Air Canada further trims U.S. network with eight route changes

Air Canada is further trimming its U.S. network as elevated jet fuel prices and softer demand for cross-border travel continue to weigh on operations.

The airline is cancelling or delaying eight transborder routes beginning this fall, as Simple Flying first reported.

Air Canada routinely tweaks its schedule to reflect demand and operational requirements, but the latest adjustments further scale back service on several U.S. routes ahead of winter.

Three routes from Toronto and Montreal to U.S. Midwest destinations will be suspended for a second consecutive winter, while three seasonal Florida routes from Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City will now launch in December instead of October.

Routes affected

Specifically, Air Canada will end flights from Montreal to Detroit and Minneapolis–Saint Paul, as well as Toronto to Indianapolis, on Oct. 24, instead of operating the routes daily through the winter as originally planned.

The launch of seasonal flights from Ottawa to Fort Lauderdale, Quebec City to Orlando and Montreal to Palm Beach has also been pushed back from October to December.

JFK removed

Meanwhile, Air Canada has permanently removed Toronto–New York JFK and Montreal–New York JFK from its schedule after previously suspending the routes between June and October

“Air Canada regularly reviews its schedule to ensure capacity is aligned with customer demand and seasonal travel patterns,” airline spokeswoman Angela Mah told the Canadian Press. 

(Mah also told the outlet that Air Canada plans to return to JFK at some point in the future).

Air Canada still retains a strong foothold in New York through Newark Liberty and LaGuardia, giving travellers alternate ways into the region while maintaining broader network connectivity.

U.S. reduction

Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat all reduced their U.S. summer schedules earlier this year as soaring jet fuel costs linked to the conflict in Iran squeezed the profitability of some transborder routes.

Canada and the United States also continue to navigate a critical trade conflict, which has impacted cross-border tourism.

Statistics Canada figures show air travel from the U.S. continued to soften, with fewer than 462,000 Canadians returning by air this past May — down 28 per cent from May 2024.

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