Air Canada Links with United to Expand Vital Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal Routes

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Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal might receive better connectivity by air to the USA as Air Canada and United Airlines apply for approval of an expanded transborder joint business agreement. The expanded agreement includes ten extra pairs of Canada-US cities which will provide the carriers with the possibility to coordinate schedules, pricing, marketing, and capacity on these routes. The news can benefit tourists, business travellers, and passengers who make transfers in major aviation hubs in North America. The proposal, made public on October 16, 2026, was filed with Canada’s Minister of Transport under the Canada Transportation Act. A public interest review process by Transport Canada is going to analyse the proposed modifications to evaluate their impact on the economy and competition in the market. The expanded agreement is based on a cooperation established back in July 2022. Over the past year, the carriers have added 20 new routes and state that their cooperation resulted in over five million extra transborder seats. Currently, their combined network provides more than 1,200 interline flights between Canada and the USA.

Ten City Pairs Proposed for Joint Venture Expansion

The proposed amendment covers routes connecting major Canadian gateways with important American business and tourism destinations. These city pairs are currently excluded from the joint venture’s coordinated operations.

The 10 proposed additions are:

The proposed inclusion would allow the airlines to coordinate commercial activities across these markets, subject to regulatory approval. It does not mean that all 10 routes are newly launched non-stop services.

For travellers, the network covers several important destinations. New York provides access to international attractions, business districts and cultural destinations. Washington, D.C., connects visitors with the Smithsonian museums, National Mall and major government institutions. Chicago offers access to its architecture, museums and waterfront, while San Francisco serves as a gateway to California’s coastal destinations.

Toronto’s connections with Denver and Houston are also relevant to travellers seeking access to the Rocky Mountains, Texas and wider American domestic networks.

Six New Routes Announced for Summer 2027

Alongside the joint venture application, both airlines have announced six new or expanded seasonal transborder services for summer 2027.

Air Canada will introduce three routes connecting Canadian cities with American destinations:

• Toronto-Louisville: Service scheduled to begin on April 28, 2027, initially increasing to daily operations in May.
• Montreal-Indianapolis: New non-stop service scheduled from June 1, 2027.
• Edmonton-Newark: Four weekly flights scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027.

United Airlines will introduce three additional services:

• Newark-St. Johns: Daily seasonal flights.
• Denver-Ottawa: New service connecting Colorado with Canada’s capital.
• Denver-Quebec City: A new connection between Colorado and Quebec.

Air Canada will also increase capacity between Edmonton and San Francisco by deploying larger Airbus A220 aircraft.

These announcements provide more immediate travel developments than the proposed 10-city-pair regulatory expansion, although individual operating schedules remain subject to airline updates.

Air Canada and United’s Growing Share of Transborder Travel

The partnership already represents a substantial share of scheduled passenger capacity between Canada and the United States.

According to Cirium flight schedule data reported by Travel Weekly, the airlines jointly accounted for 57.5 per cent of total US-Canada seat capacity in July 2026.

The following figures outline the scale of their existing cooperation:

Sources: Air Canada and United Airlines announcements, and Cirium data reported by Travel Weekly. The seat and passenger figures represent different measurements.

The airlines’ combined seat capacity increased by 21.5 per cent between July 2022 and July 2026, compared with 21.6 per cent growth across the overall US-Canada market during the same period.

Transport Canada Opens Public Interest Assessment

Transport Canada received the airlines’ application to renew and expand their existing joint business arrangement on October 16, 2026.

The department has opened a public interest assessment running until November 15, 2026. The review will consider the economic benefits of the proposed arrangement, its implications for Canadian travellers and businesses, and its potential impact on competition.

Under the existing agreement, Air Canada and United can coordinate flight schedules, ticket prices, marketing, sales and revenue management on eligible transborder routes. The proposed amendment would extend these arrangements to additional city pairs.

The regulatory assessment is particularly relevant because the airlines already hold a substantial share of the Canada-US passenger market. The review will examine whether the expanded cooperation serves the public interest while maintaining competitive conditions for other airlines.

Until approval is granted, the proposed extension cannot be treated as an authorised expansion of the joint venture.

Tourism Connectivity Across Canada and the United States

It is not just business travellers who can benefit from the wider network. Cities like Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, and Quebec in Canada, for instance, will offer access to the nation’s cultural sites, heritage zones, national parks, and other tourist spots. In America, there are Louisville, which can cater to Kentucky’s heritage and cultural sights; Indianapolis, catering to tourists in Indiana; and Newark, offering access to the larger New York metropolis. Moreover, the over 1,200 integrated connecting itineraries provide further opportunities to combine domestic trips in Canada and America using the networks of the two carriers. The new summer 2027 destinations are set to provide increased connectivity between Canadian cities and American cities.