Air Canada Is Expanding Airbus A321XLR Flights to London With 2 New Routes

Updated: May 15, 2026, 12:08pm CDT

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Air Canada Will Fly Airbus A321XLR to Heathrow From Halifax and Ottawa
Final Thoughts

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Air Canada is expanding its Airbus A321XLR network with 2 new routes to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), giving travelers more nonstop options to the U.K. from secondary Canadian cities.

The airline will begin flying the long-range narrowbody aircraft from Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) and Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) to London Heathrow starting in late 2026.

For travelers, this means more direct flights to London on smaller, more fuel-efficient aircraft designed specifically for long-haul routes. Here’s what you should know.

Air Canada Will Fly Airbus A321XLR to Heathrow From Halifax and Ottawa

Air Canada will deploy its new 182-seat Airbus A321XLR on both Halifax and Ottawa flights to London Heathrow, as first noticed by AeroRoutes. The aircraft is designed for long-haul routes and uses far less fuel than larger widebody jets.

These new Heathrow services are part of Air Canada’s broader Airbus A321XLR expansion plans, following the airline’s announcement that it would launch its first Airbus A321XLR route from Montreal to Mallorca in 2026.

Airbus 321XLR Air Canada Economy Seats — Passengers flying Air Canada’s new Heathrow Airbus A321XLR routes can expect updated cabins, including large seatback entertainment screens, even in economy class. Image Credit: Air Canada

The Halifax route will replace Air Canada’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 service from December 1, 2026, to March 27, 2027. During the winter season, flights will operate 4x weekly instead of daily.

The new Halifax route will operate with the following schedule:

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Route	Departure Time	Arrival Time
Halifax to London	10:35 a.m.	8:35 p.m.
London to Halifax	9 a.m.	Noon

One interesting detail is that the Halifax flight will operate during the day, heading eastbound to Europe, something that’s still relatively uncommon for transatlantic flights from Canada.

Air Canada is also replacing the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on its Ottawa-to-Heathrow route with the Airbus A321XLR. That allows the airline to move the larger Dreamliner aircraft to other routes with stronger demand.

The Ottawa route will operate 3x weekly with the following schedule:

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Route	Departure Time	Arrival Time
Ottawa to London	8:50 a.m.	8:35 p.m.
London to Ottawa	9 a.m.	12:05 p.m.

Air Canada resumed Ottawa-to-London service in 2025 after the route was paused during the pandemic. The switch to the smaller Airbus A321XLR appears aimed at improving efficiency while still maintaining nonstop service between the 2 capital cities.

Hot Tip:

The Airbus A321XLR may look like a typical single-aisle jet used on domestic routes, but it was specifically designed for long-haul travel. The XLR stands for “ultra long range.” Air Canada’s version includes lie-flat business-class seats and upgraded cabins built for transatlantic flights, including the airline’s new premium business-class suites.

Final Thoughts

Air Canada is continuing to grow its Airbus A321XLR network with 2 new nonstop routes to London Heathrow from Halifax and Ottawa. The smaller, long-range aircraft gives the airline more flexibility to operate transatlantic flights from secondary Canadian cities while freeing up larger aircraft for busier routes.

For travelers, it means more nonstop access to Heathrow without needing to connect through Toronto or Montreal — and more opportunities to fly on one of Air Canada’s newest aircraft.