Air Canada celebrates the 75th anniversary of its operations between France and Canada, marking over seven decades of continuous connection between Paris and Montreal – a historic route that remains one of the cornerstones of the company's transatlantic network today.
Air Canada introduced its services to France on 1 April 1951, extending its Montreal–Prestwick–London route to Paris. The first non-stop flight between Montreal and Paris followed on 15 May 1958. Since then, the company has continued to strengthen its presence, accompanying major developments in commercial aviation in France, from Orly Airport to the opening of Paris-Charles de Gaulle in 1974.
An essential carrier on the France-Canada route
This loyalty has paid off: Air Canada is now a major player on the Canada-France route, offering extensive connectivity between Paris and its hubs of Montreal and Toronto, as well as a growing network of regional direct links.
This positioning is again taking shape in 2026 for the summer season. Air Canada is offering several daily routes between Paris CDG and Montréal and Toronto. In many cases, Air Canada is also the only traditional carrier to offer flights to North America from regional cities. In addition to Lyon and Toulouse, which are served year-round with flights to Montréal, the Canadian airline is also offering a seasonal service to Nantes and Nice to the Quebec metropolis.
Beyond Canada, Air Canada also makes it easy to reach destinations such as Fort-de-France and Pointe-à-Pitre via its hubs, thereby strengthening connectivity between Canada and the French overseas territories.
This expanded presence is part of Air Canada’s international expansion strategy, with a transatlantic network among the largest in North America by 2026, and an increasing number of destinations served. Through its hubs in Montréal And in Toronto, Air Canada effectively offers passengers departing from France swift and efficient connections to over 180 destinations across the American continent, including in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Airbus A321XLR arrival in June
These routes are operated with a modern fleet, notably including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, offering a high-quality long-haul product. Air Canada will soon enhance this offering with the introduction of the Airbus A321XLR, with the first flight departing from France scheduled for 16 June 2026 between Toulouse and Montreal. The airline will thus become the first to regularly operate this aircraft in France.
The arrival of the A321XLR marks a new stage in Air Canada's development strategy, offering greater flexibility and paving the way for new route opportunities between France and Canada.
Jean-François Raudin, Country Sales Manager France Air Canada, stated: " For 75 years, Air Canada has played a vital role in bringing France and Canada closer together. This historic relationship with Paris and, more broadly, with France, is at the heart of our transatlantic network. Today, we are proud to offer the most extensive service between our two countries, as well as unparalleled connectivity to the entire American continent via our hubs. We continue to invest to meet growing demand, both in terms of destinations and quality of service. The introduction of the Airbus A321XLR and the development of our regional routes clearly illustrate our ambition to further strengthen connectivity between France and Canada for years to come.
