Air Canada just launched nonstop service from Toronto to this gorgeous French Caribbean island

May 12, 2025 No Comments

Air Canada recently launched new direct service from Toronto to the Guadeloupe Islands.

From December 20 to April, the Guadeloupe Islands will be accessible every Saturday from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport (YYZ). Flights are already available for sale and will be operated by a Boeing 737-800 MAX, configured with 16 seats in business class and 153 in economy class.

After having successfully promoted the French-speaking Canadian market in recent years, the Guadeloupe Islands are now expanding their tourism development prospects with this new service, targeting a high-potential English-speaking Canadian public in search of authentic cultural and seaside experiences.

“Air Canada is very pleased to be the leading carrier between Canada and the French Caribbean, and we are delighted to add new flights from Toronto to Guadeloupe this winter,” said Alexandre Lefevre, VP Network Planning North America and Scheduling. “We’re excited to be opening new links between Ontario and the French Antilles. This new service complements our year-round flights from Montreal. We have optimized connections to and from our Toronto hub to give more Canadians additional convenient travel options to visit beautiful Guadeloupe.”

Air Canada partners with Michelin-starred chef Masaki Hashimoto on Japan routes

March 5, 2025 No Comments

Air Canada has added Michelin-starred Chef Masaki Hashimoto to its culinary panel.

Based in Toronto, Chef Hashimoto is the owner of Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto, one of Canada’s only restaurants dedicated to the traditional art of Kaiseki cuisine. Since immigrating more than 40 years ago, he has devoted his career to mastering and sharing this multi-course culinary tradition. His exclusive creations debuted March 1 in Air Canada Signature Class, on all flights between Canada and Japan.

On these routes, Chef Hashimoto’s dishes will showcase a thoughtfully curated selection of traditional ingredients through a rotating menu. Six recipes will be introduced annually, including a Zensai (appetizer) such as sautéed lotus root; Komono (side dishes) like sesame tofu with wasabi sauce; and a Oshokuji (main course) featuring beef sukiyaki with simmered tofu, scallions, napa cabbage and red ginger, served with calrose rice and miso soup. A brunch casserole follows, served before landing. Beginning in the spring, Air Canada will further elevate the experience with traditional dishware and tray presentations curated by Chef Hashimoto, in partnership with Noritake dishware, featuring Japanese artwork.

Sake pairings by Kei Hashimoto

To complement the meals, a premium sake pairing will be offered, selected by Chef Hashimoto’s son, Kei Hashimoto, a certified Kiki sake-shi (sake sommelier) accredited by the Sake Service Institute in Tokyo.

The featured sake, Ninki-ichi Junmai Daiginjo Gold, is crafted from Gohyakumankoku sake rice, prized for its clean, crisp character. Filtered using the Yabuta system, it achieves exceptional purity with a balanced profile of floral and fruity notes and a smooth, velvety mouthfeel.

“It has always been a lifelong dream of mine to bring an authentic Japanese in-flight dining experience to travellers. Partnering with Air Canada is truly an honour for me, as it brings together the two places I now call home—Japan and Canada,” said Chef Masaki Hashimoto. “This collaboration allows us both to bridge the rich cultural landscapes of each country and celebrate our shared values of care, respect, and connection.”

Now available for Air Canada's Signature Class

Chef Hashimoto’s creations are now offered as part of Air Canada’s Signature Class dining menu on all Air Canada flights between Canada and Japan. Air Canada offers the most flights between Canada and Japan, with up to six daily flights from three airports in Canada to three airports in Japan this summer:

  • Vancouver to Narita: daily flights
  • Vancouver to Osaka: four weekly flights
  • Toronto to Narita: daily flights
  • Toronto to Haneda: daily flights
  • Toronto to Osaka: three weekly flights
  • Montreal to Narita: daily flights

Air Canada’s 2024 Best New restaurants list was just revealed

September 6, 2024 No Comments

The 30 nominees for Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2024 were unveiled today, celebrating new culinary talent across Canada. Since 2002, Air Canada has championed the country’s distinct culinary scene through the longest running Canadian restaurant ranking and its signature program, Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants.

The 2024 highly anticipated longlist is out today on CanadasBestNewRestaurants.com.

Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants is the only cross-country restaurant ranking to use a single, anonymous reviewer who sets out to dine across Canada. Based on the recommendations of a coast-to-coast panel of food experts, Air Canada sends one undercover writer on a month-long culinary marathon to sample the offerings from notable openings across the country, all of which are now contenders for the coveted Top 10 list.

Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2024 highlights the top restaurants that have opened across the country between late spring 2023 and May 31, 2024, and deliver exceptional experiences through the quality of their food, level of service and commitment to culinary creativity.

2024 nominees for Canada's Best New Restaurants

The following restaurants have been nominated:

  • Ancestor Café, Fort Langley;
  • Bar Gigi, Calgary
  • Bar Henry, Edmonton
  • Bar Prima, Toronto
  • Bernadette’s, Edmonton
  • Black Cat Pizzeria, St. John’s
  • Bravo, Vancouver
  • Bread & Cheese Inn Restaurant, Bay Bulls
  • Buvette Daphnee, Ottawa
  • Café Malabar, Victoria
  • Caméline, Gatineau
  • Casavant, Montreal
  • Conjeo Negro, Toronto;
  • Contrada, Toronto
  • Crumb Queen/Andy’s Lunch, Winnipeg
  • Dovetail Restaurant, Vancouver
  • F&B Restaurant, Saskatoon
  • Fat Rabbit, St. Catherine’s
  • Gary’s, Vancouver
  • Heni, Montreal
  • Juliette Plaza, Montreal
  • Lila Restaurant, Vancouver’ Maison de Soma, Mont-Tremblant
  • Martine’s Wine Bar, Toronto
  • Mhel, Toronto
  • Osteria Elio Volpe, Vancouver
  • Parapluie, Montreal
  • Sabayon, Montreal
  • Takja BBQ House, Toronto
  • The Starlight, Stratford

This year’s Top 10 ranking will be unveiled in Toronto on Nov. 4, 2024. The winners will also be showcased on CanadasBestNewRestaurants.com and in the November issue of Air Canada enRoute magazine.

The 2024 edition of Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants is generously supported by Diageo Canada, our returning gold level sponsor. A special thank-you to Diageo Canada for their ongoing commitment to enriching Canada’s culinary landscape.

Air Canada offering free wine & beer on North American flights

June 5, 2024 No Comments

Air Canada is introducing premium complimentary snacks, featuring homegrown Canadian favourites, to all customers on all flights.

The airline is also expanding its complimentary beer and wine offering to customers on flights within Canada and the U.S., alongside a selection of $5 spirits, through the end of this year.

Complimentary premium snacks are now offered to Economy customers on all Air Canada flights.

Whether travelling in Canada or across the globe, all customers on all flights can enjoy free sweet or savoury bites, including two Canadian favourites: buttery herb and garlic pretzels from Alberta’s family-owned and female-led TWIGZ, and Quebec-based Leclerc’s Célébration Cookie, a crafted sweet treat made with real milk chocolate and butter.

Free wine & beer on board

Air Canada has also extended its complimentary beer and wine offering to Economy customers flying within Canada and the U.S. just in time for summer, and through to the end of this year.

This adds to the existing complimentary offering in all International Economy and Premium cabins. Beer, wine and spirits remain available for purchase from the Air Canada Bistro menu on Economy flights to and from the Caribbean and Mexico.

Customers will enjoy a curated selection of exceptional beers, French wines, and customer favourite spirits. Featured flavour-forward craft beers include Hop Valley and Creemore Springs Premium Lager, as well as crisp and refreshing Molson Canadian and Coors Light. Two French wines from Paul Mas include a robust red or a fresh, dry white.

For cocktail aficionados, $5 spirits on offer include Baileys Original Irish Cream, Canadian Club rye, Bacardi Superior rum, Bombay Sapphire gin, Smirnoff vodka, Tromba Tequila Blanco, or Campari. There’s something everyone can cheers to with the largest bar offering of any airline in North America.

Additional information on Air Canada’s new drinks and premium snacks, and more, is available at: aircanada.com/bonappetit

You can now fly directly to Osaka, Japan from Toronto

February 7, 2024 No Comments

Air Canada has unveiled a new seasonal, direct service between Toronto and Osaka.

Flights between Pearson International Airport and Kansai International Airport will run three times a week from June 17 to Oct. 25, 2024, onboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Paired with increased frequency on their popular Vancouver-Osaka flight, this will more than double Air Canada’s capacity to Osaka, compared to the previous summer.

Direct service to Japan

Japan continues to be an expanding market for the airline, which has steadily increased both their capacity and number of direct routes to accommodate the demand.

During peak summer season this year, Air Canada will offer more than 12,000 seats a week between Canada and Japan, resulting in an overall capacity increase of approximately 20 per cent compared with last summer.

Air Canada currently runs direct flights between:

  • Toronto-Osaka (KIX) *Seasonal
  • Toronto-Tokyo (HND)
  • Toronto-Tokyo (NRT)
  • Montreal-Tokyo (NRT)
  • Vancouver-Osaka (KIX) *Seasonal
  • Vancouver-Tokyo (NRT)

A vibrant city

Thanks to its continual growth and development, Japan is now more accessible than ever for Canadian tourists, opening a direct gateway for visitors to experience the land of the rising sun for themselves.

Osaka is a vibrant city best known for its food, fun and nightlife.  A convenient 30-minute train ride from Kansai International Airport, it is a gateway not only to the Kansai region but to the rest of Western Japan, with convenient access to the many attractions in Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki and beyond.