Air Canada plans to launch flights to the U.S. out of Toronto’s island airport in a bid for business passengers that marks a direct challenge to rival Porter Airlines.
The country’s largest airline says it will fly planes between Billy Bishop airport and New York City, Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C., starting next spring for a total of 10 daily return flights.
It will also ramp up its flight frequency to Montreal and Ottawa from the airport.
Hey Air Canada - you just showed up at our birthday party today with no gift (how rude!) and a lot more talk about trying to match what we've been doing for 19 years. No cake for you! pic.twitter.com/XUFlV62x9X
— Porter Airlines (@porterairlines) October 23, 2025
The launch of transborder flights will follow the arrival of a U.S. customs pre-clearance facility at Billy Bishop that allows passengers to be screened by American border guards before taking off.
The shift comes as part of a renewed focus on business passengers and more profitable routes, as cross-border corporate travel holds steady despite plummeting demand from leisure travellers put off by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and divisive rhetoric.
The move also represents rising competition with a rapidly expanding Porter Airlines, which runs routes out of Billy Bishop to all six of the urban areas Air Canada is targeting.
