Air Canada to Resume Ottawa-London Flights and Plans A321XLR Expansion

Air Canada is set to resume nonstop flights between Ottawa and London starting March 31, 2025, following a five-year hiatus. The carrier plans to operate this route four times per week using Boeing 787 widebody aircraft, reinstating its transatlantic service from Ottawa International Airport (YOW) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR).

Previously, Air Canada offered daily flights on this route during the summer and reduced service to six times per week during the winter. However, the service was suspended in March 2020 due to the pandemic and has not returned since. The route covers approximately 3,321 miles (2,886 nautical miles) and will be restored to connect Ottawa with one of the world’s major global gateways.

Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s Executive Vice President of Revenue and Network Planning, highlights the strategic importance of LHR as a major international hub. “Passengers will have access to connections to 30 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa through our Star Alliance partners,” Galardo notes.

Looking ahead, Air Canada is also considering the potential deployment of Airbus A321XLR aircraft on this route once deliveries begin in late 2025. The A321XLR’s range and cabin size could allow the airline to offer increased frequencies and potentially operate the route year-round. Air Canada has 30 A321XLRs on order, with plans to utilize half of them for international routes and the other half for North American services.

Before the pandemic, Air Canada also operated a seasonal summer route from Ottawa to Frankfurt in addition to the year-round London service. The suspension of these routes left Ottawa without nonstop transatlantic flights for over three years, until Air France introduced a Paris Charles de Gaulle route in June 2023.

The resumption of the Ottawa-London route comes as Air Canada expands its schedule from Ottawa by nearly 60%. This includes year-round routes to Calgary and Winnipeg, increased capacity to Halifax and Quebec City, and the addition of widebody service to Vancouver. The airline is also increasing frequencies to leisure destinations such as Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, Cancun, and Punta Cana for the winter 2025 season.