Air Canada Adds Tenerife, Sapporo Routes for Winter 2026/27
The Canadian flag carrier is expanding its long-haul network with three new international services launching from Montreal and Toronto, including the country's first nonstop flights to the Canary Islands.
Air Canada will launch three new long-haul international routes beginning this October as part of its winter 2026/27 schedule expansion, according to an announcement this week. The additions include the carrier's inaugural nonstop service to Spain's Canary Islands and a new connection to a popular Japanese ski destination.
Starting October 31, the airline will introduce twice-weekly flights between Montreal's Trudeau International Airport and Tenerife South Airport, marking the first nonstop link between the two cities. The service will operate on Saturdays throughout the season, with a second Tuesday frequency added from late January through March 23. Air Canada initially planned just one weekly departure but increased capacity based on forward booking demand, according to the report.
Toronto Pearson will also receive twice-weekly Tenerife service on the same date, operating through late April 2027. The Toronto route will become the Canary Islands' longest nonstop connection, spanning approximately 3,135 nautical miles each way. Both Tenerife services will be flown using Air Canada's newly delivered Airbus A321XLR aircraft, configured with 14 business-class and 168 economy seats.
The launches represent a significant shift for the Canada-Canary Islands market, which had no nonstop service until this year. With Air Canada's two new routes joining offerings from leisure carrier Air Transat, the market will have four nonstop connections by winter.
Beyond the Atlantic additions, Air Canada is introducing service to Sapporo, Japan, though complete route details were not disclosed in available reports. The expansion follows the carrier's broader strategy of adding leisure-focused destinations across Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico throughout 2026.
Flight times on the Montreal-Tenerife route are scheduled at approximately six hours and 50 minutes westbound and eight hours and 15 minutes on the return, with the difference attributed to prevailing winds.
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