Air Canada Suspends Montreal-Delhi and Montreal-Tel Aviv Routes for Summer 2026

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What’s the news

Air Canada has confirmed it will remove two long-haul routes from its Montréal (YUL) hub for the Summer 2026 schedule:

• Montréal → Delhi (DEL) three times per week on Boeing 787-9.

• Montréal → Tel Aviv (TLV) three times per week on Boeing 787-8. 

  
  

  The carrier attributes the suspensions to “commercial reasons”.Air Canada says that while Montréal-Delhi will resume from 25 October 2026 at the earliest, Montréal-Tel Aviv remains uncertain.The airline also noted that both destinations will continue to be served via its Toronto (YYZ) hub.

Why this matters

• These changes mark a strategic shift away from Montréal for certain international long-haul services, signalling that Air Canada is re-allocating resources toward stronger performing routes or hubs.

• Montréal → Delhi and Montréal → Tel Aviv were part of Air Canada’s international growth plans; their removal raises questions about demand, competition, seasonality and hub economics.

• For passengers, especially those based in Québec or Eastern Canada, the change means less direct connectivity and potentially longer travel times via Toronto.

• For Air Canada’s network planning, this may indicate the carrier is optimising fleet utilisation (particularly its Boeing 787-series wide-bodies) for routes with better yields or stronger demand.

• From a competitive perspective, maintaining service to India and Israel via Toronto ensures those markets are still accessed — but the loss of the Montréal-based routing might disadvantage local demand growth.

Underlying factors & context

• According to schedule filings via AeroRoutes, both routes were removed in the Northern Summer 2026 season update, filed on 11 November 2025.

• AirlineGeeks reports that the decision is based on commercial viability: “Service from Toronto will operate for both markets, but the Montréal service is being cancelled for the summer.”

• This move comes amidst broader network realignments: Air Canada has been both adding new European and Asian destinations, while trimming weaker long-haul or seasonal operations.

• The Montréal hub may also be under pressure from its geographic catchment, competition (from Toronto and Vancouver), and fleet allocation constraints — airlines often prefer consolidating long-haul at fewer hubs for economies of scale.

What to watch next

• Will Air Canada re-introduce the Montréal-Tel Aviv route later in 2026 or beyond, and under what frequency/aircraft?

• How will Air Canada redeploy the 787 aircraft freed from these routes — will they be assigned to higher-demand markets, new launches or increased frequency on existing routes?

• Passengers in Eastern Canada: Will the change affect booking patterns? Will they shift to Toronto or use other carriers?

• Competitor response: Will other carriers or alliances step in to fill the direct Montréal-Tel Aviv or Montréal-Delhi gap?

• Corporate & traveller perceptions: How will this impact Montréal’s attractiveness as an international hub for long-haul flights?