Air Canada to expand services to Ireland with their new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in 2018

 Press release from Air Canada today highlights new Ireland routes:

First routes for Air Canada's new Boeing 737-Max include Shannon, Dublin

• Non-stop, seasonal Toronto-Shannon, Montreal-Dublin routes begin June 2018
• The existing Toronto-Dublin service will transfer to Air Canada mainline from Air Canada Rouge beginning October 29, 2017, with increased frequencies this winter, daily next summer
• Seasonal Vancouver-Dublin service resumes next summer with an increase in weekly frequencies to five from three

MONTREAL, Sept. 13, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada today announced expanded seasonal services to Ireland with new non-stop flights from Toronto to Shannon and between Montreal and Dublin. The flights will be operated using Air Canada's newest single-aisle aircraft, the Boeing 737 Max 8 featuring a Business and Economy cabin configuration.

"With the right aircraft for the right market, Air Canada appears to have the luck of the Irish and we want to share it with our customers. Beginning summer 2018, we will capitalize on the growing traffic between Canada and Ireland and launch two new routes to Ireland, Toronto to Shannon and Montreal to Dublin," said Benjamin Smith, President Passenger Airlines at Air Canada.

Not only is this big news for their new planes coming in but also the change to Air Canada mainline from Rouge for the existing Toronto-Dublin route is very welcome! Watch out Aer Lingus! 

Image Courtesy of Boeing

Here is the schedule

Flight	Departs	Arrives	Days of Week
AC820	Toronto 22:00	Shannon 9:30 + 1 day	Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
AC821	Shannon 10:30	Toronto 12:45	Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
AC818	Montreal 21:15	Dublin 8:25 + 1 day	Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
AC819	Dublin 10:20	Montreal 12:00	Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday

These new flights will go on sale starting September 19th so if you have plans on Ireland next year that's the day to start checking Aeroplan as typically these new routes tend to have more award seats available in first few weeks. One way with Aeroplan in Economy is 30,000 miles (60,000 round trip) and in Business Class it is 55,000 miles one way (110,000RT)

Are you excited about these new routes? Will you fly on them next year?