Air Canada's Montreal Trudeau (YUL)–Nantes Atlantique (NTE) service commenced on June 10, 2026, with three weekly frequencies that grow to four flights per week at peak summer. The seasonal route operates through October 12, 2026. Aircraft deployed include the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and, progressively, Air Canada's newly delivered Airbus A321XLR as the type's transatlantic rotation schedule expands.
Aviation Week confirmed the June 10 launch date in its June 2026 new-route preview. Simple Flying's analysis described the service as "one of the first European services to benefit from the airline's new A321XLR fleet," noting that "Nantes Airport confirms the route operates throughout the summer season."
At approximately 7 hours 50 minutes block time, the 5,800 km sector is among the longest regularly scheduled narrowbody crossings in Air Canada's network. PAX News quoted Air Canada VP Network Planning Alexandre Lefèvre explaining that Nantes was precisely the kind of thin European market "way too small to launch on a wide-body aircraft" that the A321XLR makes viable. Nantes, a UNESCO-recognised historic city on the Loire River, is also served by Air Transat, making it an established Canadian leisure market getting its first mainline Air Canada frequency.
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Things to do at each end of the route
Top-rated tours & experiences in Montreal and Nantes.