Air Canada has big plans for summer 2024, including a new year-round route from Montreal to Madrid and several other expansions to Europe and Asia. Next summer, the airline also plans to operate 100% of its peak summer 2019 transatlantic capacity.

Adding a new Spain route

Air Canada announced it would launch a new route from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport. This will be the first time Air Canada will connect the two cities, but Air Transat has flown the route since May 2006. Notably, Air Canada will be the only airline operating the route year-round.

According to data from Cirium, Air Canada's flights will launch on May 1, 2024, and will operate four times weekly. The Canadian airline will deploy the smallest variant of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the 787-8, with 255 seats, on the 3,460-mile route. The outbound flight will operate as AC834, departing Montreal at 20:30 and arriving in Madrid at 09:40 +1. The return leg, with the first flight on May 2, will leave Madrid at 13:15 and arrive in Montreal at 15:20.

Click here for Montreal - Madrid flights.

Europe increases for summer 2024

In addition to launching the Montreal - Madrid route, Air Canada announced the expansion of several routes to Europe. Air Canada is increasing its services from Montreal to Athens, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Casablanca, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Milan, Nice, Rome, and Venice. From Toronto, services will increase to Athens, Brussels, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London, Manchester, Rome, and Venice.

From Montreal, Amsterdam will be served daily from March 30, 2024, with the Boeing 787-8 and 787-9. Copenhagen flights will begin earlier next year, from May 2, also on the 787-8 and 787-9. Milan will have daily service from June to September on the Airbus A330-300. Rome will have nine weekly flights on the Boeing 777-300ER and 787-9 between May and September.

Click here for Montreal - Rome flights.

Athens flights from Toronto will increase to daily from May to October, using the Boeing 777-300ER. Brussels will have an earlier restart on May 1, 2024, and Barcelona will be served daily from May to October. Air Canada will fly to Copenhagen daily between May and September, deploying the 787-8 and -9. London, one of the most important cities for international travel, will have four daily flights from Air Canada. Farther south, Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, will have daily service from April to October.

Analyzing the Spain - Canada market in May 2024

According to data from Cirium, only three carriers have scheduled flights between the two countries next May: Air Canada, Air Transat, and WestJet. Between the three, there are 238 flights in both directions. Air Canada has the largest market share with 142 flights, Air Transat has 80, and WestJet has 16.

Though Air Canada has the largest market share, it only has three routes to Spain, two from Toronto and one from Montreal. From Toronto, the Canadian flag carrier will fly to Madrid and Barcelona and from Montreal to Madrid. Air Transat has four routes, three from Montreal and one from Toronto. Air Transat will fly from Montreal to Barcelona, Madrid, and Malaga and from Toronto to Barcelona. WestJet will fly from Calgary to Barcelona.