Air Canada Moves Up Vancouver-Bangkok Start Date As Asia Push Continues

air canada 787-9
Credit: Zuma Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo

Air Canada will resume seasonal service between Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) from October as the carrier continues an Asia-Pacific push with a particular focus on Southeast Asia.

The announcement regarding the YVR-BKK route, which will be the only nonstop connection between North America and Bangkok, came just days after Air Canada launched exclusive service between YVR and Singapore. Over the past two years, the airline has operated the YVR-BKK route from December to March, but it has moved up the start of flights for the upcoming northern hemisphere winter season.

From Oct. 27, Air Canada will fly the YVR-BKK route 3X-weekly, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). From December through March 2025, the route will be operated 5X-weekly.

The airline will use a Boeing 787-9 configured with 298 seats, including 30 in business class and 21 in premium economy, on the YVR-BKK service.

“The continuation of this service with an advanced start date signifies the strong partnership between our two countries and opens up new avenues for travelers to explore the diverse offerings of Thailand,” Chompu Marusachot, the director of TAT’s New York office, said in a statement.

The Star Alliance carrier has said it plans to add 26% more capacity to Asia-Pacific destinations in 2024 versus 2023. It will be starting seasonal Toronto Pearson-Osaka and Montréal-Seoul routes in June. It currently is operating 4X-weekly flights between YVR and Shanghai. 
Aaron Karp

Aaron Karp is a Contributing Editor to the Aviation Week Network.