Air Canada to launch Airbus A321XLR London Heathrow routes in two months

Air Canada will launch non-stop Airbus A321XLR flights to London Heathrow Airport from Ottawa in two months, Simple Flying and cedarnews reported. The Montreal-based Canadian flag carrier and Star Alliance founding member is using the long-range narrow-body aircraft to expand its secondary transatlantic routes between North America and Europe. [1][5]

According to Simple Flying, the initial eight-hour service will connect Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport with London Heathrow. On the following day, Air Canada will deploy the Airbus A321XLR on flights from Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia to London Heathrow, where the jet will take over operations from the Boeing 737 MAX 8. [1]

Simple Flying reported that Air Canada will later use the new aircraft to reintroduce a daytime flight rotation from Toronto Pearson International Airport to London Heathrow. The airline operates 210 mainline passenger aircraft, excluding fleet count from subsidiaries such as Air Canada Express, Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada Jetz, and Air Canada Cargo. [1][7]

In related loyalty program news, Frequent Miler reported that Marriott Bonvoy is offering a 15 percent bonus when converting points to Air Canada Aeroplan through October 31, 2026. Points typically convert at a three-to-one ratio, yielding 25,000 Aeroplan points for 60,000 Marriott points including standard bonuses, but the current offer increases the yield to 28,000 points for 60,000 converted. [2]