For the final leg of my Air Canada journey, I flew from Montreal to Los Angeles onboard a brand new Airbus A220 in business class. The new aircraft is quite impressive, but the service onboard was even more impressive.
Air Canada Airbus A220 Business Class Review
My departure gate was right below the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge, allowing me to walk downstairs just moments before boarding began. The gate area was not crowded: it would be a light load to LA tonight.
Air Canada 783
Montreal (YUL) – Los Angeles (LAX)
Thursday, January 13
Depart: 6:15PM
Arrive: 9:34PM
Duration: 06hr, 19min
Distance: 2,474 miles
Aircraft: Airbus A220-300
Seat: 2A (Business Class)
Onboard, I was welcomed and found my seat in 2A. Usually I sit on the other side on flights to LAX so I can see downtown Los Angeles on approach, but I chose the other side because the entire side of the business class cabin was empty. Turned out there was a couple in the row in front of me, but the cabin went out less than half full.
Service
The star of the flight was Bianca, the flight attendant pictured below. She served the business class cabin on this flight and I leadoff this review with her because I think great service is truly what differentiates one flight or carrier from another. She addressed passengers by name, was attentive, courteous, and simply charming. Being present is half the battle and Bianca made frequent rounds through the cabin to ensure that each passenger was always comfortable.
Being proactive is such an asset and Air Canada should take pride in the superb service that Bianca offered on this flight. I’d rate my service as excellent on the entire trip, but Bianca was particularly excellent.
Seat
The Air Canada A220 seat is the same seat as the 737 MAX 8, which is the same as the premium economy seat on the 787-9 (there may be minor technical differences, but as a consumer I found them largely identical). Seat pitch is 37 inches, seat width is 21 inches, and a legrest is available on each seat (a separate footrest also flips down from the seat in front in rows 2-4).
A armrest flips up to reveal a headphone jack, USB-A rapid charger, and a universal power outlet. There’s also limited storage for personal items like a phone.
A small table separates the two seats which is small, but big enough for two drinks and nothing else.
The literature pocket can handle a laptop or tablet, but it will intrude into your legroom. There’s also a coat hook in each seat.
If you’re seated in a window seat, the IFE box does impede some of your legroom.
Air nozzles are present and a blue flight attendant call button is departed from the light switch, which makes a lot of sense considering the number of times I’ve accidentally pressed the call button when I intended to turn on the light.
In case you were wondering, economy class is arranged in a 2-3 configuration, reminding me of the MD-80:
In-Flight-Entertainment + Wi-Fi
Wireless internet was available for purchase and did function on this flight, at a cost of CA$11.25 for a flight pass, which I thought was a great deal for a six-hour flight.
Complimentary headphones were distributed and the the modern IFE system, with 15-inch screen, offered a library of movies, TV shows, games, music, a moving map, and even a list of all the beverages available.
I liked that on Air Canada’s newer aircraft, the IFE landing page is destination-specific. Here, various images of Los Angeles scrolled through:
There was also a city guide for LA available, which was very well-done (great coffee and restaurant recommendations – this was clearly written by someone who is familiar with Los Angeles).
I started watching a fascinating German movie called Nebenan (Next Door). Watching German movies helps my German improve and this movie was particularly well-done (most of it took place inside a Berlin bar).
Food + Drink
Dinner was served after takeoff, which inclued an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Air Canada still prints menu cards, but the menu is also posted online about 48 hours before departure, a wonderful feature that I wish U.S. legacy airlines would also offer.
Meal service began with a bag of almonds and choice of beverage. I ordered white wine, which was passable but not great (too sweet, even though it was a Riesling).
The appetizer was listed as a salad with Brussels sprout, pickled cauliflower, and tomatoes, however a simple mixed green salad was delivered (which I didn’t mind…I actually prefer it).
Main course choices were between a chicken breast covered in moqueca-style sauce (onions, tomatoes, mixed peers, coconut milk) and served with mixed vegetables and potations or cheese tortellini in a creamy garlic tomato sauce. I love cheese tortellini and wasn’t all that hungry, but thought I would try the Brazilian moqueca dish because I had never tried it before (on a plane or on the ground). It was a good choice: I feared the coconut milk would overpower it, but it did not. In fact, the tomato sauce was much stronger.
Also on the dinner tray was a warm bread roll and a slice of cheesecake. The menu listed the dessert as blueberry cheesecake, but I tasted no blueberries.
About an hour prior to landing, a snack was offered: a bag of Miss Vickies potato chips and a Lindt chocolate bar.
Lavatory
I thought the lavatory was well-designed, with room to actually move around. The sink and counter were rectangular, with the drainage system hidden behind the wall. That left room for your feet under the faucet.
The locking mechanism was also easier to slide than on older Airbus aircraft. An ashtray was also present…just in case, I suppose.
Flight Deck
After we landed in LA, Bianca (seeing that I had taken a lot of pictures during the flight) offered me the chance the visit the flight deck. The captain and first officer were very kind and controls look quite modern (a lot more glass than physical switches and buttons).
CONCLUSION
I enjoyed my A220 flight in business class on Air Canada business and would not hesitate to fly this aircraft again. The seat was comfortable (I slept for most of the flight, after all), food edible, IFE and internet functional, and most of all I enjoyed great service from Bianca and her colleagues.
My whirlwind trip on Air Canada, spanning four flights, three hubs, and six lounges in just over 24 hours, was over.
Read More of my O Air Canada – One Day, Three Hubs, Four Flights, Six Lounges Trip Report:
- Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)
- Air Canada 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Los Angeles – Vancouver
- Air Canada’s Genius Meal Service Concept
- Transborder Transit Experience In Vancouver
- Air Canada Domestic Maple Leaf Lounge Vancouver (YVR)
- Air Canada 787-9 Premium Economy Class Vancouver – Toronto
- Air Canada Café Toronto (YYZ)
- Air Canada Domestic Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto (YYZ)
- Air Canada A321 Business Class Toronto – Montreal
- Air Canada Domestic Maple Leaf Lounge Montreal (YUL)
- My Eerie Transborder Connection In Montreal
- Air Canada Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge Montreal (YUL)
- Air Canada A220 Business Class Montreal – Los Angeles
P.S. I’ve largely given this up (more on that in a future post…) but I did end this trip as I historically have done, with a lovely Double-Double animal style with French Fries at In-N-Out.
Great review. Every time I fly on the A220, I like it more. I have several Air Canada sectors on it coming up over the summer in business so let’s see how it compares. The shortest is YHZ-YYZ and the longest is YYZ-YVR so slightly shorter than yours.
We all have our traditions when arriving. Every time I arrive at Heathrow Terminal 3 from the US, as soon as I exit customs and immigrations, I sit down at the coffee shop immediately adjacent to that exit and have a americano coffee. I re-organize my wallet (US cash for pounds) and just get my mindset into my favorite city in the world before I head to the underground for a ride on the Piccadilly Line into central London. I am returning to London in April, and look forward to repeating this tradition.
What a great tradition! I wish you a lovely trip to London next month. It truly is a wonderful city.
Pre-pandemic I had to fly once in a while between NY and western canada. I compared AC business class vs DL first and decided to stick with AC. I just found the service in the AC front cabin more polished not only in terms of the flight attendants but it just felt like the overall package was thought through more. Delta removing Canada flights from Sky Club access was also a deal breaker for me in opting for AC given that I had to transfer.
A220 is just the branding. The plane was designed and built by Bombardier. Snot sure why you would be surprised that the lav door does not look/work like “older” Airbus planes.
That’s fair, but they are in the family now!
The meal looks pretty good. Not as good as your arrival In n Out meal though.
How were the fares when you booked these? It seems to me like fares have been crazy high the last few weeks, and are for the next month and a half. I fly UA between LAX and DEN every 10 days or so, and have been used to paying $80 per one way the past two years, but now everything is like $200+ one way through the next few months. Why is this? Is it cause of high prices, spring break, or just because they think they can charge that and people will buy it?
Really hoping to see fares go back down…
I’m worried fare prices will go the way of house prices and gas prices, creeping higher and higher, and people keep paying them, so the decreases are getting less and less. As a Canadian, we have had historically higher fares due to less population and density, and higher taxes, but I’ve noticed too that fares or points redemptions (which on Air Canada are dynamic demand-based) are through the roof. Hoping its just high demand because of revenge travel and it isn’t a trend that is here to stay. I don’t want to look at ULCCs if I don’t have to, but yikes!
My fare was about $450, but yes — I’ve noticed fares are really high. Paid a lot more for a Chicago – LA flight than I usually do. It’s not a good sign, but I think this is here to stay. We need numbers though to back it up, though I’m confident in saying our experiences are not just anecdotal anomalies.
hey Matthew – my wife and I recently took a very quick (22 hour) trip down from YVR to SNA and it was our first time flying business class on the A220. We had a great experience like you, and you are right about the service, it makes a big difference. Our FA, especially on the return flight, was absolutely excellent. We had enough room and were comfortable enough on that 2h45m flight that we hopped off feeling refreshed and ready for our whirlwind day at Disneyland.
I was also pleased to see they were back to printed menus, china, glassware and real cutlery, they served breakfast on the way over, which was a tasty frittata, and on the return flight the next day I had chicken korma for lunch and my wife had the ravioli – both were excellent, especially with the warm bread selection. I found it relatively quiet on the A220 and with the curtain closed, it felt like there were only 12 of us on the plane (well 11 actually). We were due to fly economy on the way home but I used my e-upgrades at the gate to bump us into business class since there were 2 seats available.
my only gripe with the seats were I found the chest height seatback pocket didn’t quite have the depth to hold anything except literature (which I guess that is what it is designed for, but the placement was much more convenient), and the foot-rest pedals sometimes interfered with the footrest in the seat if it was extended – I think I would rather do away with the foot-rest pedals altogether and have the extra legroom.
Our flights from YVR down the west coast to LAX/SNA/SFO/SAN have historically been on the ancient AC narrowbodies, but now with the MAX 8 to LAX and the A220 down to SNA,, this has made the difference between coming off the plane feeling cramped and tired to refreshed and dare I say energized. With our 20 minute Uber from John Wayne Airport to the Disneyland Guest drop-off, we were able to get through the gates at Disneyland by 12:30pm. Had the greatest Disneyland day ever last Friday, for what its worth! I will definitely look for the A22o or 737 MAX 8 routes and use e-ups to bump into business class going forward whenever possible.
Cool story! Glad you got the upgrades at the gate and had a great day at Disneyland. It wasn’t too crowded?
it wasn’t too bad – moderate crowds I would say. DL was much quieter in the afternoon because it was the first day of Food & Wine and a ton of people were in DCA lined up at the food booths which made attraction lines much shorter and standard F&B had non-existent lines. That being said, I’ll take a crowded day at Disneyland over a day at home any day.
“A small table separates the two seats which is small”
The small table was small? Whodathunkit…
“the menu is also posted online about 48 hours before departure, a wonderful feature that. Wish other airlines would also offer”
Some do, and even months in advance (like Lufthansa and ANA). Emirates used to publish route specific menus but now just offers “suggested” menus based on flight length (short, medium, and longhaul).
You’re right and I make use of it when flying on NH or LH. Wish US carriers would offer this on a more widespread basis (beyond HA). CO used to publish all menus online.
Most of my flights within the US and some overseas have been on AA and when booked in J the menu has always been available online 30-days prior to the flight and the main course can be pre-ordered so no sure about your critique that US airlines don’t provide menus in advance. And since you had the main course on both transcons (buying ex-YVR) you can see AC does have different offerings eastbound and westbound so on a round trip there is variety. And as I noted elsewhere, those are changed monthly for those who fly AC frequently. (Of course, the omelette remains constant will minor adjustments to the garnish…and in J will have a cold option…on overseas flights often a French toast or waffle/pancake hot option in addition to the omelette and cold plate.)
If you had been in J on the 787 red eye you’d also have received the standard AC overseas amenity kit.
@Matthew, great review! Did they get rid of sparkling wine? Pre-pandemic, they definitely sold splits in Y. Surprised that they don’t offer any in J on a transborder transcon…
IIRC, the ashtray is there so that there’s a safe place to dispose of cigarettes (or other stuff). If an idiot decides to light up, you don’t want them to flush it down the toilet or throw it in the trash…
Minor error: “a wonderful feature that. Wish other airlines would also offer.”
I believe sparkling wine was an option, but my memory is fuzzy in that regard (I seem to recall the couple in front of me ordering it).
they do offer sparkling wine – Bottega prosecco to be exact. The FA made me a very sparkling wine heavy mimosa for breakfast on the way down.
The ashtray in the bathroom is actually mandated by Transport Canada, originally required after the AC Flight 797 fire in 1983, but retained to have a secure place to dispose of cigarettes that passengers may light illegally.
Ok really dumb question but here goes:
“on a 2 / 3 layout (in Coach) is there an underfloor weight to offset the fact that 60% of the cross sectional weight is on one side of the aisle?
haha I kinda wondered that myself – they must offset it somehow – maybe they put all the chunkers on the left side of the plane.
Really doesn’t make much difference. You might notice the aisle is not centred, but is offset to one side, the extra weight of the third person is partly over the centre of the aircraft. If there ever is a lateral weight distribution variance inside the cabin, it is not appreciable, and it’s something a little bit of flight control trim could adjust for. It’s more forward/aft weight distribution that can cause issues. Sometimes passengers are asked to move forward or backwards in the cabin for takeoff to keep the aircraft inside the design envelope.
@Tony: Totally fair question. I have no idea. Maybe @121pilot knows?