Air Canada expands winter routes as survey shows Canadians seek new escapes
The airline is adding service to Tenerife, Roatán and other sun spots, citing research that shows many Canadians want to explore unfamiliar locales.
Air Canada is adding new winter routes to several sun destinations as new research shows many Canadians are keen to explore unfamiliar vacation spots.
The airline's survey, conducted by Ipsos, found that 72% of respondents consider relaxing and recharging important when choosing a destination, while 55% say there are many winter destinations they have yet to explore.
Nearly one in four typically return to the same destination or rotate among a small number of preferred getaways, but 36% say the appeal of trying somewhere new is the possibility of finding a new favourite.
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"Canadians love their favourite winter escapes, but our research shows many are curious about destinations beyond the familiar," said Mark Galardo, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, and president, cargo at Air Canada.
"Our expanded winter network is designed to offer our customers more choice, more non-stop options and more opportunities to discover somewhere new, while continuing to serve the destinations Canadians return to year after year, with the confidence that comes from travelling with Air Canada," Galardo said.
The survey found that 37% of respondents consider destinations in Central and South America, including Colombia and Peru, unfamiliar but places they would still like to visit.
Another 33% said the same about long-haul Asia-Pacific destinations.
Air Canada's research suggests Canadians are interested but may be more hesitant when destinations feel unfamiliar.
The airline's expanding network helps bridge that gap by making new winter destinations easier to reach, plan and book.
Hawaii tops the list of potential future winter escapes, cited by 49% of respondents, followed by Costa Rica at 47% and Australia at 41%.
Safety, healthcare quality and political stability are among the factors Canadians consider when choosing a winter destination, alongside financial risk and weather.
Air Canada's expanded winter schedule includes service to Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands, Roatán, Santo Domingo, Mérida and Mazatlán.
The airline says these new routes give travellers different ways to discover somewhere new, such as exploring the volcanic landscapes of Tenerife, discovering the beaches and reefs of Roatán, taking in the culture and history of Santo Domingo, savouring the cuisine and cultural richness of Mérida, or experiencing Mazatlán's Pacific coast.
From Montréal, travellers can fly to Tenerife, Roatán, Santo Domingo, Quito and Aruba.
Toronto service includes Tenerife, Roatán, Quito and Mérida, while Vancouver's winter destinations include Mazatlán, Monterrey, Liberia and Puerto Escondido.
Calgary will offer service to Cancún and Puerto Vallarta, while Edmonton and Winnipeg will have flights to Montego Bay.
Winnipeg will also offer Punta Cana service, and Québec City will have service to Pointe-à-Pitre, while Halifax will connect to Bridgetown.
The airline's broader long-haul network also connects Canadians with destinations including Rio de Janeiro, Lima, Bangkok, Manila, Sydney and Buenos Aires.
It continues to offer service to established sun favourites such as the Bahamas, Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Saint Martin and Costa Rica.
Novello Desserts reported in October that Air Canada and United Airlines announced six new Canada-U.S. routes for 2027.
With files from TravelPress and Travelweek