Air Canada to Double Capacity from Billy Bishop with New Routes to 4 Major U.S. Cities

Air Canada has unveiled a major expansion at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport that will see its capacity from the urban airport double, with new transborder routes to four major U.S. cities and increased daily flights to Montréal and Ottawa. 

Beginning in Spring 2026, AC 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 enhanced service from YTZ will add more than 250,000 Air Canada seats from the island, and will follow closely in the wake of the soon-to-open U.S. Customs Pre-Clearance facility at Billy Bishop, enabling travellers 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.

“This is our most significant expansion at Toronto Island since Air Canada first served the airport 35 years ago,” said AC EVP and Chief Commercial Officer Mark Galardo. 

“The new transborder routes will especially benefit our loyal customers and business travellers by creating frequent and easy connections between the heart of Canada’s financial capital and the major markets of New York, Boston, Washington and Chicago.”

Air Canada, through regional operator Jazz Aviation, is also refreshing its regional fleet of Q400 aircraft, with refreshed interiors, free onboard Wi-Fi and new lightweight seats. Air Canada passengers will also enjoy complimentary onboard premium snacks, beer and wine, and exclusive access to the Aspire Air Canada Café for eligible domestic customers. 

“These exciting new services reflect Air Canada’s commitment to further elevate the customer experience at Billy Bishop Airport,” Galardo said. “Our flights are the only ones from Toronto Island to offer travellers the productivity tool of fast, free in-flight Wi-Fi and the comforts of the Aspire Air Canada Café, a quiet space for eligible domestic customers to work or recharge prior to their flight.”

It is notable that the launch of free onboard Wi-Fi this month by Air Canada marks the first time Wi-Fi has been made available on a De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft type anywhere in the world.

Asked why Air Canada is boosting service at a time when Canadian air travel to the U.S. has declined significantly, Galardo responded that there has been little erosion in business travel traffic between the two nations and the U.S. destinations selected are high-demand routes.

New Transborder Flight Schedule

All flights will be operated as Air Canada Express, by Air Canada’s regional partner Jazz Aviation LP, using 78-seat, De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft. Flights from Toronto Island (YTZ) to:

New York LaGuardia (LGA) begins March 29, 2026

Boston Logan (BOS) begins July 1, 2026

Chicago O’Hare (ORD) begins June 1, 2026

Washington Dulles (IAD) begins June 1, 2026

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.