Air Canada Inks Codeshare Agreement with Emirates

Air Canada finalized a codeshare agreement with Dubai-based Emirates Airline on November 1, allowing customers from both carriers to extend their reach to an additional 36 destinations.

Air Canada passengers will now be able to take advantage of an improved pool of locations across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Similarly, Emirates customers will find seamless connections opened in Canada via Air Canada’s main hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Eleven more routes are expected to be added following regulatory sign-off, with the possibility of increasing the route network further.

Codeshares are arrangements where multiple carriers will sell seats for the same route. Tickets will be available under each airline’s name, either on their website or through third parties, with one designated airline conducting the flight.

Photo: Courtesy of Emirates

“We are delighted to establish a partnership with Air Canada, to expand our reach into more points in North America. Partnering with Canada’s flag carrier enables us to offer customers seamless connectivity when flying to domestic points within Canada via Toronto,” Tim Clark, chief executive at Emirates. “Besides the added-value benefits and rewarding experiences that leisure and business travellers of both airlines can look forward to, the partnership allows Air Canada’s customers to travel to destinations across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, thanks to our expansive network via our hub in Dubai.”

The sentiment was shared by Air Canada’s President and CEO Michael Rousseau. “This exciting new partnership with Emirates will allow Air Canada to meaningfully broaden the choice of flight options for our customers,” he said. “It will create easier connections between Canada and destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. As well, it will allow us to draw more connecting traffic through our Toronto global hub and expand our presence in these dynamic regions where demand for global travel is expected to grow.”

In addition to providing more options for both sets of passengers, customers of the respective frequent flyer programs—Emirates Skywards and Air Canada’s Aeroplan—will soon be able to rack up and redeem points on flights operated by both airlines. The arrangement would also see mutual lounge access sets of passengers on applicable routes. However, the exact details still need to be finalized, with an announcement expected shortly.