Air Canada Vacations adds Intrepid to booking platform

Air Canada Vacations and Intrepid Travel have teamed up to bring the adventure operator’s small-group trips to the vacation company’s booking platform and travel advisor network.

Starting this week, eight Intrepid itineraries in Canada will be available through Air Canada Vacations, giving travellers the ability to combine an Intrepid adventure with flights in a single booking.

The partnership launches as Intrepid reports strong growth in the Canadian market. The company says bookings in Canada are up 26 per cent year over year in 2026, making Canada its fastest-growing market globally this year.

“This relationship is happening at the right time and place. Experience-rich travel is becoming increasingly important to Canadians” said Nino Montagnese, vice president, Air Canada Vacations, in a statement.

“Intrepid has built its reputation on creating meaningful, locally led experiences that go beyond the traditional tourist itinerary, and that's exactly the kind of travel we want to bring to more Canadians.”

Eight Canadian itineraries at launch

The initial collection puts the spotlight on domestic travel, with experiences spanning the Rocky Mountains, Eastern Canada, Newfoundland and the Maritimes.

The eight itineraries are Classic Canadian Rockies, Grand Canadian Rockies, Eastern Canada by Rail, Newfoundland Adventure East, The Maritimes: Nova Scotia, Newfoundland West, Best of Canadian Maritimes, and The Maritimes: Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick.

The focus comes as domestic tourism continues to grow. Canadians made 69.1 million trips within the country during the first quarter of 2026, up 2.3 per cent year over year, according to Statistics Canada.

“Air Canada Vacations is one of Canada's most trusted travel brands, with an incredible reach across the country, and together we have an opportunity to introduce more Canadians to the depth and diversity of their own backyard,” said Christian Wolters, president, Canada, Intrepid Travel, in a statement.

“Canada is becoming a bigger destination for Canadians. We want to show them that they don't have to travel far to find a big adventure.”

Intrepid’s Meaningful Travel Index, based on a national survey of 2,000 Canadians, also points to growing interest in locally connected travel. According to the research, 84 per cent of respondents said it is important that their travels positively impact local people and places, while 81 per cent said a guided tour led by a local expert helps them connect more deeply with a destination than exploring independently.

What it means for advisors

For Canadian travel advisors, the partnership creates another channel for selling Intrepid product.

Advisors will be able to package an Intrepid itinerary with a flight through Air Canada Vacations’ booking journey, bringing the trip components together rather than requiring clients to arrange them separately.

Each itinerary follows Intrepid’s locally led, small-group format, with the itinerary, local expertise and logistics handled as part of the experience.

“Adventure today is less about extremes and more about access,” Wolters continued. “Traditionally, this style of travel has asked travellers to do more of the work themselves; finding the right places, navigating logistics and piecing the experience together. This partnership makes it easier to turn the desire for adventure into a trip, bringing Intrepid's small-group experiences into Air Canada Vacations' broader vacation booking journey.”

The new offering will also be showcased at Air Canada Vacations’ annual Dream Makers Product Roadshows, where advisors can learn more about the trips and how to book them.

Air Canada customers and Aeroplan Members will also be able to access the Intrepid trips through the new arrangement.

Aeroplan Members can earn points on the flight portion of their trip and redeem points for Intrepid trips offered through Air Canada Vacations.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.