Air Canada to debut new cabin look on Airbus A220s, featuring large overhead bins for 19 extra bags
Air Canada’s newest planes will soon have an all-new look on board.
The Montreal-based airline announced plans Tuesday to launch an all-new cabin appearance next year, featuring new mood lighting, extra-large overhead bins and an overall refreshed “vibe.”
The new design will debut on its Airbus A220 jets, the Canadian flag carrier said at a news conference hosted by Airbus in Hamburg, Germany.
Passengers will start seeing the new interiors in 2026.
It won’t just be a milestone for Air Canada: The cabin refresh will mark the debut of Airbus’ “Airspace” cabin on the A220.
Read more: Air Canada shifts to dynamic pricing for some Aeroplan partner awards
Known for its elaborate lighting panels, airy and spacious cabin layouts, and a host of updated, more practical features, the Airspace cabin already flies on a wide range of airlines on other types of planes. But this will be the first time the planemaker's Airspace design will make its way onto the A220 — an aircraft that first entered Air Canada’s fleet just over five years ago, in late 2019.
Larger overhead bins
For Air Canada passengers, the most tangible upgrade will be the larger overhead bins.
They’ll be 20% bigger, the carrier said — room enough for up to 19 additional bags. That’s no small feat on a plane that seats up to 137 passengers.
Those bins should also be easier to close, latching at the bottom and hinging upward, as I saw when touring a mock-up of Airbus’ design Tuesday at Aircraft Interiors Expo, a major industry convention in Hamburg.
These bins should be easier and faster for passengers (not to mention flight attendants) to shut as precious seconds tick away ahead of departure.
Plus, the updated A220s will help usher in two improvements Air Canada previously announced: fast, free onboard Wi-Fi for Aeroplan members and spiffy new 4K seatback screens made by Panasonic, which I got a look at (below) last year.
Read more: Air Canada’s Aeroplan program: The ultimate guide to earning and redeeming points
An overall refresh — for the A220 and beyond
But the refreshed aesthetic should be a nice improvement, too. Air France is calling it the “Glowing Hearted” design.
“The cabin is a lot warmer than it has been in the past, and that is on purpose,” John Moody, Managing Director of Onboard Product, said at a news conference Tuesday. “What we want to deliver is that sort of warm personality, warm caring, that Canadians are known for.”
Expect that warmth to show up on more than just the A220, too. The design Air Canada unveiled with the French planemaker Tuesday should “start flowing” across other Air Canada aircraft types, Moody said.
While he couldn’t say for sure, we should note — because he did — that the airline has dozens of long-range Airbus A321XLRs on order. This new aircraft variant has inspired a wide range of carriers, from American Airlines to Iberia, to roll out new styles and premium seat types.
Related: Chase Aeroplan Credit Card review: A compelling and valuable airline card
“Think of that as a deep tease,” Moody said of Air Canada’s plans. “We have the XLRs coming. We have other aircraft types coming that will be introducing new products, stay tuned.”
Bottom line
Air Canada currently has 35 A220s in its fleet, which fly on a wide range of routes across North America. The new Airspace cabin will debut with the arrival of its 43rd A220, the airline said. That's currently slated for delivery in March of 2026.
The airline does not plan, as of now, to retrofit its existing A220s with the new product.
Air Canada’s A220s feature 12 premium recliners in its North America business class. It has 125 seats in the main cabin arranged in the A220’s signature 2-by-3 configuration.
The airline's announcement Tuesday came as it (like competitors) has been cutting flights to and from the U.S. amid plummeting bookings from Canada-based passengers.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- 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.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $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.