United Airlines and Air Canada expand partnership and add routes

Air Canada and United Airlines announced they would offer new routes and increased capacity between Canada and the U.S. for summer 2023.

The carriers worked together to optimize their schedules and add more flights to provide customers with greater connectivity and more flexible flight times, with over 80 transborder codeshare routes and more than 260 daily flights.

The airlines are also adding new United-operated, non-stop service between Washington-Dulles and Calgary, starting June 2, and Air Canada-operated non-stop flights between Washington-Dulles and Vancouver beginning June 1.

“We’re proud of our continued work with Air Canada to provide customers with even greater transborder connectivity, including adding more flights and new direct service to Calgary and Vancouver from Washington Dulles,” United Senior Vice President Patrick Quayle said.

Air Canada and United will codeshare on these flights, allowing Aeroplan or MileagePlus members to accumulate and redeem miles. Eligible customers and loyalty plan members can also enjoy benefits such as priority check-in, lounge access, priority boarding and more.

The more than 260 combined daily transborder departures in summer 2023 represent a 20 percent increase in schedule capacity compared to summer 2022. The schedule will include up to 120 daily departures between the airlines’ hub markets, an increase from 101 in the summer of 2021.

“With schedules designed to give customers more flexibility with timing and more convenient connection options, as well as the ability to enjoy the benefits of both airlines’ loyalty programs, our agreement with Air Canada makes United the premier U.S. airline for travel to Canada,” Quayle continued.

The airlines will also offer 29 daily flights with complementary timings between Toronto and New York/Newark and Chicago, and 11 daily flights between Vancouver and San Francisco.

As for added service, nine daily flights will be between Vancouver and New York/Newark, Houston and Chicago, and seven between Los Angeles and Vancouver. A second will be added between Calgary and both Chicago and Houston, and a second will also be added from Edmonton to Denver.