Air Canada Launches First Nonstop Flight From Columbus to Montreal

Published on May 01, 2026

Franklin County Board of Commissioners | Public Affairs

Passengers boarding Air Canada’s first nonstop flight from Columbus to Montreal on May 1 got a send-off at the gate from the airport, the airline, the City of Columbus and Franklin County. County Administrator Kenneth Wilson told them they were part of a local first.

“You are a part of something new in this community. And in Franklin County, we love firsts,” Wilson said.

The daily flight connects John Glenn Columbus International Airport with Montreal-Trudeau International Airport. Daren Griffin, President and CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, said it is the first nonstop service to Montreal in the airport’s history. He credited a long list of partners, including the city, the county, Experience Columbus and the Columbus Partnership, and said the launch follows the busiest year the airport has ever had.

Vincent Gaudet-Doré, Air Canada’s managing director of Canada and U.S. sales, said the route adds to the airline’s existing Columbus service to Toronto. Passengers on the first flight alone were connecting through Montreal to Paris, Casablanca, Athens, Lisbon, London and Barcelona, he said.

Wilson tied the route to what it means for people who live here. He said John Glenn welcomed more than 9.2 million travelers last year and pointed to the $2 billion terminal now under construction.

“This nonstop service to Montreal is more than a new route, it’s a gateway,” Wilson said. “For our residents, it means a world closer, makes travel, education, and new experiences more accessible.”

He said county government’s job is to keep that kind of growth going. “That means investing in infrastructure, supporting strong partnerships, and making sure our community stays connected,” he said.

Elon Simms, Chief of Staff for the City of Columbus, spoke on behalf of Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and said fewer connections and shorter trips give Central Ohio companies an edge. “Time is money,” Simms said.

Jeff Urquhart of the Consulate General of Canada in Detroit, who lives in Columbus, put numbers to the relationship. He said 48 Canadian companies operate in Franklin County and have created more than 3,000 jobs. Across Ohio, 290 Canadian-owned companies employ almost 30,000 workers.

The flight runs daily through October.