Air Canada is the country’s largest carrier and a founding member of the Star Alliance, running a global network out of Toronto Pearson alongside major bases in Montreal and Vancouver.
Latest Air Canada updates
Last updated: 12 August 2026.
Air Canada fares right now
The fares below are the cheapest return economy prices pulled from live searches on Wego for departures from Toronto (YYZ) on 23 September 2026, returning 30 September, sampled 12 August 2026 in US dollars. Every one is a genuinely Air Canada-operated itinerary; codeshares flown by partner airlines on the same route were checked and excluded.
Toronto is one of Air Canada’s main bases rather than its only departure point, and fares move with season, day of week and how far ahead you book. Fuel costs are squeezing airline margins through 2026, so treat this as a snapshot and check current Air Canada prices on Wego before you book.
Baggage allowance, fees and what your fare includes
Air Canada raised checked bag fees twice in 2026.
On Economy Basic and Standard within Canada, or between Canada or the US and Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America (fares bought from 13 April 2026), the first checked bag is CA/US$45 and the second $60. Economy Flex’s first bag stays free, with the second now $60.
On flights between Canada or the US and Africa, Asia and the South Pacific, Europe, the Middle East or South America (fares bought from 14 May 2026), Basic pays $90 for a first bag and $120 for a second. Standard and Flex keep the first bag free and charge $120 for a second.
What’s included otherwise depends on the fare bucket: Basic and Standard economy generally come with no checked bags, Flexible economy includes one, and Comfort, Latitude, Premium Economy and Business all include two, each up to 23kg (50lb) in economy or 32kg (70lb) in business, with a maximum linear dimension of 158cm.
Carry-on isn’t automatically free either. Basic fares on domestic and North American routes allow only a personal item unless you hold Aeroplan Elite status, Star Alliance Gold status, or an Aeroplan premium credit card, a permanent exemption for premium cardholders but one that lasts only until 30 November 2026 for core cardholders. Standard fares and above include one carry-on plus one personal item.
Fleet: mainline, Rouge and Express are three different things
Air Canada’s mainline widebody fleet is built around Boeing 777s and 787s (six 777-200LRs, 19 777-300ERs, eight 787-8s and 32 787-9s) plus 20 Airbus A330-300s, with 14 787-10s and eight A350-1000s on order, the A350s arriving from 2030. Mainline narrowbodies are Airbus: A320-family jets and A220-300s.
Air Canada Rouge, the leisure subsidiary, flies Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft on holiday and secondary routes, and is taking over the whole mainline Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet through 2026 in refreshed cabins with 12 Business Class seats, extra-legroom Preferred Economy and standard Economy.
Air Canada Express is regional flying branded as Air Canada but operated under contract by Jazz Aviation, using Embraer E175 and Bombardier CRJ-900 jets plus Dash 8-400 turboprops, and by PAL Airlines, which has flown Air Canada Express turboprop routes in eastern Canada since July 2023. If your itinerary says Air Canada Express, check the operating carrier on your ticket: cabin, baggage handling and boarding can all differ from mainline.
Hubs and network
Toronto Pearson is the principal hub and the base for most long-haul widebody flying, with Montreal-Trudeau and Vancouver as the other two major connecting points. As a Star Alliance member, Air Canada also feeds and receives connections from partners including Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and United. If you are travelling onward from Toronto, hotels in Toronto and hotels in Vancouver are worth comparing against your connection time.
Cabins and onboard product
Long-haul mainline aircraft carry three cabins: Air Canada Signature Class, with a lie-flat bed on every widebody, then Premium Economy and Economy. Basic is a fare type rather than a separate cabin, so a Basic ticket sits in the same Economy seats as any other economy fare and differs only on bags, seat selection and change rules.
Rouge’s onboard product is simpler. Its Airbus jets sell Premium Rouge, an extra-space cabin with priority check-in and hot meals, alongside Economy, while the incoming 737 MAX 8s add a proper Business Class.
Seatback entertainment and power availability vary by aircraft type and are being standardised across the fleet as new deliveries arrive and older cabins are refreshed, so check your specific aircraft type at booking if this matters to you.
Aeroplan loyalty programme
Aeroplan is Air Canada’s loyalty programme and, following the transaction in the timeline above, is now 75% owned by Air Canada with a 25% stake held by an investor group led by Blackstone and La Caisse.
Elite status tiers earn priority check-in and boarding, extra baggage allowance, and at the higher tiers access to Maple Leaf Lounges and preferred seat selection. Because Aeroplan sits inside Star Alliance, points and status can also be earned and used across partner airlines, which matters if most of your flying is on a partner rather than Air Canada itself.
Check-in, boarding and seat selection
Online and mobile check-in typically opens 24 hours before departure, with boarding by group, priority passengers and higher cabins first. Seat selection is included on Standard fares and above; Basic fares are assigned a seat automatically at check-in unless you pay to choose one.
If you are travelling on an Air Canada Express flight operated by Jazz, boarding and gate processes follow the operating airport’s regional procedures, which can move faster and with less notice than a mainline gate.
Passenger rights and contacting Air Canada
Delays and cancellations on Air Canada flights fall under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations, which turn first on whether the disruption was within the airline’s control and only then on how late you actually arrive. For a large carrier like Air Canada, a within-control delay pays CAD 400 if you land 3 to 6 hours late, 700 for 6 to 9 hours, and 1,000 beyond that, and you have a year to claim. We cover exactly how that test works in our full APPR explainer.
One point worth clearing up, because the two get confused: Air Canada’s own cabin-crew dispute is settled. A federal arbitrator set flight attendant wages on 17 February 2026, closing a four-year collective agreement that runs to March 2029. The cabin-crew strike that disrupted Canadian travel in August 2026 was WestJet’s, and it ended with a tentative deal on 3 August 2026.
Air Canada operates under federal official-languages obligations, so you can request service in English or French through any of its channels. To change or cancel a booking, use the “My Bookings” tool on aircanada.com or the app first. Call centre wait times run longest around irregular-operations days, so self-service is usually faster for a straightforward date change. If you are also weighing Canada’s other big carrier, we have separately reviewed WestJet’s safety record.
Frequently asked questions
Is Air Canada Express the same airline as Air Canada?
No. Air Canada Express is a brand for regional flights, flown under contract to Air Canada by Jazz Aviation and, in eastern Canada, PAL Airlines, using smaller regional jets and turboprops than mainline.
What is the difference between Air Canada mainline and Air Canada Rouge?
Rouge is Air Canada’s leisure subsidiary. It flies a separate, generally older set of Airbus narrowbodies with a denser cabin layout and a simpler onboard product than mainline, mostly on holiday routes.
How much does a first checked bag cost on Air Canada?
On Basic or Standard economy for Canada, US, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America routes it is CA/US$45. On flights between Canada or the US and Africa, Asia and the South Pacific, Europe, the Middle East or South America, it is CA/US$90 on a Basic fare, and free on a Standard or Flex fare.
Does Basic Economy on Air Canada include a carry-on bag?
On domestic and North American Basic fares, only a personal item is included. A full carry-on costs extra unless you hold Aeroplan Elite, Star Alliance Gold, or an Aeroplan premium credit card.
What happens if my Air Canada flight is delayed under Canadian rules?
Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations apply. They ask whether the disruption was within Air Canada’s control, then how late you arrive: as a large carrier, Air Canada owes CAD 400 for a within-control delay of 3 to 6 hours, 700 for 6 to 9, and 1,000 past that. See our APPR explainer for how the test works.
Who is Air Canada’s new CEO?
Anko van der Werff, currently chief executive of Scandinavian Airlines, was named as Air Canada’s next President and CEO on 8 July 2026. He starts by the end of January 2027. Michael Rousseau retires on 31 August 2026, and the Board oversees the airline in the interim.
Sources
- Air Canada (Q2 2026 financial results)
- Air Canada (Aeroplan minority equity investment)
- Air Canada (CEO appointment and start date)
- Air Canada (A350-1000 order)
- Air Canada (2026 baggage fee changes)
- Airbus (sustainable aviation fuel platform)
- Transport Canada (expanded Canada-Nigeria air transport agreement)
- Canadian Transportation Agency (APPR compensation amounts)
- CBC News (February 2026 arbitration award closing the cabin-crew dispute)
- Wego fare data, sampled 12 August 2026
The information in this article is accurate as of 12 August 2026. Airline schedules, fares, baggage rules and route plans change frequently, so confirm details with Air Canada or on Wego before you book or travel.
