The route marks a major expansion for the airline in Southeast Asia and strengthens Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy by enhancing direct connectivity with the region.
With this launch, Air Canada now holds the distinction of being the North American airline with the most non-stop destinations in Southeast Asia.
NAIA welcomes Air Canada
“Air Canada’s first direct flight from Vancouver arrived at NAIA this morning and was welcomed with a short water cannon salute—a tradition observed for inaugural flights,” New NAIA Infra Corp., backed by conglomerate San Miguel Corp., said on its Facebook page.
“Welcome to Manila, and thank you for choosing NAIA!,” it added.
Air Canada is sole Canadian carrier serving the Philippines
“With more than one million Filipinos living in Canada representing an important market, direct air services are a catalyst to facilitating tourism, trade and connectivity, and represent the fastest way of travelling to Manila,” said Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s executive vice president, revenue and network planning, & president, cargo.
“Whether you start or end your journey at our Vancouver Pacific hub, or one of our conveniently connected network destinations, we are thrilled to welcome you onboard our newest Asia-Pacific flight,” he added.
Four weekly flights
• Flight AC017 from Vancouver to Manila departs at 01:55 and arrives at 06:20 the next day. It operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in April, shifting to Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays starting May 1, 2025.
• Flight AC018 from Manila to Vancouver departs at 09:25 and arrives at 06:20. It runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in April, changing to Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays beginning May 2, 2025.
