American Airlines has just marked 8.5 decades of service to this country, a development that closely followed another major milestone for the carrier.
The airline held a Tuesday reception at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport paying tribute to American’s arrival in this country, a June 24, 1941, flight from Buffalo to Toronto.
The carrier’s presence has since grown to having more than 200 employees in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Quebec City, Calgary and Halifax.
Jose Freig, American’s vice president of international and inflight dining operations, told the Toronto gathering that the celebration of 85 years of Canadian service came just a few months after American reached the 100-year mark.
“We’re really excited…We look forward to another 85 years,” Freig said of the Canadian service.
He noted that new American routes link New York with Calgary and Quebec City.
Freig also used the occasion to thank American Airlines clients, saying they enable its ongoing operation: “You make us fly every day,”
Carl Jones, head of aviation business development, Toronto Pearson, praised American’s Pearson growth over the years.
“From that single cross-border route, an extraordinary network has grown, ” Jones said. “Today, American Airlines connects Toronto Pearson with … destinations across the United States, offering approximately 1.5 million seats each year. Those flights help bring families together, create opportunities for business, support tourism and strengthen one of the world’s most important international travel and trade corridors.”
“For 85 years, American Airlines has been a valued partner in helping Toronto Pearson connect Canada with the world. We are grateful for your continued investment in our airport, our region and our passengers.”
From Toronto this summer American is operating up to 186 weekly flights to eight U.S. destinations: Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Dallas Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago and Philadelphia, representing a flight increase of 5% and a seat capacity increase of 10% compared to the same season of 2025.
For the peak summer holidays, American will offer up to 61 peak daily departures from Canada to the U.S., representing a more than 27% growth in capacity compared to the previous year. This will include up to 28 daily flights from Toronto, up to 11 peak daily flights from Montreal, up to seven daily flights from Vancouver, and up to six daily flights from Calgary, Halifax and Quebec City.
From Aug. 6 through Oct. 4, American will introduce new service between JFK and YYC, operating three times per week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays), on Boeing 737 aircraft, complementing the airline’s existing Saturday service to LaGuardia Airport. Additionally, from Aug. 5 through Oct. 12, the airline will launch daily nonstop service between JFK and Quebec City, operated on Embraer 175 aircraft.
Meanwhile, Freig said American is committed to developing ties with the cities in its network, noting airline staff just lent a helping hand to a Mississauga food bank. More than 30 American employees did volunteer work at Food Banks Mississauga, a member of the Global Food Banking Network, to support vulnerable families, children and seniors.
