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Air Canada A220 inaugural to fly as planned, despite schedule data to the contrary
Zach Griff
Senior reporter
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
Dec. 30, 2019
•
3 min read
Air Canada A220 inaugural to fly as planned, despite schedule data to the contrary
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Correction: This post has been updated to show that Air Canada’s Airbus A220 inaugural will operate on Jan. 16, 2020, as originally scheduled.
If you’re scheduled to fly the Air Canada A220 inaugural flight, you may see that your reservation lists another type of Airbus - the A320 - operating the inaugural flight.
But don’t fret, we’ve confirmed with the airline that the A220 is still set to fly from Montreal (YUL) to Calgary (YYC) beginning on Jan. 16.
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The 8:10 a.m. departure (flight AC 317) was originally scheduled to be the A220 inaugural, but eager passengers were in for a surprise when their reservations updated to show an A320 instead of the A220.
Though the airline reassured us that the A220 will still fly as planned, airline-data websites such as Google Flights, ExpertFlyer and Expedia all show the A320 on the route. Air Canada confirmed that they are working to update the schedules.
The next route to see A220 service will be from YUL to Toronto (YYZ) on Air Canada Flight 481 on Sunday, Jan. 19. At the outset, the 330-mile commuter hop will only get the new planes on select Sunday frequencies.
Service will expand to other existing routes, including to New York LaGuardia (LGA) in March, through May.
Air Canada will use the A220 to open new nonstop service between Montreal and Seattle (SEA) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and San Jose, California (SJC), on May 4.
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Related: Air Canada Adds New California and Seattle Routes with Airbus A220
The Air Canada A220 will deliver an upgraded passenger experience for those seated in both business class and economy. The plane features just 137 seats, with 12 up front and 125 in the back.
The jet is configured with personal entertainment screens at every seat, as well as power and USB ports. Economy features some of the airline’s widest seats, and the plane features plenty of overhead storage for passengers’ belongings.
The carrier will also be the first to launch North America operations of the Airbus A220-300. Delta has been operating the shorter A220-100 variant since February, but Air Canada will be the first to fly the longer stretched version.
Related: Here's why I loved my 2 flights on Swiss' Airbus A220
Though it may be appear that the Air Canada A220 inaugural flight is delayed, don’t worry— the plane will begin criss-crossing North American skies starting as planned on Jan. 16.
ExpertFlyer is owned by Red Ventures, TPG's parent company.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.