Air Canada Expands Routes from Toronto City Airport to Four Major U. S.

Air Canada has announced plans to introduce new daily routes from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to four major cities in the United States: New York, Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D. C.

Starting in March 2026, Air Canada will offer four daily round-trip flights to New York LaGuardia. Then over the summer, the airline will expand its services with three daily flights to Boston Logan, two to Chicago O’Hare, and one to Washington Dulles.

This move marks an escalation in the competition between Air Canada and Porter Airlines, the current provider for these four American cities at the Toronto Island airport.

The expansion of services is made possible by the upcoming opening of U. S. customs pre-clearance at the Toronto Island airport. According to PortsToronto CEO Roelof-Jan Steenstra, the facility is expected to open “in the coming months. ” This will allow passengers to clear American customs before boarding their flights while still on Canadian soil.

The announcement comes at a time when Canadian travel to the U. S. is significantly declining. Data from Statistics Canada shows that in September, the number of Canadian residents returning from the U. S. by air decreased by 27. 1% compared to the same month last year.

As a result, several airlines, including Air Canada, have reduced capacity or suspended services for U. S. routes. In September, the U. S. ambassador to Canada even suggested reassessing airport pre-clearance due to the declining numbers.

In addition to the new U. S. routes, Air Canada also announced an increase in frequency for two domestic routes. There will be one additional daily flight to Montreal and two to Ottawa.

The new routes will utilize 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft, as stated in the press release. This expansion will provide more options for travelers and contribute to the growth of tourism and business between Canada and the United States.