MONTREAL— Air Canada (AC) has removed 13 international routes from its network between April and September 2026 as the carrier adjusts capacity amid changing travel demand, rising fuel costs, and operational pressures across several markets.
The Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)-based carrier still remains Canada’s largest international airline, accounting for roughly 37% of the country’s international departures during the summer 2026 schedule period.
Air Canada’s international network growth has been supported by the introduction of the Airbus A321XLR, although demand softness on certain United States and Caribbean routes has forced additional schedule adjustments.
Air Canada Cuts 13 Flight Routes
Air Canada has permanently discontinued seven international routes that operated during parts of 2025.
The affected services include Ottawa International Airport (YOW) to Tampa International Airport (TPA), Ottawa to Tulum International Airport (TQO), and Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) to Tulum.
The airline also removed flights between Montreal and Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG) in Algiers. Air Canada had initially planned to restore the seasonal route in 2026 using Airbus A330-300 aircraft, but the flights no longer appear in the airline’s latest schedules.
Additional discontinued services include Montreal to Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA), Montreal to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Tampa.
Several of these routes operated seasonally and faced weak passenger demand or increased competition from rival carriers.
Industry schedule data showed Vancouver-Tampa recorded particularly low passenger loads during operations.
Air Canada reportedly filled only around 54% of seats on the route, making it one of the weakest-performing transborder services in its network.
Air Canada Pauses Cuba Flights
The remaining six suspended routes involve Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge services to Cuba.
The affected destinations include Cayo Coco, Varadero, Holguín, and Santa Clara from Montreal and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
Air Canada has attributed the temporary suspensions to jet fuel shortages affecting Cuba. The airline stated the operational challenges stem from broader disruptions in fuel availability linked to geopolitical tensions and instability in the Middle East.
Unlike the permanently removed routes, these Cuba services are expected to return during the winter 2026 schedule.
Current plans show operations resuming around late October, although schedules could still change depending on fuel supply conditions and travel demand.
Europe Expansion Continues
Despite the cuts, Air Canada continues expanding in other international markets.
The airline’s Europe network is scheduled to grow by approximately 6% year-over-year during the summer 2026 season, supported largely by the deployment of new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, Simple Flying flagged.
The carrier’s transborder network to the United States has remained mostly flat, reflecting softer demand from Canadian travelers visiting the US.
Political uncertainty and changing consumer travel patterns have also influenced network planning decisions.
Air Canada continues operating one of North America’s largest international networks, with hundreds of daily departures across Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and the United States.
The airline is expected to continue adjusting routes and aircraft deployment as fuel prices and global travel conditions evolve throughout 2026.
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