
Air Canada has announced new transborder routes to 4 major U.S. cities – New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC – and increased daily flights to Montréal and Ottawa.
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Beginning in Spring 2026, Air Canada will launch new, non-stop return service four-times-daily to New York’s LaGuardia Airport, three-times-daily to Boston Logan International Airport, twice-daily to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and daily to Washington Dulles International Airport.
The start of transborder services from Billy Bishop will follow the opening of U.S. Customs Pre-Clearance at the island airport, a convenience for customers flying to U.S. airports from Canada that allows them to clear U.S. customs before departure. In addition, beginning in January 2026, Air Canada will expand its daily services in Canada’s busiest domestic travel corridors by increasing the frequency of return flights to Montréal to nine from eight, and to six from four to Ottawa.
Air Canada’s new services from Toronto Island airport to New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport will begin in Spring 2026. With return service up to four times daily, the new routes will make it convenient to travel between the core of Canada’s financial capital and these major American markets for a quick business trip or more extended visit. All flights are operated as Air Canada Express, by Air Canada’s regional partner Jazz Aviation LP, using a 78-seat, De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft.
Increased service to Montréal, Ottawa
In January 2026, Air Canada will add new daily flights from Toronto Island in the popular and heavily travelled Eastern Triangle of Canada. This includes an additional flight to Montréal, bringing the service to nine return flights daily. Between the island and Ottawa, the carrier is adding two frequencies to bring to six the number of total daily return trips to the nation’s capital from Billy Bishop.
The Billy Bishop travel experience
Beginning in October 2025, Air Canada was the first airline to offer fast, free Wi-Fi in-flight to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport travellers. The industry-leading service provides high-quality Internet to give customers gate-to-gate connectivity and non-stop access to productivity tools while travelling on Air Canada Express flights to and from the city airport on some of the most popular business travel routes in Canada and next year to the U.S. It is the first time Wi-Fi has been made available on a De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft type anywhere in the world.
Full cabin redesign on Dash 8
A full cabin redesign will soon be commenced on 25 De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft operated for Air Canada Express by Jazz. The program includes:
Twenty-five Dash 8-400 operated for Air Canada Express by Jazz will be equipped with next generation, well-padded, ergonomic reclining seats from Expliseat. The seats will feature new branding and design language expressed through the seat’s dress cover. All seats will include a seatback multi-use device holder for tablets and phones, as well as a table tray. The installation of the new seating has an expected completion date for the program in mid-2026. Each aircraft will have 78 seats, and pitch will be unchanged.
The cabins of these same 25 Dash 8-400s will be upgraded to a new standard reflective of Air Canada ’s mainline aircraft interiors. The design incorporates colours, textures and tones of those found in Canadian nature, reinforcing Air Canada’s pride in being the nation’s flag carrier.
