In late June 2023, Air Canada announced the upcoming launch of a new route from Montreal to Madrid. The original departure date was scheduled for June 2024; however, the launch has now been pushed forward to May 2024 instead.
The airline has also announced its Summer 2024 international schedule, which will see an increase in service on many routes that cross the Atlantic from its two primary hubs in Montreal and Toronto.
Notably, the planned schedule marks a return to 100% of Air Canada’s peak Summer 2019 transatlantic capacity.
Air Canada’s New Montreal – Madrid Route
Air Canada has updated the details of the launch of its new year-round route from Montreal (YUL) to Madrid (MAD), which is now set to begin next May after originally being scheduled to launch in June 2024.
The exact date the airline plans to begin this route has yet to be released, as the flights weren’t loaded in the airline’s schedule at the time of writing.
The new route that will connect Montreal with Madrid complements the existing year-round service between Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and Madrid (MAD).
The flight times on the Montreal (YUL) – Madrid (MAD) route are as follows:
- AC834 Montreal (YUL) to Madrid (MAD), departing 8:30pm and arriving 9:40am the next day, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- AC835 Madrid (MAD) to Montreal (YUL), departing 1:15pm and arriving 3:20pm, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
Air Canada will fly its three-cabin Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft on the route, with economy, premium economy, and a business class cabin with its Signature Class lie-flat seats available to passengers.
Once the flights are loaded into Air Canada’s schedule, they’ll be available to be booked with cash and Aeroplan points.
Air Canada Increases Transatlantic Capacity from Montreal & Toronto
Air Canada has made increases in frequency to transatlantic destinations from its primary hubs in Montreal (YUL) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ). These capacity increases are in addition to the route expansion from Vancouver (YVR) announced earlier this year.
The following routes departing Montreal (YUL) will see increases in service in Summer 2024, as compared to the Summer 2023 schedule:
- Athens (ATH): Four weekly flights in April, changing to daily service between May and October
- Amsterdam (AMS): Service begins on March 30, 2024, increasing to daily service
- Barcelona (BCN): Four weekly flights in April, five weekly flights in May, and six weekly flights from June to October
- Casablanca (CMN): Six weekly flights between June and September
- Copenhagen (CPH): Earlier seasonal start on May 2, 2024
- Lisbon (LIS): Four weekly flights in April, five weekly flights between May and October
- Milan (MXP): Daily service between June and September
- Nice (NCE): Five weekly flights between June and September
- Rome (FCO): Nine weekly flights from May to September
- Venice (VCE): Three weekly flights from June to October
The following routes departing Toronto Pearson (YYZ) will see the following increases in service in Summer 2024 as compared to the Summer 2023 schedule:
- Athens (ATH): Three weekly flights as of April, changing to daily service between May and October
- Barcelona (BCN): Four weekly flights in April, five weekly flights in May, and six weekly flights from June to October
- Brussels (BRU): Earlier seasonal start on May 1, 2024
- Copenhagen (CPH): Daily service between May and September
- Edinburgh (EDI): Earlier seasonal start on March 1, 2024 (operates from March to January)
- Lisbon (LIS): Daily service between April and October
- London (LHR): Four daily flights from April to October
- Manchester (MAN): Six weekly flights between June and September
- Rome (FCO): 12 weekly flights from May to September
- Venice (VCE): Four weekly flights from June to October
Conclusion
Air Canada has updated the launch of a new year-round route that’ll connect Montreal (YUL) with Madrid (MAD), which is now set to begin in May 2024. This route will complement the existing year-round service between Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and Madrid (MAD).
The airline will also increase the frequency on many of its transatlantic routes for the Summer 2024 season, which marks a return to 100% of Air Canada’s peak Summer 2019 transatlantic capacity.
These route announcements come shortly after Air Canada cancelled six routes from Calgary (YYC) just last week, and in addition to the expansion of service from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) announced earlier this year.
Hi TJ, I booked 2 Aeroplan reward tix from YOW – BCN for March 2024 in mid-May this year, only 57. K + CA $66 per tix in J , one way. I don’t know if it was a computer glitch. The only day with the lowest reward. For the rest of March and April 2024, the reward points for J class were ‘off the roof’, between 99 K – 120 K. Lucky me I guess 🙂
lesson learned: Search early as possible, and one may find a good reward.
That’s a great deal! They certainly are out there, but they’re just harder to find. Enjoy!