Barbados is set to become even more accessible to Québec travellers as Air Canada introduces year-round service between Montréal and Barbados for the first time in the history of the carrier’s service to the destination.
Beginning at the end of the 2026/27 winter season, Air Canada will operate weekly Sunday service between Montréal and Bridgetown, extending travel options into the summer months and providing greater year-round connectivity between Québec and Barbados.
According to Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s Canada Director Eusi Skeete, the new service reflects sustained efforts to grow demand in Québec through strategic trade engagement, consumer marketing, targeted campaigns and industry partnerships, while supporting Barbados’ broader strategy to strengthen connectivity and diversify demand across the year.
“This is a significant moment for Barbados and is indicative of our strong partnership with Air Canada,” says Skeete. “Our partnership spans more than 76 years, and this milestone demonstrates what is possible when an airline and a destination work together with a shared commitment to growing the market.”
Skeet continues, “We have seen Québec respond positively, with Barbados increasingly becoming a destination of choice for both consumers and travel advisors. This year-round service allows us to build on that momentum and continue converting interest in Barbados into meaningful visitation. This is a significant achievement for the destination, but more importantly, it is a platform for the next phase of growth.”
Minister of Tourism and International Transport G.P. Ian Gooding-Edghill, said the new service reflects the Government’s continued focus on market development, connectivity and investment in the visitor experience and the great work being undertaken by the Canadian team resulting in recording breaking performance from the market.
“Accessibility remains fundamental to the continued growth of the Barbados’ tourism sector. The introduction of year-round Air Canada service from Montréal demonstrates the value of the investments and strategic efforts being undertaken in our key markets to stimulate demand and strengthen connectivity. Our Canadian growth strategy, which we embarked upon since 2023 as a ministry, is not simply about bringing more visitors to Barbados; but has been focused on ensuring that travellers can access the island with greater ease and that, once here, they encounter a tourism product that continues to evolve. We are therefore continuing to invest in the experiences, infrastructure and services that underpin the Barbados promise, ensuring that increased accessibility is matched by a destination experience that delivers.”
As Barbados expands access, the destination is equally focused on creating experiences that inspire travellers to return. Continued investment in culture, culinary offerings, hospitality and immersive visitor experiences remains central to delivering a distinctive Barbados experience.
The island’s evolving accommodations portfolio includes new additions such as Hotel Indigo Barbados, Royalton Vessence Barbados and Blue Monkey Hotel & Beach Club, offering travellers even more ways to experience the destination.
BTMI Chief Executive Officer Andrea Franklin said the expanded connectivity supports the destination’s commitment to creating deeper and more enduring connections with visitors.
“We want every journey to Barbados to leave a lasting impression. Our ambition is to create experiences that are meaningful, distinctive, and personal enough that travellers do not simply enjoy their time on the island but begin to feel connected to it. That connection is what brings people back, and it is at the heart of our ‘Barbados Remembers Your Name’ campaign. As we expand access from Québec into the summer, we are equally focused on ensuring that visitors have more reasons to discover, experience and fall in love with Barbados, so that the island becomes a place they return to time and time again.”
Visitors can connect more deeply with Bajan culture through programs such as Dine with a Bajan, which invites guests to share a meal and meaningful conversation with local hosts in an intimate setting. Looking ahead, the annual Barbados Food and Rum Festival returns this November and will once again showcase the island’s celebrated culinary identity, bringing together acclaimed chefs, mixologists and local talent for a vibrant celebration of Bajan cuisine, rum and culture.
The Montréal expansion forms part of a broader strengthening of Barbados’ Canadian airlift. This winter, Air Canada will increase its Toronto service to eight weekly flights beginning in December, while new weekly nonstop Halifax-Barbados service is also scheduled to begin during the 2026/27 winter season.
The Montréal summer service will be operated by Air Canada Rouge on its 177-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
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