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The Star Alliance airline soars back into South Pacific skies with flights to Vancouver and beyond…
By David Flynn • April 5 2022
With travel confidence continuing to improve in 2022, Air Canada is making the most of the upbeat mood.
The Star Alliance member will ramp up its Sydney-Vancouver flights from the daily schedule as of May 1 to ten weekly return flights during the peak travel period of June 6 to September 5.
The additional flights, earmarked as AC38, will depart Sydney on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday at 1:40pm, and make it easier for travellers from outside Sydney who need a connecting domestic flight before winging their way to Vancouver (compared to the 9.30am departure of flight AC34).
Air Canada will also bring back direct Brisbane-Vancouver flights – the only carrier serving this trans-Pacific corridor – beginning July 1 from Vancouver (on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) and July 3 from Brisbane (on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday).
If you’re not in Sydney or Brisbane, Air Canada’s partnership with Virgin Australia offers easy connections from a slew of other cities.
Auckland is also back on Air Canada’s map, with three flights a week from November 10.
The Brisbane and Auckland flights will be handled by Air Canada’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which – like the Sydney-Vancouver Boeing 777 – feature spacious Signature Class lie-flat business suites and WiFi.
Business class travellers and those with top-tier frequent flyer status can begin their journey from Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland from the lounges of Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand, with the Signature Suite lounge at Vancouver slated to reopen by mid-year.
Both in the air and on the ground, business class flyers will enjoy a menu developed by award-winning Vancouver-based chef David Hawksworth and Montreal-based chef JĂ©rĂ´me Ferrer, with matching wines chosen leading Canadian sommelier VĂ©ronique Rivest.
If you’re in premium economy or economy, top-tier frequent flyer status with Air Canada Aeroplan (Elite 50K, 75K or Super Elite), Virgin Australia Velocity (Gold or Platinum) or a Star Alliance member airline (Star Alliance Gold) provides entry into Air Canada’s international and domestic network of Maple Leaf lounges.
And while Vancouver remains a superb destination in its own right, it’s also the gateway to the ski, snow and mountain sports mecca of Whistler along with the Alaska cruise circuit, including Glacier Bay and the ‘Inside Passage’ coastal route.
In recent years, Air Canada has also become an appealing option for travel to New York thanks to the seamless connections offered by Vancouver’s in-transit pre-clearance facilities network.
“Our new services not only provide more direct links to Canada, they also open up one of the fastest ways for Australians and Kiwis to reach New York and other key US cities,” says Vic Naughton, Air Canada’s General Manager Australia and New Zealand.
Air Canada passengers continuing on to cities across the United States quickly pass through Vancouver’s convenient US immigration and customs clearance facilities, which means they arrive at their final US destination as a domestic passenger.
“In addition, passengers travelling beyond Vancouver to other points in Canada don’t need to recheck their baggage in transit or pass through extra security checks,” adds Naughton, who describes Vancouver as “the most friendly and convenient year-round gateway to North America for business and leisure travellers.”
“For Australian and New Zealand travellers, it adds up to an unrivaled customer journey experience.”
Under the Virgin Australia partnership, Velocity Frequent Flyers can earn points and status credits on Air Canada flights – although the more you travel with Air Canada, the more appealing its Aeroplan rewards program will be.