Air Canada has signed a deal with United Airlines that expands the relationship between the companies in an effort to offer more flight options and better schedules between 38 destinations in Canada and the United States.
Service will include eight Canadian gateways and will speed recovery from the pandemic, according to Air Canada.
The deal further marks a new phase in its relationship between Air Canada and United, says Mark Galardo, Sr. VP of network planning and revenue management at Air Canada, adds, “It will also enable us to optimize our hubs and schedules and to broaden our global network connectivity to maintain our leadership in the market.”
Customers who search for flights between the Canada and the US on Air Canada or United’s websites and apps will find more flight options scheduled at more convenient times. Codeshare between the two carriers will also be expanded and members of both the MileagePlus and Aeroplan programs will have more accrual and redemption options.
In 2019, the U.S.-Canada transborder market was the second largest international passenger air transportation market in the world and the largest international market for both Canada and the US, as measured by seats.
Air Canada and United already cooperate in the transborder market, according to the terms of their existing US antitrust immunity. Under the joint business agreement, subject to compliance with US and Canadian regulatory and antitrust requirements, the two airlines will now be able to:
• Coordinate their networks and schedules, enabling the carriers to offer customers more choice, including more flights throughout the day and more access to each airline’s seat inventory.
• Enhance codeshare on transborder flights, excluding certain US leisure markets and territories. The carriers anticipate customers will be able to connect to 46 transborder codeshare destinations with more than 400 daily frequencies in 2022 – with opportunities to add more codeshare destinations for domestic routes within Canada and the U.S.
• Sell seats on each other’s transborder flights and share revenue on flights between hub markets (where regulatory authorities and antitrust requirements allow), allowing the carriers to grow their overall capacities.
• Align customer policies for greater consistency and enable the seamless provision of onboard products, establish airport co-locations where available and provide extra value to each carriers’ frequent flyer programs.
• Allow the two carriers to work closer together to advance their sustainability objectives.
The implementation of an expanded partnership builds on the existing close cooperation of the two carriers and previously acquired regulatory approvals. Air Canada and United are also founding members of Star Alliance and a transatlantic joint business agreement with the Lufthansa Group.