Air Canada today is marking the inauguration of its newest international flights linking Vancouver and Manila. (CNW Group/Air Canada)
(IN SHORT) Air Canada has introduced a new four-times-weekly, year-round direct service from Vancouver to Manila, marking its 12th destination in the Asia-Pacific region and further solidifying its position as the leading North American airline with the most non-stop flights to Southeast Asia. Celebrations at Vancouver’s YVR Pacific hub highlighted the launch, with strong support from Canadian officials and community leaders emphasizing the benefits for tourism, trade, and the Filipino Canadian community. The new service is part of Air Canada’s expanding transpacific network, which will deliver over 180 weekly flights between Canada and the Pacific region for summer 2025.
(PRESS RELEASE) VANCOUVER, BC, 2025-Apr-3 — /Travel PR News/ — Air Canada has launched its newest international service linking Vancouver and Manila, reinforcing its strong presence in Southeast Asia and supporting Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy. This four-times-weekly, year-round service connects Vancouver’s YVR Pacific hub with Manila, making it the airline’s 12th destination in the Asia-Pacific region and positioning Air Canada as the only Canadian carrier offering non-stop flights to the Philippines. This expansion also makes Air Canada the North American airline serving the most non-stop destinations in Southeast Asia.
Celebrations took place at the YVR Pacific hub on April 1, with another event held just before the departure of flight AC017 at 01:55 on April 2, which arrives in Manila at 06:20 local time on April 3.
Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s Executive Vice President, Revenue and Network Planning & President, Cargo, commented, “We are proud to be the only Canadian carrier flying to the Philippines. With over one million Filipinos living in Canada, this direct service will make visiting family, conducting business, or vacationing more convenient than ever. Whether your journey starts at our Vancouver hub or through one of our network destinations, we’re excited to welcome you on board our newest Asia-Pacific flight.”
BC Premier David Eby stated, “This new route is welcome news for British Columbians. It will help connect the more than 170,000 Filipino Canadians here with their loved ones while boosting tourism, trade, and our overall economy.” Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim added, “This is a big win for our incredible Filipino community. The new non-stop flights to Manila will bring families closer and create new opportunities, further establishing Vancouver as a gateway for global expansion.” Tamara Vrooman, President & CEO of YVR, expressed her enthusiasm, noting, “We are delighted to welcome this new service to Manila. It builds on our strong air access to the Asia-Pacific region and will facilitate greater travel and trade from YVR.”
Air Canada’s schedule for Manila is as follows:
Flight AC017 from Vancouver (YVR) to Manila (MNL) departs at 01:55 and arrives at 06:20 (+1 day). In April, it operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; from May 1, 2025, it will fly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Flight AC018 from Manila (MNL) to Vancouver (YVR) departs at 09:25 and arrives at 06:20. In April, it operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; from May 2, 2025, it will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
This new service is part of Air Canada’s growing transpacific network from Vancouver, which already includes routes to destinations in Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, SAE, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. For summer 2025, Air Canada will offer over 180 weekly flights between Canada and the Pacific, the highest number of non-stop flights in the market, continuing its expansion into fast-growing Southeast Asian markets.
Media contacts:
media@aircanada.ca
SOURCE Air Canada
