Air Canada launched its first Airbus A321XLR transatlantic service today, July 2, 2026, with an inaugural flight from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). The seasonal route operates three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays through October 10, 2026.
The route is significant for two reasons: it marks Air Canada's first mainline service to the German capital—its lower-cost unit Rouge operated from Toronto to the now-closed Tegel between 2017 and 2019—and it is the first time the Airbus A321XLR has operated into Berlin Brandenburg, according to Aviation Week. Air Canada has ordered 30 A321XLR aircraft and has been deploying the type on several thin transatlantic city pairs this summer that would be uneconomical on widebodies.
The aircraft is configured with 14 fully flat Signature Class seats and 168 economy seats, bringing business-class lie-flat comfort to a narrowbody frame, per Air Canada's cabin page. Booking data cited by Simple Flying shows approximately 23,000 round-trip passengers flew between Montréal and Berlin in the 12 months to April 2026, making YUL–BER the largest unserved European market from Montréal.
"The new Air Canada connection between Berlin and Montréal is a strong signal for the growth market of Canada," said Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin, in a press release from the city's tourism board. North American competition at BER includes United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air Transat and Norse Atlantic Airways.
Sources
- https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en/news/2025-11-25-air-canada-montreal.html
- https://simpleflying.com/air-canada-launches-brand-new-9-hour-nonstop-airbus-a321xlr-flights-next-week
- https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/50-new-routes-launching-july-2026
- https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/fly/onboard/cabin-features/glowing-hearted-cabins.html
Things to do at each end of the route
Top-rated tours & experiences in Montreal and Berlin.