Air India upgrades Canada operations with brand-new Boeing 787-9s; Announces a new Mumbai-Toronto Seasonal route

Air India’s transformation of its long-haul network continues at pace, and Canada is emerging as one of the biggest beneficiaries. After restoring non-stop Delhi-Toronto operations with its factory-fresh Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from today, the airline has now announced an even bigger expansion for the Winter 2026 schedule: a brand-new Mumbai-Toronto non-stop service.

The move represents far more than just an additional route. It signals Air India’s confidence in the India-Canada market, restores much-needed capacity after months of operational constraints, and brings the airline’s newest onboard product to one of its most strategically important international markets.

A second non-stop gateway to Canada

Beginning October 25, 2026, Air India will launch a seasonal non-stop service between Mumbai and Toronto, operating three times a week during the Winter 2026 schedule.

The new service will complement the airline’s existing Delhi-Toronto and Delhi-Vancouver operations, giving passengers from western and southern India a much more convenient one-stop or non-stop option to Canada’s largest city. For Mumbai-origin passengers in particular, this removes the need to connect through Delhi or rely on foreign carriers operating via Europe or the Middle East. This adds nearly 2,000 seats each week between India and Canada and makes AI the only carrier operating direct flights between the two cities.

The new flight will also have First Class, in addition to Business and Economy Cabins.

Toronto has long been one of the largest international destinations for Indian travellers. Between the Indian diaspora, student traffic, VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) demand and growing business links, Canada continues to remain one of Air India’s strongest long-haul markets. The additional Mumbai flight should also help spread demand across two hubs while improving network connectivity from Air India’s growing domestic network.

Delhi-Toronto gets the aircraft passengers have been waiting for

The bigger news for frequent flyers may actually be what has already started today. Air India has deployed its brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the Delhi-Toronto route, replacing the older 777 aircraft that had been operating the service until now, with a stop in Vienna for refuelling. The aircraft features the airline’s latest generation cabins introduced as part of its fleet transformation programme.

The upgrade is significant because Toronto becomes one of only a handful of destinations currently receiving Air India’s newest Dreamliner product, joining routes such as Frankfurt where the aircraft first entered commercial service earlier this year.

Passengers can now expect:

• The new Air India Business Class suites
• Premium Economy on the route for the very first time
• Completely redesigned Economy Class seats
• New inflight entertainment systems
• Modern cabin interiors matching Air India’s new global brand identity

For Canadian travellers who have flown Air India’s legacy aircraft over the past decade, this represents a dramatic improvement in onboard experience.

Additionally, the remaining 3X weekly services are currently being operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and will transition to the new Boeing 787-9 from January 2027 as more aircraft join the fleet.

The Vienna fuel stop is finally history

For several months, Delhi-Toronto flights had been operating with an en-route fuel stop in Vienna. The stop became necessary after Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian carriers, forcing significantly longer routings over Europe and increasing fuel requirements. And then came the Middle East Tensions.  With the commissioning of the new Boeing 787-9, Air India has been able to eliminate the technical stop entirely.

Flights now operate non-stop once again between Delhi and Toronto, reducing total journey time by almost three hours while restoring the convenience expected from a long-haul flagship route. The airline has also restored daily frequency on the route after temporary capacity reductions earlier this year.

Why this matters

For Air India, Canada has become one of the most strategically important international markets. Relations between India and Canada have experienced diplomatic turbulence over the past couple of years, but passenger demand has remained remarkably resilient. Family travel, student movements and business traffic continue to generate strong demand across both Toronto and Vancouver.

At the same time, Air India has been steadily rebuilding its position in North America. Over the past year, the airline has:

• Reinstated its codeshare partnership with Air Canada.
• Begun introducing new-generation aircraft across North American routes, such as the A350-900s to New York and Newark
• Progressively restored frequencies that had been reduced because of fleet shortages and geopolitical disruptions.
• Continued expanding the number of destinations served with upgraded cabin products.

Better connectivity through Mumbai

The new Mumbai-Toronto flight is also strategically important because it leverages Air India’s growing Mumbai hub. Over the last year, Air India has increasingly shifted long-haul growth towards Mumbai, launching or expanding services to destinations across Europe, the United States and now Canada.

Passengers from cities such as Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Pune and several tier-two destinations will now have another convenient gateway to Canada without necessarily routing through Delhi. The additional connectivity also strengthens Air India’s ability to compete against one-stop itineraries offered by Gulf carriers, European airlines and other Asian competitors.

The announcement also comes at an interesting point for Indian aviation. Just yesterday, IndiGo confirmed it will conclude its wide-body damp-lease operations with Norse Atlantic Airways from the end of the Summer 2026 schedule. That leaves Air India as the country’s only operator of twin-aisle aircraft for the foreseeable future until IndiGo begins inducting its own Airbus A350 fleet.

Against that backdrop, Air India’s continued induction of new wide-body aircraft—and their deployment on key international routes such as Toronto—takes on even greater significance.

On the whole upgrade, Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said:

Canada is one of Air India’s most important international markets, with deep people-to-people connections driving strong demand for travel, particularly during the festive and holiday season. The launch of our seasonal Mumbai-Toronto service this Winter will provide travellers more choice and convenience at a time when many are travelling to reunite with family and friends. At the same time, we are also progressively introducing our newest aircraft and the latest onboard products to North America, reflecting our intent to put our best foot forward in one of the world’s most competitive long-haul markets. Together, these initiatives mark another important step in our journey to make Air India a world-class airline and the preferred gateway between India and the world.

Here is the full schedule of the flights to Toronto, after the new route is launched.

Bottomline

Canada is receiving one of the biggest upgrades in Air India’s ongoing transformation programme. The arrival of the brand-new Boeing 787-9 on Delhi-Toronto brings the airline’s latest cabins, Premium Economy and non-stop operations back to one of its flagship North American routes. Add to that the launch of a new Mumbai-Toronto non-stop service this winter, and Air India is substantially strengthening its position in one of its most important overseas markets.

For passengers, it means faster journeys, a vastly improved onboard experience and more choice. For Air India, it is another visible milestone in its effort to rebuild a global network around modern aircraft, upgraded products and stronger international connectivity.

What do you think of the upgrades that Air India is making on its Canadian market routes? Book Air India here. 

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