Massive 23-Hour Flights: Air Canada’s Top 11 Ultra-Long Routes Revealed

The cold season is nearly here. On October 25, Air Canada, like other Northern Hemisphere airlines, will switch to winter schedules based on IATA slot seasons. Cirium Diio data shows that the Star Alliance member plans an average of 47 daily long-haul departures, which has risen by a healthy 10% compared to last winter.

Air Canada will provide 40% of Canada’s long-haul services, up from 34% in winter 2025/2026. They’ll go from five hubs and airports, but, of course, overwhelmingly from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

Air Canada’s 11 Longest Routes This Coming Winter

They are summarized in the following table and shown on the subsequent map. As usual with such analysis, block time was used, which includes taxi time at both ends of each route, the flight time, and a period for short delays. It is what’s shown on Air Canada’s website, in other booking locations, and in schedules. It is measured as chocks-off-to-chocks-on or, if you prefer, gate-to-gate.

This article is based on combining nonstop and one-stop, same-plane, same-flight-number services. Some may prefer only one of them, which would, at least, enable more like-for-like comparisons. The decision to include stopping flights is for completeness and to see the extent of Air Canada’s activity.

Air Canada Between Vancouver & Singapore

Timed at up to 17 hours and 00 minutes (usually 16 hours and 45 minutes), YVR to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) is Air Canada’s longest nonstop offering (and second-longest overall). However, the carrier’s final departure for SIN is set for January 24, 2027. Thereafter, Delhi back to YYZ will become the carrier’s new longest nonstop service, at least in the winter with stronger headwinds. The inability to fly over Russian and Iranian airspace increases the Indian route’s block time.

Air Canada originally flew to SIN until 1991. Fellow Star Alliance member Singapore Airlines operated until 2009 and returned in 2021, when flights were tagged with Seattle. The carrier pulled out in September 2023, which gave rise to Air Canada’s return in April 2024. The airline codeshares with Singapore Airlines, which is why over 30% of passengers connect to another flight in SIN (both YVR-SIN-xxx and xxx-YVR-SIN-xxx).

Related

Air Canada Returns To Dubai In January

In August this year, Air Canada delayed the resumption of flights between Canada’s busiest airport and the Middle East’s busiest airport. They were to take off from YYZ to Dubai International Airport (DXB) on October 24, but that has been pushed back to January 15, 2027, at the earliest. It is possible that this may be delayed again depending on the ongoing war in Iran and all the consequences of it.

Air Canada would not fly to DXB but for its partnership with Emirates, which encompasses many things. Given the limited traffic rights, it is effectively a way for Emirates to increase its own access to the valuable Canadian market. Nearly two-thirds of Air Canada’s DXB passengers transfer to an Emirates service, particularly, of course, to/from South Asia.