Air Canada operates the largest commercial fleet in Canada and one of the most varied in North America. As of 2026 the airline flies around 190 mainline aircraft plus a substantial regional fleet operated under the Air Canada Express brand by partner carriers. The fleet covers narrowbody, widebody, and regional operations and enables one of the most extensive long-haul networks of any non-US carrier in the Americas.
This is a guide to every aircraft type Air Canada operates.
Narrowbody fleet
Airbus A220-300. Air Canada was an early A220 customer and operates a substantial fleet. The aircraft seats 137 passengers in a two-class configuration and is used on medium-density routes across North America. The A220 has replaced some of the older Embraer E190 flying that Air Canada discontinued.
Airbus A319-100. The A319 has been part of Air Canada's fleet for many years, seating 120 passengers. The fleet has been reduced as the A220 expanded and will continue to shrink.
Airbus A320-200. The A320 seats 146 passengers and is used across the North American network on medium-density routes.
Airbus A321-200. The A321 seats 190 passengers and is used on higher-density domestic and transborder routes.
Boeing 737 MAX 8. The 737 MAX 8 joined Air Canada's fleet in 2017 and has expanded since. The aircraft seats 169 passengers. Air Canada is one of the few major airlines to operate both Airbus A320 family and 737 MAX narrowbodies concurrently.
Widebody fleet
Boeing 777-200LR. Air Canada operates a small 777-200LR fleet on the longest routes in the network. The 200LR variant, which stands for Long Range, is one of the most capable twin-engine widebodies ever built, with a range of around 8,400 nautical miles. Air Canada uses it on routes like Toronto to Hong Kong and Vancouver to Sydney.
Boeing 777-300ER. The stretched 777-300ER is Air Canada's high-capacity long-haul aircraft. It seats 400 passengers in a three-class configuration and is used on high-density routes to London, Paris, Hong Kong, and other major destinations.
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The 787-8 seats 254 passengers and is used on medium-density long-haul routes, including some transatlantic services to secondary European cities.
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The 787-9 is Air Canada's most common Dreamliner variant and the backbone of the long-haul fleet. It seats 298 passengers in a three-class configuration and is used on most of the airline's transatlantic and transpacific routes.
Regional affiliate aircraft (Air Canada Express)
Air Canada Express is the regional brand operated primarily by Jazz Aviation, with additional flying by Sky Regional Airlines. The fleet includes:
Embraer E175. The E175 is the most common regional jet in Air Canada Express service, seating 76 passengers.
Bombardier CRJ-900. The CRJ-900 has been in Air Canada Express service for years, seating 76 passengers.
Bombardier Q400. The Q400 turboprop serves shorter regional routes across Canada, particularly in the Maritimes and Western Canada where turboprop economics are favorable.
Embraer E190. Air Canada's mainline E190 fleet was retired in 2020 during the pandemic. However, some E190s are operated by Sky Regional Airlines under the Air Canada Express brand.
Fleet strategy
Air Canada's fleet reflects the specific geographic and commercial challenges of Canadian aviation. The country is vast and sparsely populated, which means the airline needs aircraft capable of covering very long domestic routes (Vancouver to Halifax is similar in distance to New York to Paris) and very short regional routes from cities like Ottawa or Halifax. The fleet covers this range with a combination of widebodies for transcontinental premium routes, narrowbodies for most domestic flying, and regional aircraft for the smaller markets.
The international network is built around major gateways at Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Each hub specializes in different global regions, with Toronto handling most North American and European flights, Montreal adding European and African services, and Vancouver specializing in Asian and Oceanic routes.
The merger with Air Canada Rouge, the leisure subsidiary, has complicated the fleet picture. Rouge operates a mix of Airbus narrowbodies and, historically, 767s for leisure routes to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe. The Rouge 767 fleet has been reduced or repurposed, and the Rouge brand has been undergoing strategic review.
Retired types
Airbus A340-300. Retired in 2012.
Boeing 767-300ER. The Air Canada mainline 767 fleet was retired in 2020. Some aircraft were transferred to Air Canada Rouge and then to cargo conversion. The 767 had been in the Air Canada fleet for decades and served long-haul routes before the 787 arrival.
Embraer E190. Retired from Air Canada mainline in 2020.
What to expect when booking
If you are flying Air Canada within North America, you are likely on an A220, A319, A320, A321, or 737 MAX 8. For transborder flights to US cities, these same narrowbodies handle most routes.
For transatlantic flights, the aircraft varies by route. Smaller European destinations get the 787-8, 787-9, or A330. London and Paris typically get the 777-300ER. Frankfurt, Munich, and other German cities are served by the 787 family or A330.
For transpacific flights, the 777 family dominates on the longest routes, with the 787-9 covering shorter transpacific services. Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Shanghai are served with a mix of 777 and 787 aircraft depending on the specific route.
Air Canada's long-haul aircraft have well-regarded business class products, with the Signature Class cabin offering lie-flat seats on all widebodies. The aircraft are uniformly outfitted with modern IFE, Wi-Fi, and updated cabin finishes. The specific aircraft type matters less for passenger experience than the route's service tier.
Fleet direction
As of 2026, Air Canada's fleet renewal focuses on adding A220s for regional and domestic flying, integrating 787-9s into long-haul, and gradually reducing older Airbus A319 and Bombardier regional capacity. The airline has ordered additional 737 MAX aircraft that will arrive through the late 2020s.
The overall fleet trajectory is toward fewer aircraft types, with A220 and 737 MAX standardizing narrowbody flying and the 787 and 777 dominating widebody operations. The regional fleet will simplify toward E175 and E190 jets for most regional flying, with Q400 turboprops maintained for specific short-haul markets where their economics remain favorable.
