Air Canada To Break A Record

Air Canada expects 2026 to be a record-breaking year, with more aircraft delivered over a 12-month period than ever before.

Speaking with analysts during its earnings call, the airline said it expects to take delivery of 35 new planes in 2026, based on current forecasts.

If planemakers can stick to this figure, this for Air Canada would be record-breaking, as it has never received this many aircraft in such a short period in its entire history.

For Air Canada, however, the new planes that will be delivered are not just fundamental to renewing the fleet but also to help shift the needle on network optimisation efforts.

The Canadian flag-carrier has been clear throughout 2025 that it hopes to diversify its traffic away from such a reliance on transborder connectivity, while this area will remain in need of diversification.

For Air Canada to diversify, it needs to take delivery of more aircraft, and 2026 is finally being earmarked as the year new deliveries will pick up, allowing greater optimism about reaching new markets.

The diversification of traffic also aligns with the Canadian government, which, following continued political pressure, is looking to change its strategy in global economic relations and is expanding outward, away from transborder ties.

For example, Air Canada has long been interested in returning to Melbourne, Australia; airport executives in Vancouver and Melbourne are keen, and the airline is too, but aircraft limitations have delayed this launch; all airlines face this to some extent.

With more Boeing 787s expected to be delivered in 2026, Air Canada will finally have room to expand its international network, redeploy existing aircraft, and launch services to cities that have long been targets but were previously not feasible.

Air Canada’s Exciting A321XLR

The upcoming delivery of more 787 aircraft does not even factor in the newest aircraft type, the Airbus A321XLR —an exciting model for the airline that will enter service in 2026.

According to current forecasts, the A321XLR is expected to begin testing and certification in the early months of 2026. By summer 2026, it is anticipated that the aircraft will enter full commercial service, with already announced routes.

With 30 Airbus A321XLRs expected to be delivered, the aircraft marks a new era for the single-aisle operation, with higher capacity, greater range, and changes that make routes previously not feasible a reality.

Additionally, in 2026, Air Canada will transition its 737 MAX fleet from the mainline division to Rouge, meaning the A321XLR will complement the A220 and form the backbone of the single-aisle division.

The A321XLR has been best described as a tool that does not currently feature in the airlines’ toolbox. As a result, there’s great excitement about next-generation efficiency, which enables better market access for customers.

For example, locations that may have been within reach only seasonally for a full-year service would not have been profitable; now, with year-round connectivity, they can change, becoming a very real option with planes such as the A321XLR, even for international markets and secondary cities.

Whether it has been limitations with the 737 MAX or, more simply, widebody aircraft being too large for specific markets year-round, the A321XLR serves as the perfect middle ground, according to airline executives, which means less pressure is on these bigger aircraft to serve smaller markets; instead, they can focus on locations in high demand that require jets of this size.