the number of total daily return trips to the nation's capital from Billy Bishop.

Elevating the Billy Bishop Travel Experience

Beginning in October 2025, Air Canada was the first airline to offer fast, free Wi-Fi in-flight to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport travellers. The industry-leading service provides high-quality Internet to give customers gate-to-gate connectivity and non-stop access to productivity tools while travelling on Air Canada Express flights to and from the city airport on some of the most popular business travel routes in Canada and next year to the U.S. It is the first time Wi-Fi has been made available on a De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft type anywhere in the world. The introduction of fast, free Wi-Fi complements the other amenities Air Canada customers flying from Billy Bishop now enjoy, including frequent departures, complimentary in-flight premium snacks, beer and wine, and exclusive access for eligible domestic customers to the Aspire Air Canada Café.¹

Regional Flying Reimagined

A full cabin redesign will soon be commenced on 25 De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft operated for Air Canada Express by Jazz. The program includes:

New Seating

Twenty-five Dash 8-400 operated for Air Canada Express by Jazz will be equipped with next generation, well-padded, ergonomic reclining seats from Expliseat. The seats will feature new branding and design language expressed through the seat’s dress cover. All seats will include a seatback multi-use device holder for tablets and phones, as well as a table tray. The installation of the new seating has an expected completion date for the program in mid-2026. Each aircraft will have 78 seats, and pitch will be unchanged.

Cabin Interior Redesign

The cabins of these same 25 Dash 8-400s will be upgraded to a new standard reflective of Air Canada ’s mainline aircraft interiors. The design incorporates colors, textures and tones of those found in Canadian nature, reinforcing Air Canada’s pride in being the nation’s flag carrier.

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is Canada’s premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada’s passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada’s climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see Air Canada’s TCFD disclosure. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US.

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¹ The Aspire Air Canada Café at Toronto Billy Bishop Airport is available to Air Canada customers with Aeroplan 50K, 75K, or Super Elite Status, Star Alliance Gold status, or anyone with an Aeroplan premium co-branded credit card.

YTZ Expansion map

Air Canada today unveiled a major expansion at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport with new transborder routes to four major U.S. cities and increased daily flights to Montréal and Ottawa.

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