{"version":"1.9","identifier":"8e48b5da-2798-4562-8847-5f4cdd388770","language":"en-US","title":"Air Canada's winter network: Quito, year-round Manchester and Copenhagen, and Calgary to Mexico","layout":{"columns":7,"width":1024,"margin":32,"gutter":20},"componentLayouts":{"text":{"columnStart":0,"columnSpan":7,"maximumContentWidth":720,"margin":{"top":12,"bottom":12}},"photo":{"columnStart":0,"columnSpan":7,"margin":{"top":20,"bottom":20}}},"componentTextStyles":{"default":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":18,"lineHeight":29,"textColor":"#171717"},"headline":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue-Bold","fontSize":36,"lineHeight":42,"conditional":[{"conditions":{"maxViewportWidth":480},"fontSize":28,"lineHeight":34}]},"intro":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":20,"lineHeight":28,"textColor":"#555555"},"caption":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":13,"lineHeight":19,"textColor":"#666666"},"byline":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":13,"lineHeight":20,"textColor":"#666666"},"body":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":18,"lineHeight":29,"paragraphSpacingAfter":14,"linkStyle":{"textColor":"#00704a"}}},"metadata":{"canonicalURL":"https://www.loungefrog.com/news/air-canada-winter-2026-quito-manchester-copenhagen-calgary-mexico","datePublished":"2026-10-07T01:50:11.464495Z","dateModified":"2026-10-14T23:43:12.01248Z","authors":["Patrick Karsh"],"excerpt":"Air Canada adds Quito from Montreal and Toronto in December, keeps Manchester and Copenhagen flying all winter on the A321XLR, and returns Calgary nonstops to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta.","thumbnailURL":"https://pub-fac99da959e344fe99d810d309cef7df.r2.dev/photos/article/8e48b5da-2798-4562-8847-5f4cdd388770/9e53238f6b2b88cf786d4f72f3f63739.jpg","generatorName":"Frog News","generatorVersion":"1.0"},"components":[{"role":"title","text":"Air Canada's winter network: Quito, year-round Manchester and Copenhagen, and Calgary to Mexico","textStyle":"headline","layout":"text"},{"role":"intro","text":"Air Canada adds Quito from Montreal and Toronto in December, keeps Manchester and Copenhagen flying all winter on the A321XLR, and returns Calgary nonstops to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta.","textStyle":"intro","layout":"text"},{"role":"byline","text":"By Patrick Karsh · Published October 7, 2026","textStyle":"byline","layout":"text"},{"role":"photo","URL":"https://pub-fac99da959e344fe99d810d309cef7df.r2.dev/photos/article/8e48b5da-2798-4562-8847-5f4cdd388770/9e53238f6b2b88cf786d4f72f3f63739.jpg","caption":"Air Canada business class cabin (context photo). · www.aircanada.com","accessibilityCaption":"Air Canada business class cabin (context photo).","layout":"photo"},{"role":"caption","text":"Air Canada business class cabin (context photo). · www.aircanada.com","textStyle":"caption","layout":"text"},{"role":"body","format":"markdown","text":"Air Canada's winter schedule starts in late October, and it brings several new options for travelers. The airline laid out the changes in [a January 28, 2026 announcement](https://www.aircanada.com/media/more-global-choices-more-cities-more-sunshine-next-winter-air-canada-adds-quito-more-europe-year-round-and-resumes-calgary-mexico-routes/). The biggest news is a new route to Quito, Ecuador. Two European routes from Toronto will also keep flying all year.\n\nHere is what changes, route by route, and where you can wait before you fly.\n\n## New: Quito from Montreal and Toronto\n\nQuito is the capital of Ecuador. Air Canada will fly there from two of its hubs:\n\n* **From Montreal:** three flights a week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday), from December 4, 2026 to March 26, 2027. Flight AC962 leaves at 5:40 p.m. and lands just after midnight.\n* **From Toronto:** one flight a week on Saturdays, from December 5, 2026 to March 20, 2027. Flight AC960 leaves at 5:55 p.m. and also lands just after midnight.\n\nReturn flights leave Quito at 9:00 a.m. AC963 reaches Montreal at 3:15 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. AC961 reaches Toronto at 3:10 p.m. on Sundays. Both routes use the Boeing 787-8 with three cabins: Signature Class, Premium Economy and Economy. Air Canada says the schedule is timed so passengers can connect in Toronto and Montreal to other parts of North America and to Europe.","textStyle":"body","layout":"text"},{"role":"photo","URL":"https://pub-fac99da959e344fe99d810d309cef7df.r2.dev/photos/article/8e48b5da-2798-4562-8847-5f4cdd388770/83b4e7a0caa021c715569303ef2f4612.jpg","caption":"Quito, Ecuador, which Air Canada serves from Montreal and Toronto from December 2026","accessibilityCaption":"Quito, Ecuador, which Air Canada serves from Montreal and Toronto from December 2026","layout":"photo"},{"role":"caption","text":"Quito, Ecuador, which Air Canada serves from Montreal and Toronto from December 2026","textStyle":"caption","layout":"text"},{"role":"body","format":"markdown","text":"## Manchester and Copenhagen go year-round\n\nToronto to Manchester and Toronto to Copenhagen used to be summer routes. Starting in late October 2026, both will fly all year. Air Canada is placing a base of Airbus A321XLR jets at Toronto Pearson to make this possible. It adds to an XLR base the airline had already announced for Montreal.\n\n* **Manchester:** four flights a week from October 25, 2026, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. AC908 leaves Toronto at 9:00 p.m. and lands at 9:00 a.m. The return, AC909, leaves Manchester at noon and lands in Toronto at 3:05 p.m.\n* **Copenhagen:** three flights a week from October 27, 2026, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. AC828 leaves Toronto at 9:15 p.m. and lands at 10:15 a.m. The return, AC829, leaves Copenhagen at 11:45 a.m. and lands at 2:45 p.m.\n\nThe XLR is a single-aisle plane, but it has 14 lie-flat Signature Class seats. Air Canada says it is the first narrow-body in its fleet with lie-flat seats. That makes an overnight flight to Europe on a smaller jet much more comfortable. [We covered the new XLR cabin separately](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/air-canada-glowing-hearted-cabins-a321xlr-787-10).\n\n[Manchester, England](https://pub-fac99da959e344fe99d810d309cef7df.r2.dev/photos/article/8e48b5da-2798-4562-8847-5f4cdd388770/004f2c928b66d8af41ad5dcd2f6c213c.jpg)\n[Copenhagen, Denmark](https://pub-fac99da959e344fe99d810d309cef7df.r2.dev/photos/article/8e48b5da-2798-4562-8847-5f4cdd388770/15026a256cd598b31311fb7e5a14d13e.jpg)\n\n## Calgary to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta\n\nCalgary travelers get two nonstop sun routes back in December:\n\n* **Cancun:** four flights a week, from December 11, 2026 to April 11, 2027. AC2120 leaves Calgary at 8:30 a.m. and lands at 3:50 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.\n* **Puerto Vallarta:** three flights a week, from December 10, 2026 to April 10, 2027. AC2122 leaves Calgary at 10:50 a.m. and lands at 4:40 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.\n\nAir Canada Rouge flies both routes on the Boeing 737 MAX, with premium and economy cabins. The airline says passengers get free beer, wine and Canadian snacks. [Aeroplan](https://www.loungefrog.com/programs/air-canada-aeroplan) members also get fast, free Wi-Fi.\n\n## More flights to South America\n\nAir Canada is also adding flights and starting earlier on several South American routes:\n\n* **Toronto to Rio de Janeiro** returns October 24, 2026, six weeks earlier than last year.\n* **Toronto to Lima** returns October 24, also six weeks earlier, and goes from two to three flights a week.\n* **Montreal to Lima** returns October 25 and also goes from two to three flights a week.\n* **Montreal to Santiago** returns November 26, three weeks earlier, and goes from three to four flights a week.\n* **Montreal to Bogota** goes from three to four flights a week, on the 787 with lie-flat Signature Class seats.\n\nThe announcement followed a separate one for Vancouver to Sapporo, Japan, which Air Canada calls the only nonstop between North America and Hokkaido. Air Canada notes that its schedule times can change, so check your booking before you travel.\n\n## Where I'd look for a lounge before you fly\n\nIf you start in Toronto, international departures use the [Maple Leaf Lounge (International)](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/yyz-air-canada-maple-leaf-lounge-international) in Terminal 1, on the upper level toward the E and F gates. Our users rate it 4.6 out of 5, and it has six showers. That helps before an overnight flight to Manchester or Copenhagen. Montreal's [international Maple Leaf Lounge](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/yul-air-canada-maple-leaf-lounge-international), near gate 52, serves the Quito, Lima, Santiago and Bogota flights. It rates 4.5 and has two showers. In Calgary, the [Maple Leaf Lounge](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/yyc-air-canada-maple-leaf-lounge) near gate C50 was renovated in 2024 and rates 4.7, one of the best scores in Air Canada's network on Lounge Frog.\n\nMaple Leaf Lounges are open to Signature Class passengers, Aeroplan 50K members and above, and Star Alliance Gold members. Some Aeroplan credit cards also give access. See the full rules on our [Maple Leaf Lounge program page](https://www.loungefrog.com/programs/air-canada-maple-leaf-lounge).\n\nAir Canada has not said which lounges its passengers can use in Quito, Manchester or Copenhagen on the way home. Our directory offers some pointers. In Quito, the [Sala VIP Internacional](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/uio-sala-vip-internacional) takes [Priority Pass](https://www.loungefrog.com/programs/priority-pass), [LoungeKey](https://www.loungefrog.com/programs/loungekey) and [DragonPass](https://www.loungefrog.com/programs/dragonpass), rates 4.4 and has two showers. In Copenhagen, the [Carlsberg Aviator Lounge](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/cph-carlsberg-aviator-lounge) and the [Danske Bank Aviator Business Lounge](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/cph-danske-bank-aviator-business-lounge) carry Star Alliance access tags. We have no lounge listed yet at [Manchester](https://www.loungefrog.com/airports/man). Check our [Air Canada page](https://www.loungefrog.com/airlines/ac) before your return flight.\n\n## Related reading\n\n* [The 10 best Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges, ranked: 2026](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/air-canada-maple-leaf-lounges-ranked-2026)\n* [Air Canada’s Vancouver–Singapore nonstop ends in January 2027](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/air-canada-vancouver-singapore-flights-end-january-2027)\n* [Air Canada's Toronto Signature Suite is closed until December, and affected flyers get a return pass](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/air-canada-signature-suite-toronto-closed-expansion)","textStyle":"body","layout":"text"}]}