Air Canada has already established and expanded codeshare agreements with Gol and Azul for ticket sales
By Marcel Salim
With the steady growth of the economy and tourism in Brazil, airlines are increasingly investing in expanding their routes and offering more international flight options. One of the destinations gaining prominence is Canada, a country known for its quality of life, natural beauty, and cultural diversity.
The North American country has become an increasingly popular destination among Brazilians, whether for tourism, studies, or business. With cosmopolitan cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, stunning landscapes such as the Rocky Mountains and the Northern Lights, and an enviable quality of life, it is no surprise that more and more people are choosing to visit the country.
To meet this demand, companies like Air Canada are increasing the number of flights from Brazil to Canada, as well as expanding their operations by adding new routes between the two countries. This has facilitated access for Brazilians to the North American country, making travel more accessible and practical.
Resumption of Flights
After a long suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Air Canada resumed flights between Toronto and São Paulo in September 2020. Since then, flights that were initially three times a week (on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays) have become daily due to the success of the route between the two cities, providing greater connectivity between the two countries. Currently, the company operates daily flights between São Paulo and Toronto.
Since December 2021, the company has also implemented the São Paulo-Montreal route, with four flights per week until October 26, three times per week until November 29, and five times per week until March 7, 2025. The company also operates the São Paulo-Buenos Aires route, with four times per week until October 26, five times per week until December 5, and six times per week until March 8, 2025. All routes from Brazil are operated by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with 298 seats divided into three classes – 30 seats in business class, 21 in Premium Economy, and 247 in economy class.
Agreements with Brazilian Airlines
In 2023, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) approved the sharing of flights between Air Canada and Gol. This allowed Air Canada to offer seats on flights operated by the Brazilian company.
Air Canada passengers can purchase tickets to destinations in Brazil and Canada more conveniently, without the need to buy another ticket. With the partnership, Air Canada passengers can reach eight new destinations in Brazil, such as Belo Horizonte, Recife, and Salvador, through connections with Gol flights departing from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro airports.
In April this year, the codeshare partnership was expanded: the new arrangement benefited two routes to Vancouver International Airport. Users who opt for a connection at São Paulo International Airport (Guarulhos) for Air Canada flights will also have the option to make another transfer in Toronto or Montreal to continue to the city.
More Partnerships
Another codeshare agreement was also established between Air Canada and Azul Linhas Aéreas in 2023. Azul passengers from Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Cuiabá, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and Recife, as well as Punta del Este, Uruguay, can connect in São Paulo with the Canadian airline’s flights to Toronto and Montreal.
Investments
Luis Noriega, Air Canada’s director for Latin America, said that Brazil has given very positive feedback to the company and that the success seen in 2023 reflects this. “Today we have 15 weekly flights from Brazil. The route includes flights to Toronto (daily), Montreal (four times a week), and Buenos Aires (four times a week). Because of this, our expectations are extremely positive. The results on these routes are excellent, with significant returns from travelers,” he said. “We will continue to invest in the market,” assured the director.
Noriega also assessed the performance of the cargo sector, which also registered a positive performance. “This segment grew a lot after the pandemic. Air Canada and Air Canada Cargo were named ‘Cargo Operator of the Year 2024’ as part of the 50th anniversary of the ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards, being the first Canadian operator to receive this award,” he explains.
According to him, Air Canada Cargo focused its efforts on digital transformation, transferring customer accounts to cloud-based systems. “We are already working to implement this digitization in Brazil, including new tools such as e-Booking and e-AWB. For almost two years, Air Canada Cargo has had its own sales and cargo reservation teams, facilitating direct contact between the customer and the airline, improving response time and booking confirmation,” he concluded.
Optimism
The demand for tickets to Canada is also reflected in travel agencies. “Every time a country increases its air network, it contributes to the increase in flights and, consequently, the tickets become more competitive, boosting both leisure and corporate tourism,” says Claudia Patriani, manager of the travel agency Travel Plus Turismo.
The executive believes that ties between Brazil and Canada tend to increase in the coming years. “Currently, we only have direct flights to Montreal and Toronto, which in my opinion is very few for a large country like Canada. Considering that two of the most sought-after cities by Brazilians are Vancouver and Calgary, which are on the other side of the country, I believe the number of flights should increase very soon,” she estimates.
Based in São Paulo, Travel Plus Turismo has been innovating in the business travel market for almost 20 years and currently operates in three segments: corporate tourism, 360º events – MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Congresses/Trade Shows, and Stand), and leisure. “This makes us one of the few Brazilian agencies to have these three areas of expertise in a single company,” she says.
