Air Canada Announces Comprehensive Fleet Upgrade

Air Canada has today announced a comprehensive cabin renewal program across mainline, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express, to provide an elevated North American travel experience for all guests.

Air Canada Airbus Boeing 737-8 MAX - Courtesy Air Canada

On Thursday (November 20, 2025), Air Canada announced the launch of their most comprehensive cabin renewal program ever, designed to make every flight across North America more comfortable, more connected, and more consistent for customers and crew members. Spanning Air Canada mainline, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express, this multi-year investment reimagines the onboard experience with new interiors, next-generation technology, and thoughtful details inspired by customer and co-worker feedback.  Additionally, this will include the industry’s most comprehensive Fast, Free Wi-Fi offering, sponsored by Bell.

In Thursday’s announcement, Air Canada’s EVP and Chief Operations Officer, Mark Nasr, said,

“When customers step onto an Air Canada aircraft, they should instantly feel a sense of comfort, care, and pride.  Supported by award-winning service from co-workers across the company, this renewal program is about delivering that feeling consistently, across every flight. Whether traveling for business, leisure, or something in between, every update is designed with our customers in mind. Notably, this program includes an entirely new Air Canada Rouge product with cutting-edge in-flight entertainment, Fast, Free Wi-Fi, and seats that recline for all customers.”

As part of the comprehensive fleet upgrade, all of Air Canada’s Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft in the mainline fleet will be transferred to Air Canada Rouge.  The updated cabins will have 12 Business Class seats, 18 Preferred extra legroom Economy seats, and 147 Standard Economy seats, each reclining, featuring personal inflight entertainment (IFE) screens and fast, free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan Members.

As part of this transformation, all Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft will operate at Air Canada mainline.  Those interiors will be upgraded to Air Canada’s latest standards, including new seating, the latest IFE system, and upgraded fast, free Wi-Fi.  The renovated cabins will complement Air Canada’s new design standard, with a distinctly Canadian aesthetic that is modern, accessible and warm, reflecting the beauty and sophistication of Canada.  The program is well underway, with 15 Airbus A321s already flying with the upgrades.

Air Canada's Upgraded Cabin Interior - Courtesy Air Canada/Globe Newswire

Air Canada has an additional 26 Airbus A220-300s on order and will introduce its new design standard on future deliveries, including Airbus’ larger XL overhead bins, as of March 2026.  Air Canada Express aircraft operated by Jazz, including the Embraer E175 and Mitsubishi CRJ-900, will be fitted with the new cabin standard from 2026.  Next generation fast, free Wi-Fi is being rolled out, with 55 percent of the fleet already equipped.  This is in addition to the previously announced upgrades to 25 De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft, which will undergo a full cabin redesign to install new seating, new interiors and, on aircraft flying from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, next generation Wi-Fi.

Source: Air Canada / Globe Newswire