MONTREAL- Air Canada (AC) will suspend five cross-border routes to the United States (US) for the Winter 2025–26 season.
The airline confirmed service cuts from major Canadian hubs, including Toronto (YYZ), Montreal-PET (YUL), and Vancouver (YVR), to five U.S. destinations: Detroit (DTW), Indianapolis (IND), Minneapolis (MSP), Nashville (BNA), and Tampa (TPA).
Air Canada Cancels 5 US Routes
Montreal-based Air Canada (AC) is adjusting its transborder operations by discontinuing select routes that connect secondary U.S. cities to key Canadian airports. These changes reflect broader trends in demand and route optimization across the airline’s network, enilria flagged.
The affected routes include:
- Montreal-PET (YUL) – Detroit (DTW)
- Montreal-PET (YUL) – Minneapolis (MSP)
- Toronto (YYZ) – Indianapolis (IND)
- Vancouver (YVR) – Nashville (BNA)
- Vancouver (YVR) – Tampa (TPA)
These cancellations come ahead of the 2025–26 winter schedule and are expected to take effect in September or October 2025.
While some routes were originally seasonal, their early discontinuation signals a shift in Air Canada’s network planning strategy.
Route Details and Operational Context
Montreal-PET (YUL) – Detroit (DTW)
This route saw an average of 4 daily flights between June and September 2025, with a combined weekly seat capacity nearing 2,100. Air Canada operated this route primarily using CRJ-900 aircraft, alongside Delta Air Lines (DL) with CRJ-700 and CRJ-900 jets.
Montreal-PET (YUL) – Minneapolis (MSP)
Service between Montreal and Minneapolis was operated by both Air Canada and Delta, averaging just over 2 daily flights and seating 223 passengers per day in June. This relatively low frequency likely contributed to its removal.
Toronto (YYZ) – Indianapolis (IND)
Averaging 1.5 daily flights in June and dropping to 1.0 by September, this route was exclusively served by Air Canada using CRJ-900 aircraft. The declining frequency and limited capacity (under 120 daily seats) suggest that low demand played a role in the decision.
Western Canada Routes Face Cuts
Vancouver (YVR) – Nashville (BNA)
Despite averaging 6 weekly flights and over 1,000 seats per month during summer 2025, this route will be dropped. It was jointly operated by Air Canada and WestJet (WS), both using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The presence of two carriers may have fragmented demand, limiting profitability.
Vancouver (YVR) – Tampa (TPA)
This route was unique as there was no historical record of service before 2025. Introduced recently, it averaged only 3 weekly flights and under 500 seats per month. Low demand, combined with its newness, likely contributed to its early exit from the network.
While no official market demand data has been released for these routes, broader trends may be influencing Air Canada’s decisions. Many Canadian travelers, particularly snowbirds, are selling Florida properties, potentially reducing winter travel demand to Florida cities like Tampa.
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