Air Canada is set to launch daily flights from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to four U.S. destinations, including New York, Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. The airline plans to commence four daily round-trip flights to New York LaGuardia in March 2026, followed by the introduction of three daily flights to Boston Logan, two to Chicago O’Hare, and one to Washington Dulles during the summer.
This move by Air Canada signifies an escalation in the competition between the airline and Porter Airlines, which currently operates in the same American cities from Billy Bishop. The new routes are made possible by the imminent opening of U.S. customs pre-clearance at the Toronto Island airport, revealed Roelof-Jan Steenstra, CEO of PortsToronto, during a recent press conference. The pre-clearance facility is expected to open in the upcoming months, allowing passengers to clear U.S. customs before boarding while still on Canadian soil.
The expansion of services comes at a time when Canadian travel to the U.S. is declining. Statistics Canada data from September shows a significant 27.1% decrease in Canadian residents returning from the U.S. by air compared to the previous year. In response to this trend, airlines like Air Canada have adjusted their U.S. route capacities or temporarily suspended certain flights. The U.S. ambassador to Canada has even hinted at the potential need to reassess airport pre-clearance procedures due to the decreasing numbers.
In addition to the new U.S. routes, Air Canada also announced an increase in the frequency of two domestic routes, with an additional daily flight to Montreal and two more to Ottawa. These routes will be serviced by 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft, as per the airline’s statement.