I am absolutely loving the trend of airlines making a game of their new route announcements. We recently saw both American Airlines and United Airlines tease new routes ahead of a formal announcement, and now it’s Air Canada’s turn. This should be a fun one!
In this post:
Air Canada will launch five new routes in summer of 2027
On Thursday, September 3, 2026, Air Canada will be announcing five new routes, expected to launch as of the summer of 2027. Presumably these will all be new long haul, international routes. Ahead of the announcement, the airline has published a 46-second clip with clues about what the routes could be.
Not only is this a fun guessing game, but the airline is also offering a chance to win two tickets anywhere Air Canada flies if you submit your guesses here.
Air Canada is an airline that punches above its weight when it comes to its global route network. Air Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mark Galardo, is a massive airline geek and has built an incredible network over the years, and I’m sure this announcement won’t disappoint either.
Without taking into account the clues, let’s just talk about what could enable this long haul growth. Air Canada recently started taking delivery of the Airbus A321XLR, which can be used for long haul flights in long and thin markets, so that opens up quite a few new routes.
On top of that, Air Canada is also planning on taking delivery of its first Boeing 787-10 in the coming months, though I’m not sure if the airline is putting that into the summer 2027 schedule as of now (there’s so much uncertainty with deliveries, seat certifications, etc.).
But one can also assume that the A321XLR will be placed on some existing Boeing 787 or Boeing 777 routes, freeing up those planes to launch other new routes as well.
What new route clues are in the Air Canada video?
Honestly, as much as I enjoy these videos with clues, I’m pretty bad at actually making guesses. I do have a few general thoughts and observations…
First, is there any significance to the baggage cart having “DA 20027” written on the back, beyond “27” referring to the year 2027?
Next, for the square container being loaded onto a plane, there are a bunch of airport codes on there. The only one not currently served by Air Canada is Doha (DOH), so either this is just intended to throw us off, or the airline is resuming flights to Doha, as those were cut in early 2023.
Next, looking at the bag being scanned, could we see a new route to Switzerland, based on the cross on the water bottle? Since the airline already flies to Geneva (GVA) and Zurich (ZRH), it seems like Basel (BSL) would be the only other possibility? Or could Air Canada be adding a route to Geneva out of Toronto (YYZ), which would simply represent a new route, and not a new destination?
Next, it’s interesting how the guy walking through the terminal is wearing a green shirt and a white hat, and there’s also a map of Africa. The Nigerian flag is green and white, and Air Canada even already announced it intended to launch flights to Lagos (LOS) in 2027, so that seems highly likely to me.
Next, I can’t help but think that the below thing is a clue, but I’m not even sure what that is? A dragon, or something? I wouldn’t be shocked if Air Canada announced service from Vancouver (YVR) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), given that it already flies to Bangkok (BKK) and Singapore (SIN), but I’m not sure if the clue is related to that?
Also, I don’t see any clues on the Air Canada boarding pass at the end, but I have to imagine there’s something there?
Bottom line
On September 3, 2026, Air Canada is expected to announce five new long haul destinations. Air Canada has an incredible global route network, so I’m always excited to see what the airline comes up with.
The Star Alliance carrier has now released a teaser video, inviting people to guess what will be added. These videos are always fun but tricky — I have a few guesses, but I’m sure I’m mostly wrong.
What five new destinations are you expecting Air Canada to announce?
"DA" is the prefix used on Norwegian car number plates for the Oslo region!
The boarding card has a destination of seven X. XXXXXXX Any seven digit destinations yet to be served by AC. Also do the gate C58 and Sest 27C hold any clues. Destination with C ….Chengdu :)
I first thought 58 and 27 were some reference to geographic coordinates but they land … well search it lol
One of the new route would be Guangzhou, and AC will probably fly from YVR as russian airspace is still closed for western airlines
Just wish AC had more direct flying in Western Canada. YYJ - YYC or YEG for a start.
Ok, got another idea. NYC area to anywhere in Newfoundland (I know, aspirational). Any of them will do JFK/EWR/LGA to YYT/YQX/YDF; it’d just be nice to not have to connect anywhere to get there.
I'm so sick of this crap. Just announce the f*&%^$# routes! LOL
Then have enough common sense to just chill out and wait. Duhhhhh.
Some of us love these, and they obviously generate media attention, or we wouldn't be seeing more and more airlines start doing them, like they have.
The clue on Switzerland could be various new routes: Montreal or Toronto to BSL (on A321XLR, seasonal service by AirTransat), YYZ to GVA, YUL to ZRH. But there are also other options, like Calgary (YYC) to ZRH, Halifax (YHZ) to ZRH (both seasonal services by Edelweiss).
Unlikely is Whitehorse (YXY) to ZRH, which was previously served by Edelweiss, but AC has no base there.
It's YUL-BSL.
Personally, I'd like to see more N. America to SE Asia, so, whoever's on that SGN-train, sign me up.
Yeah, the cross on the water bottle seems an obvious clue for Switzerland. The red/white checker scarf on the little girl seems pointing to Croatia. I think Ben's right about Lagos for the green jacket/map of Africa as well. The "DOH" airport code repeated seems to be another obvious one for Doha.
The boarding card includes the date June 2, which could be the day the flights launch.
If there is a GOT reference…. The case being loaded on the plane has MIA… surely not Miami, but how about Malta International Airport. Taking a page out of the delta playbook, and serving the Maltese community in Toronto
That'd be awesome, actually. Our pal, @AlanZ, would undoubtedly approve!
Just what we need. Another load of tourists, When we moved here seven years ago, there were about a million flying in. Now it's over 2,400,000.
Malta has 560,000 peeps here. They drive 365,000 cars,. Not enough room to walk around here.
Canuck go home!
Malta's airport code is MLA, not MIA. The "L" is for "Luqa" the community where the airport is.
Dragon = GoT = Croatia?
The dragon could refer to Game of Thrones. The girl is wearing a red/white checkered scarf. DBV would be my guess on this one
You also miss that the FA is name Clare, which is the county of SNN
Duty free bag at 33sec mark could also be another indicator to SNN
it seems OKA is getting some love....hope i can get the UA or AC flight next year.
The black dragon-thing is from a Canadian company that imports carnival toys from...Shanghai. This particular one is a 1998 design.
I can't help but notice that the person running with it is wearing a white and red checkered headscarf--that would suggest Croatia...possibly Split?
CORRECTION: Noting the other comments that support Zagreb as the Croation city, I would agree and change my answer from Split--in whic case the "1998" dragon is 19 (one of Zagreb's area codes) and 98 is a mobile number prefix (HT telekom) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_numbers_in_Croatia#List_of_area_codes]
The blue and red logo on the dragon is the South Korea colours .
The flipboard at the start of the video seems to spell Guangzhou?
Le Concours s’adresse à tous les résidents canadiens.
It's cool when airlines play the guessing game.
However AC screwed up buying the 321xlr, the first 6 have the wrong engines, and and way to much density, so they won't be going deep into Europe.
As Air Canada is progressing into a full budget airline they new places need to be tourist destinations.
Let hope SGN or JNB but thats probably dreaming as AC has not bought any of the new longer range 787-9s
ZAG (red and white checkered flag)
HAM/DUS/CGN (Rimowa suitcase)
"DA27" might also be a hint towards Basel. The airport sits at an elevation of 270 meters, "DA" could be an abbreviation for "dual arrival" or something similar in French, as you can exit the airport either on the Swiss or on the French side.
The dragon could point to Krakow as well?
Woman with dragon: DBV
Red/white Croatian check headscarf and dragon... Game of Thrones was filmed in Dubrovnik.
?
In the Green & White attired man photo, notice how the terminal signage points to EH9 <-.
There's not an actual EH9 gate in Toronto, that's photoshopped, most likely referring to the postal district in Edinburgh.
Maybe, but Scots are usually represented in blue and white; not green.
Green and white are the colours of Hibs who interesting enough were the inspiration for Celtic. Problis However Easter road is EH7 and the airport is EH12 also theirs seasonal serviceto Toronto.
This clue thing is getting old real quick. Just let us know where you are flying to.
Montego Bay is roughly at 19 degrees north and 77 degrees, 55 minutes west. That would match the 19:55 departure time on the boarding pass. It's out there, but United's gone weirder than that on their clues.
The black and red dragon plush may symbolize Ljubljana, city of dragons.
Dragons also are a symbol of Tallinn, Estonia. There's no existing flights to any of the Baltic countries from anywhere in North America AFAIK. A nonstop to Tallinn would be a cool addition (though seems unlikely).
FWIW I'm not gushing with joy at the prospect of flying across oceans on any narrow body, cramped A321XLR. I'll take a connection and a widebody over that experience. At least it might free up some 787s.
That'd be nuts, like, yet another random flight to Slovenia that no one really asked for. Sorry, I'm being told by my handlers to... 'be best!'