As Air Canada seeks to emerge from the pandemic era and forge a stronger trans-border relationship with United Airlines, it is adding two new routes to United hubs.
Air Canada Adds Two New Routes To United Hubs
Starting on December 16, 2022, Air Canada will launch a pair of new routes, one in the east and one in the west:
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) ⇄ Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Vancouver International Airport (YVR) ⇄ Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
The routes will operate daily according to the following schedule:
YHZ-EWR
| Flight | Route | Departs | Arrives | Frequency |
| AC8670 | Halifax-Newark | 11:45 am | 1:04 pm | Daily |
| AC8669 | Newark-Halifax | 1:45 pm | 4:35 pm | Daily |
A Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 will be used for this route, operated by Air Canada Express.
YVR-IAH
| Flight | Route | Departs | Arrives | Frequency |
| AC1300 | Vancouver-Houston | 8:45 am | 3:08 pm | Daily |
| AC1301 | Houston-Vancouver | 4:30 pm | 7:15 pm | Daily |
An Airbus A220 will be used for this route. I reviewed this aircraft earlier this year in business class from Montreal (YUL) to Los Angeles (LAX).
Addressing the strategy for these new routes, Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s Senior Vice President of Network Planning and Revenue Management, explained:
“With these new routes from Halifax and Vancouver, Air Canada is meeting demand in these important markets and building on our strengthened trans-border partnership with United Airlines to solidify our leadership in the Canada-U.S. market.
“These routes will give customers in Atlantic and Western Canada more convenient options for flying to the U.S. They will reinforce the already strong links between Atlantic Canada and New York, while for customers in Western Canada they will provide more options for reaching destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean through United Airlines’ Houston hub. They will also facilitate many new one-stop connections from the U.S. onto Air Canada’s extensive domestic and global network.”
I’m frankly surprised these routes have not operated in the past, though the use of the 74-seat, single-cabin Dash 8-Q400 on the YHZ-EWR route (613 miles) suggests a limited demand, at least in the winter months.
CONCLUSION
Air Canada will launch two new rather boring routes this winter, but in doing provide greater connectivity to United Airlines destinations around the world (and vice-versa, to an extent). I am happy to see the relationship between United and Air Canada grow and hope it will deepen further.
images: Air Canada
Boring is in the eye of the beholder. Pre Covid, United flew three direct flights per day YHZ – EWR. Delta and AA also offered direct flights to LGA on occasion over the years as well. As someone who flew YHZ to NYC several times, it was always full. Needing extra personnel elsewhere and with limited travel during the pandemic, United suspended the route. Now, Nova Scotians can take the short 2 hour flight direct to Newark once again. I’ll be booking soon.
UAL did operate these two routes prior to COVID.
Makes sense from an airline alliance perspective. YHZ is a focus city for AC if I remember correctly.
It’s nice to see flights returning post their pandemic absences from their previous routes. I’m happy to know that Air Canada is using a220 to Vancouver, BC. Thanks for the information.
Canada has limited Canada US traffic. Part of the problem is that Canada has a worse business environment. The wealth in Vancouver and Toronto is largely rich immigrants buying property and brining money in, as well as red tape and bad zoning bylaws that make property expensive for all. (this is why bad Canadian laws to make it tough on foreign buyers has not lowered prices on property).
This is why I was a little surprised at the YVR-IAH route. Then when reading more than the headlines, I see that it’s only an A220. See how this is a sorry situation? YVR-IAH can only support one A220 flight per day but PDX and SEA support many flights to IAH. Further evidence that Justin Trudeau is an idiot for ruining his country. Make no mistake, I love Vancouver. So much so that I moved there.
Biden should strike a deal with Putin and let him have eastern Ukraine in exchange for his support of the US takeover of Kingston, Ontario to Vancouver Island to the Arctic. That area is rightfully America (remember the 1800’s slogan 54-40 {latitude} or fight?) and needs to be denazified and de-Justinize by an American special military operation. OK, maybe not this last paragraph.