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Introduction

Air Canada is the country's flag carrier and its largest airline by fleet size and network reach. For travelers comparing Air Canada flights against other options, or searching for the cheapest Air Canada plane tickets, this guide breaks down everything from booking to boarding, including cabin classes, baggage allowances, the Aeroplan loyalty program, and Air Canada's place inside the Star Alliance network.

Planning to book Air Canada flights or plane tickets? This guide covers Air Canada codeshares, history, partner airlines, cabin classes, baggage rules, Aeroplan points, routes, and answers to the most common Air Canada questions. Whether you're looking at Air Canada flight booking options for a domestic hop between Toronto and Ottawa, or planning an itinerary that uses Air Canada flights with points, the sections below are organized so you can jump straight to what you need.

Air Canada at a Glance

A Brief History of Air Canada

Air Canada started as Trans-Canada Air Lines, founded by the Canadian government in 1936 to develop Canada’s first transcontinental air routes. The airline was renamed Air Canada in 1965. Since then, it has grown from a domestic airline into a global carrier serving six continents. Air Canada became a founding member of Star Alliance in 1997, alongside United Airlines, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and Scandinavian Airlines, which expanded its reach well beyond North America.

Today, the airline operates in two aligned units: Air Canada Rouge, its leisure-focused, lower-cost brand for sun and holiday routes, and Air Canada Express, which handles shorter regional connections through partner carriers.

Is Air Canada Part of Star Alliance?

Yes, Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance. This membership lets Aeroplan members earn and redeem miles across partner airlines such as United Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, ANA, and Thai Airways. This alliance gives eligible travelers access to partner lounges when flying on a qualifying fare or with elite status.

Air Canada Flight Partners and Codeshares

Beyond Star Alliance, Air Canada also holds its own flight partners and codeshare agreements, including:

• Cathay Pacific – shared routes connecting Canada to Hong Kong and beyond
• Etihad Airways – expanded connections into the Middle East
• China Southern Airlines – added reach across mainland China
• Virgin Australia – links Canadian gateways to Australian cities
• Central Mountain Air – regional Canadian connections

Where Does Air Canada Fly?

Air Canada’s network is centered at Toronto Pearson, along with major hubs in Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary. From these hubs, the airline connects Canada to the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, Oceania, and Africa, as well as seasonal vacation routes to the Caribbean and Central America.

If you're comparing what airlines fly to Canada more broadly, Air Canada remains the only carrier with a true coast-to-coast domestic network along with long-haul international flights. This is why it typically shows up first in searches for air canada airlines or air canada fly.

What Airlines Fly to Canada?

Canada is served by roughly 95 airlines offering direct international flights, though a handful of carriers operate the bulk of that capacity. Toronto Pearson and Montreal-Trudeau together handle more than half of all incoming international flights, led by Air Canada, WestJet, United Airlines, and Delta.

Canadian carriers:

• Air Canada – the flag carrier, with the largest domestic and international network
• WestJet – Calgary-based, Canada's second-largest airline and the leading low-cost option, serving 46+ domestic destinations
• Porter Airlines – regional carrier based at Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport, with growing transborder and U.S. routes
• Air Transat – Montreal-based leisure carrier focused on transatlantic and vacation routes
• Flair Airlines – ultra-low-cost domestic and transborder carrier

U.S. carriers flying to Canada:

• American Airlines – extensive coverage on routes such as New York–Toronto and Chicago–Toronto
• Alaska Airlines – primarily serves western gateways such as Seattle–Vancouver
• United Airlines – operates the most flights to Canada of any U.S. airline, heavily focused on hub-to-hub routes like Chicago–Toronto
• Delta Air Lines – strong on-time performance on transborder routes, serving Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary from multiple U.S. hubs

International long-haul carriers: Major global airlines including British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Singapore Airlines, and Turkey's carriers all operate scheduled long-haul service into Toronto and other Canadian gateways, connecting Canada to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Why Travelers Choose Air Canada

• Largest Canadian network – It offers more domestic Canadian routes than any other competing carrier.
• Star Alliance access – Passengers have broader mileage-earning and lounge network through the Star Alliance access.
• Modern long-haul fleet – Air Canada offers Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A330 aircraft on many international routes
• Multiple cabin tiers – Its fare options range from Basic Economy for budget travelers to Business Class Latitude for more comfort and flexibility. 
• Wi-Fi on board – Air Canada was the first Canadian airline to offer in-flight Wi-Fi on routes within Canada and to the U.S. and Mexico

Is Air Canada Good?

Air Canada carries a mixed but generally positive reputation among travelers. Independent traveler ratings generally score the airline well on crew friendliness and punctuality on many routes. However, Air Canada has more variable feedback on comfort, food, and handling of delays. For most large network carriers, the experience often depends heavily on aircraft type, route, and booked fare class.

Is Air Canada Safe?

Yes. Air Canada ranks as one of the top 25 safest full-service airlines globally. It also holds a strong 7-out-of-7 safety score from AirlineRatings.com. Air Canada mainly operates under Transport Canada's regulatory oversight and maintains a modern fleet mix that includes newer Boeing 787 and Airbus A220 aircraft. As a long-standing Star Alliance member and IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registered carrier, it follows the same internationally recognized safety and maintenance standards used across major global airlines.

Air Canada Ratings

Rating scores of Air Canada can vary and depend on which rating body you check and what that platform measures. Safety and product audits by different platforms score differently than crowd-sourced traveler reviews.

What Cabin Classes Does Air Canada Offer?

Air Canada provides Economy Class under several fare brands, including Plus Premium Economy and Business Class. Each of these fare bundles offers different baggage, mileage-earning, and flexibility rules to the passengers.

Economy Class Fare Options

• Basic – One carry-on bag is included. Checked bags cost extra, and tickets are usually non-refundable and non-changeable. 
• Standard – One carry-on bag is included, but checked bags cost extra. You’ll also earn fewer Aeroplan points than with higher fare options. 
• Flex – Adds one checked bag, advance seat selection, and a higher mileage-earning rate, as well as changes are permitted for a fee.
• Comfort – Includes a checked bag, advance seat selection, and a further boost in mileage earning versus Flex.
• Latitude – The most flexible Economy fare. It offers two checked bags, priority check-in and boarding, and the highest Economy mileage-earning rate.

Premium Economy

Premium Economy sits between Economy and Business Class. It offers wider and more reclinable seats, a dedicated cabin, priority check-in and boarding, complimentary meals, and two checked bags on most international routes.

Business Class

Air Canada's Business Class includes lie-flat seating on widebody routes, priority check-in, boarding and baggage handling, Maple Leaf Lounge access where available, and the highest Aeroplan mileage-earning rate across the airline's fare structure.

Onboard Amenities

• In-flight entertainment: Air Canada also provides seat-back screens on most mainline aircraft that offer movies, TV shows, and games, while some regional and Rouge aircraft rely on streaming to personal devices.
• Dining: Meal service of Air Canada is varies according to the cabin and route length. Premium Economy and Business Class passengers on international routes can typically request options including vegetarian, gluten-free, low-lactose, and kosher meals.
• Wi-Fi: It is available on the majority of mainline aircraft for flights within Canada and between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, with coverage above roughly 10,000 feet.

Aeroplan: Air Canada's Loyalty Program

Aeroplan is the frequent flyer program of Air Canada. Members of this programme can earn points on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and Star Alliance partner flights. These points can be redeemed for reward flights, seat upgrades, and other travel purchases. This is the program travelers usually mean when searching for Air Canada flights with points or an Air Canada reward flight.

How to join Aeroplan:

• Go to the Aeroplan sign-up page on aircanada.com.
• Enter your name, date of birth, and contact details.
• Confirm your account through the verification email.
• Start earning points on eligible flights and everyday purchases with partner brands.

Ways to use Aeroplan points:

Air Canada passengers can use Aeroplan points in the following ways:

• Book reward flights on Air Canada or Star Alliance partner airlines
• Upgrade an existing ticket to a higher cabin
• Add extra checked baggage
• Redeem for hotel stays and car rentals through partner listings

Comparison of Air Canada vs. Other Star Alliance and North American Carriers

Given below is the full comparison of Air Canada with other Star Alliance and North American Carriers:

Air Canada Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance of Air Canada is mainly depends on the fare purchased, route, and destination:

• Carry-on: One standard carry-on bag along with one personal item is offered on most fares
• Checked baggage: Ranges from zero free bags on Basic fares up to two free checked bags on Latitude, Premium Economy, and Business Class tickets.
• Weight and size limits: Checked bags usually have a 23 kg limit in Economy, while Premium Economy and Business Class allow more weight.
• Restricted items: Air Canada follows international aviation standards that prohibit firearms, explosives, and flammable or toxic substances in checked or carry-on baggage.

Always confirm exact limits for your fare and route on aircanada.com before flying, since allowances offered by Air Canada can change by season and destination.

How to Book, Manage, or Check In for an Air Canada Flight

• Search flights – Use the official website aircanada.com, the mobile app, or a travel search site to compare Air Canada plane tickets by date and route.
• Choose a fare – Select from Basic, Standard, Flex, Comfort, or Latitude in Economy, or move up to Premium Economy or Business Class.
• Book and pay – Complete air canada book flights online through the website or app, or through a travel agent.
• Manage your booking – Use Air Canada's Manage Booking tool to select seats, add baggage, or request meals after ticketing.
• Check in – Online check-in typically opens 24 hours before departure and closes roughly 2 hours prior for most flights. Passengers can download their boarding pass via the app or print it at an airport kiosk.

Air Canada Customer Service

Air Canada offers several support channels to their passengers:

• Phone support, with country-specific numbers listed on aircanada.com
• In-person counters at major hub airports
• The Air Canada mobile app for bookings, check-in, and real-time flight status
• Social media support channels for quick updates

For urgent same-day issues such as flight changes or cancellations, the Manage Booking tool and phone support are usually the fastest options.

Conclusion

Air Canada remains the dominant choice for travelers booking Air Canada flights across Canada and connecting to the rest of the world through its Star Alliance network. Between its tiered Economy fares, Premium Economy and Business Class cabins, and the Aeroplan program for earning and redeeming points. Air Canada offers options for almost every traveler, from short domestic flights to long-haul international trips. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to contact Air Canada customer service?

For Air Canada customer service, passengers can contact their support teams for any issues related to reservations, flight rescheduling, baggage, refunds, and travel policies. Passengers searching for the Air Canada customer service number can dial 1-866-455-0128 to resolve any travel-related queries.

2. What is Air Canada's carry-on size allowance?

Most fares allow one standard carry-on bag plus one personal item, subject to Air Canada's published size and weight limits, which are typically checked at the gate or during online check-in.

3. When are Air Canada plane tickets cheapest?

Fares tend to be lower during shoulder-season months and when booked several weeks ahead of travel. However, exact pricing depends on route, demand, and how far in advance you book.

4. Does Air Canada offer online check-in?

Yes. Online check-in generally opens 24 hours before departure and closes about 2 hours before the flight, with boarding passes available through the app, email, or airport kiosks.

5. What is the difference between Air Canada Economy fare types? 

Basic is the most restrictive and least expensive, while Standard, Flex, Comfort, and Latitude progressively add checked baggage, seat selection, flexibility, and higher Aeroplan mileage-earning rates.