Air Canada adds 5 new routes, 2 destinations in big transborder expansion

14.12.2023 - 17:59 / thepointsguy.com

The network planners at Air Canada have been quite busy the last few weeks.

The Montreal-based carrier announced on Thursday a big expansion in transborder service that includes five new routes, two new destinations and additional frequencies on existing routes.

All of this increased service comes as the airline is gearing up for a blockbuster summer season.

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Read on for all the details.

Air Canada is adding two new destinations to its network: Tulum, Mexico, and Charleston.

The former will be served once weekly on Saturdays from Montreal starting on May 4, 2024, and twice weekly on Fridays and Sundays from Toronto, beginning on May 3, 2024.

These two new routes to Tulum will be operated on a year-round basis.

Air Canada's new flights to Charleston will kick off on March 28. The airline will offer once-daily service in the market operated by its regional affiliate, Air Canada Express.

Adding flights to Tulum comes on the heels of the opening of the brand-new Tulum International Airport (TQO), which is poised to revolutionize how travelers arrive at this Mexican hotspot.

In the past, getting to Tulum hasn't necessarily been easy.

One of the most common ways to get there has been to fly to Cancun and then drive to your hotel or vacation rental in Tulum. Cancun is already well served by Air Canada — the airline flies there from eight destinations across Canada — but the drive after landing hasn't necessarily been too appealing.

Private transfers cost around $100, adding about 90 minutes or more to the overall travel journey.

Air Canada isn't the only carrier getting excited about Tulum's new airport. Many major U.S. airlines, including American, Delta and United, have already announced new service there, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more announcements coming down the pike.

Meanwhile, adding flights to Charleston will benefit Canadians looking for a popular East Coast destination and Charlestonians who can visit Toronto and now have access to hundreds of one-stop itineraries via Air Canada's hub at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ).

Air Canada is also adding new routes to two existing U.S. gateways: Austin and St. Louis.

The carrier already flies from Austin to Toronto and Vancouver, and now it'll add year-round, four-times-weekly service to Montreal. This service commences on May 2, 2024.

It'll also add new summer-seasonal service from St. Louis to Montreal on May 1, 2024. This complements the airline's existing flights from St. Louis to Toronto.

Boosting service to Austin comes as the city has seen impressive growth in air connectivity in recent years. Much of that comes from American Airlines, which recently