Air Canada Reveals New 8-Hour Nonstop A321XLR Route: But There's A Twist

Published Oct 8, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT Journalist – Aaron is an aviation and travel journalist with 14 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. His background spans airport operations, aviation infrastructure, and travel consulting, having worked with global organizations across New Zealand, Europe, and North America. Combining industry expertise with firsthand travel experience across more than 52 countries and five continents, Aaron covers airlines, airports, aviation policy, and the wider travel sector. He is based in Canterbury, New Zealand. His work has been published in Simple Flying and featured by MSN, SAM CHUI Aviation & Travel, EIN News, Pakistan Defence, and Climate Depot. Canada's flag carrier, Air Canada, has plans to adjust its nonstop Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) to Copenhagen Airport (CPH) service this coming late summer. The airline will deploy the Airbus A321XLR on the route, replacing the A330-300, but not until September. The airline operates this route four times a week, and it has been speculated that the route may only see the A321XLR for a couple of weeks given its seasonal timetable. Air Canada began serving the Danish capital with nonstop flights from Montreal in 2023, and up until now the airline has always operated a widebody on the route. The aircraft on this route have historically been the Boeing 787-8 or 787-9, and more recently the A330-300. Air Canada Schedules The Airbus A321XLR To Copenhagen Credit: Air Canada Air Canada operates a seasonal service from Montreal to Copenhagen, running across the busier Northern Hemisphere summer season. This provides an alternative route to Scandinavia, in addition to the airline's year-round nonstop service from Toronto (YYZ) to Copenhagen. Loading map… Drag to explore The only other airline that provides nonstop flights year-round to Canada from Scandinavia is Scandinavian Airlines with the A321XLR. At the same time, seasonal services are added by Finnair to Helsinki, and Air Canada to Stockholm (ARN), and from next June, Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL). From To Effective New Aircraft Previous Aircraft Frequency Montreal (YUL) Copenhagen (CPH) September 7, 2027 Airbus A321XLR Airbus A330-300 4x Weekly Copenhagen (CPH) Montreal (YUL) September 8, 2027 Airbus A321XLR Airbus A330-300 4x Weekly From September 7, the route will operate up to four times a week with the A321XLR. Given that the seasonal service will end after the summer rush, this could mean the airline only flies the aircraft between Montreal and Copenhagen for a couple of weeks. What Travelers Can Expect Onboard The Air Canada A321XLR Credit: Air Canada Those traveling on the service will enjoy Air Canada's new onboard cabin design with a total of 182 seats across two classes. The airline has a widebody style on the narrowbody aircraft. Those upfront in Signature Class (Business Class) are treated to 14 lie-flat herringbone suites in a one-by-one configuration, which are fitted with a lowering privacy divider and customizable ambient lighting. Lie-flat beds extend up to six feet and four inches (193 cm). 19-inch 4K OLED Panasonic Astrova touchscreens and Bluetooth audio pairing make it easy to connect your own personal headphones and keep your devices charged with wireless charging pads or the use of the USB-C ports and universal AC outlet. In Economy, the Collins Aerospace Meridian+ seats have sliding seat cushions that help during recline for added ergonomic support, and travelers can sit back and relax with 13-inch 4K OLED touchscreens that also feature Bluetooth connectivity and dual USB-C ports. Bi-fold meal tables and personal storage compartments make it easy to store your belongings, and there is free WiFi onboard for Aeroplan members. Where Can You Fly On The Air Canada A321XLR? Credit: Air Canada According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, Air Canada has the A321XLR scheduled on a total of 54 international routes. These corridors are from Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW), and Halifax / Stanfield International Airport (YHZ). From To Montreal (International Routes) Los Angeles, Toulouse, Lyon, Tenerife, San Francisco, Porto, Lisbon, Berlin, Edinburgh, Nantes, Basel, Bridgetown, Dublin, Montego Bay, Fort Lauderdale, Amsterdam, Miami Ottawa (International Routes) London Heathrow, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, Manchester, Oslo, Tenerife, Shannon Toronto (International Routes) London Heathrow, Montego Bay Halifax (International Routes) London Heathrow Domestic Routes Toronto to Calgary, Calgary to Montreal, Montreal to Toronto, Montreal to Halifax, Montreal to Ottawa, Montreal to Vancouver, Montreal to Edmonton, Toronto to Vancouver Additionally, the airline has deployed the type on eight domestic routes, as noted in the table above. Air Canada has six A321XLRs currently in operation, as part of a wider order of 30 of the type.