Air Canada Launches New 8-Hour A321XLR Heathrow Route: But There's A Twist

Credit: Air Canada | Simple Flying Published Sep 5, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT Journalist – Aaron is an aviation and travel journalist with 14 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. His background spans airport operations, aviation infrastructure, and travel consulting, having worked with global organizations across New Zealand, Europe, and North America. Combining industry expertise with firsthand travel experience across more than 52 countries and five continents, Aaron covers airlines, airports, aviation policy, and the wider travel sector. He is based in Canterbury, New Zealand. His work has been published in Simple Flying and featured by MSN, SAM CHUI Aviation & Travel, EIN News, Pakistan Defence, and Climate Depot. Sign in to your Simple Flying account Air Canada is adding an exciting new 'daytripper' service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR). The airline's brand-new Airbus A321XLR will be deployed on the route, adding up to 33 weekly flights on the city pair. From June 1, 2027, the Star Alliance carrier plans to provide even more choice for travel to the British capital, nonstop from Canada's largest city. This service will depart Toronto early in the morning and arrive in London late in the evening, with the return service leaving London mid-morning for a mid-afternoon arrival back to Canada, increasing overall frequency on the route from the current four to five daily. Air Canada A321XLR: Eight-Hour Daytripper Service Coming Soon Credit: Air Canada Air Canada's move to add another daily service to London comes as the airline explores more opportunities for onward travel through its Toronto hub. The mid-morning departure from London will see passengers arrive in Toronto with time to transit to the carrier's wider Canada, United States, Caribbean, Central and South America network with just one stop. This alternative, when compared to the traditional overnight transatlantic service from North America, will provide more flexibility and options for those looking to fly and avoid the effects of jet lag. Air Canada last had a regular daytime service to Europe in 2020. Loading map… Drag to explore Those transiting to the US on this service will enjoy the bonus of US Customs and Border Preclearance, as travelers arrive in the US as domestic passengers and bypass long immigration queues. The new A321XLR service will follow the schedule below: Flight Frequency Origin Departure Time Destination Arrival Time Aircraft AC862 1x daily Toronto Peason International Airport (YYZ) 8:30 AM London Heathrow Airport (LHR) 9:00 PM Airbus A321XLR AC863 1x daily London Heathrow Airport (LHR) 11:05 AM Toronto Peason International Airport (YYZ) 2:45 PM Airbus A321XLR Shaking Off The Chances Of Jetlag Credit: Air Canada The daytripper is an alternative for those who would rather avoid the traditional overnight service from North America; daytime services traditionally result in less jet lag and let UK-bound passengers arrive and head to bed on arrival. While departing from North America in the morning, this will see a late evening arrival into England, and allow you to sync with local time zones more easily. One drawback is the wasted day onboard an airplane, and given that the majority of airlines offer overnight red-eye flights to maximize aircraft scheduling, this alternative will provide more options and added connections. Those lucky enough to travel on this new flight will enjoy Air Canada's first-ever lie-flat business class seat on a narrowbody plane, including 14 lie-down pods in a one-by-one configuration, while an additional 168 seats are in economy for a total capacity of 182 onboard. The Next Chapter Of Travel For Air Canada Credit: Air Canada As the airline prepares for these future routes, it is already integrating the aircraft into its current network. The first transatlantic flight for the aircraft was on June 15, between Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) and Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS). The airline announced it will schedule the A321XLR on flights to London, increasing total daily operations on the city pair to five each day and complementing the carrier's existing widebody operations. For Air Canada, this news comes alongside the airline's wider network developments for Summer 2027, with the airline announcing a range of new nonstop services between Toronto, Montreal and Europe, while also becoming the only North American carrier to fly to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), as the airline adds year-round services from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) from next May.