On Location: Ready, set, Shanghai! Air Canada revives YYZ service; visa-free China fuels demand

This story was updated on Wednesday, June 3 at 12:55 p.m. EST. 

Ready, set, Shanghai!

After a six-year hiatus, Air Canada marked its return of non-stop flights from Toronto to Shanghai on Wednesday (June 3) with a celebratory gate event at Toronto Pearson airport's Terminal 1.

The new service to China’s biggest city and financial hub will operate year-round and depart Toronto on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 12:45 p.m. EST.

PAX is joining Air Canada, the China National Tourist Office, and travel advisors on the inaugural 15.5-hour (full) flight today, and will be exploring Shanghai (as well as Beijing, Tangshan and Chengde) this week to showcase some of mainland China’s must-sees.  

“Air Canada’s diversified, international network is one of the furthest reaching from the North American continent. Centered around three global hubs in Canada's largest cities, Air Canada continues to offer customers a rich array of destinations to explore across all six inhabited continents,” said Air Canada’s Mark Galardo, executive vice president and chief commercial officer & president, cargo, in a statement shared with PAX ahead of Wednesday's inaugural.

"The return of Air Canada's non-stop service between Toronto and Shanghai reflects a continued commitment to providing a seamless, comfortable travel experience between North America's East Coast and the Asia-Pacific region.”

“From our global hub at Toronto Pearson, Air Canada is the only carrier to link North America's East Coast to Osaka, and with the return of Shanghai, proudly becomes the second North American and only Canadian carrier to link the continent's East Coast non-stop to China.”

“Complementing our daily flights from Vancouver to Shanghai, our Toronto to Shanghai service provides even more options to travel to and from one of Asia's leading metropolitan areas."

Air Canada customers at Toronto Pearson can also access Air Canada’s award-winning Signature Suite (voted the World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining at the 2025 Skytrax Awards), concierge service, and three Maple Leaf Lounges and two Air Canada Cafes.

“We look forward to welcoming our customers onboard our flights,” said Galardo.

“The demand for this market is clear"

“The demand for this market is clear,” said Carl Jones, head of aviation business development at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), at Wednesday’s ceremony, which was held at Gate E80.

“Last year alone, more than 155,000 passengers travelled between Toronto and Shanghai, with no direct service. So, we're very excited about the potential future growth of this market with Air Canada.”

With more than 1.8 million Canadian residents of Chinese origin, the Canada-China market is “extremely important” to the airline, added David Rheault, vice president, government and community relations at Air Canada.

“Despite operational challenges, including the prohibition of Russia overflight, we remain committed to serving this market and increasing our footprint,” Rheault said Wednesday.

This summer, Air Canada will operate 18 weekly flights between Canada and China countries, noted Rheault.

The Toronto-Shanghai route will be operated by a 298-seat Boeing 787-9, which features three classes of service, including Signature Class.

“It's a long flight – 15 and a half hours – but today, with favourable wind, we might be able to do that within 15 hours,” Rheault said at Wednesday’s event. “It’s a long nap.”

The new service will also play an important role in strengthening economic relations and increasing trade and cooperation.

“China is Canada's second-largest trading partner. This flight will provide access direct access to one of the world's largest markets, creating more opportunities for Canadian businesses and supporting our country's trade diversification objectives," Rheault said. 

According to Statistics Canada, last year, over 350,000 Chinese residents visited Canada. 

"They spent over $1 billion in tourism expenditure in Canada," said Rheault. “We look forward to facilitating the growth of these numbers." 

Visa-free entry for Canadians

The trip is timely as Canadians can now travel to China without a visa for tourism, business or transit for up to 30 days.

The policy, announced in February, is currently in effect until December 31, 2026.

“China's visa-free policy is drawing global visitors eager to explore its unique blend of history, culture, and innovation, and expressed stronger willingness to expand tourism cooperation,” Barbara Huang, office manager at the China National Tourist Office in Toronto, told PAX.

Referring to Canadian travel agency data, the number of Canadians wanting to travel to China “has boomed,” Huang said.

“Following the introduction of the new visa policy, many tourists have transitioned from first-time visitors to regular re-visitors, broadening their travels from major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai to more off-the-beaten-path destinations,” she said.

Data from China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) showed that cross-border trips made by foreigners surged 82.9 per cent from a year ago to 64.88 million in 2024.

More than 20 million inbound foreign trips were made visa-free, marking a year-on-year increase of 112.3 percent.

China's visa exemption policy started in December 2023, when it started piloting its unilateral visa-free policy for France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.

Now, it allows ordinary passport holders from 50 countries including Canada) to visit the country for up to 30 days without a visa.

The rebound continued into 2025, when immigration authorities reported more than 30 million inbound visits under visa-free arrangements alone, accounting for the majority of foreign entries, reports the NIA.

“A vital bridge”

The return of Air Canada’s Toronto-Shanghai service reinforces “shared strong ties” in trade, education, culture, and innovation between the two cities, Huang said.

“It is not only the reopening of a vital bridge connecting two world-class cities and countless families, students, tourists, and business communities, but it also brings people closer together, supports economic growth, promotes tourism, and creates new opportunities for collaboration,” Huang said.

“We believe this resume directly flight between Toronto and Shanghai will encourage greater exchange in business, education, technology, and cultural understanding between Canada and China.”

Stay tuned for more of PAX’s on-the-ground coverage of Air Canada’s new service to Shanghai and the latest on tourism in China!

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