Back in February this year, Singapore Airlines announced that it would be axing its non-stop flights between Changi and Vancouver from October 2023, after re-launching services to the city to much fanfare in December 2021, following a 12-year absence from the Canadian market.
That will sadly mean the loss of three times weekly direct service on this route in just over three months from now, but the good news is that the link will once again return in 2024, thanks to Star Alliance carrier Air Canada, which is returning to Changi for the first time in over 30 years.
Air Canada launching Singapore – Vancouver flights
Air Canada has announced that it will launch a new non-stop Singapore – Vancouver service from 3rd April 2024.
“We are committed to growing YVR as a premier trans-Pacific hub, and Singapore is a top global financial centre, a multicultural destination that offers an abundance of tourism and food experiences, as well as an important gateway to beyond destinations in Southeast Asia, Southern India and Western Australia.
Mark Galardo, EVP Revenue and Network Planning, Air Canada
“Our newest flight will be equally appreciated by international business travellers, as well as those seeking an exciting holiday destination, or simply visiting friends and family.”
This will see four times weekly Boeing 787-9 operation on the route on a year-round basis, as outlined in the following schedule.
Singapore Vancouver
From 4th April 2024
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
AC20 787-9 |
||||||||
| SIN 09:10 |
YVR 08:45 |
||||||||
Flight time from Singapore to Vancouver is 14 hours 35 minutes.
Vancouver Singapore
From 3rd April 2024
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
AC19 787-9 |
||||||||
| YVR 00:15 |
SIN 07:10* |
||||||||
* Next day
Flight time from Vancouver to Singapore is 15 hours 55 minutes.
Singapore – Vancouver flights closely mirror SIA’s current timing, with a morning departure for a same-day morning arrival in the Canadian city.
Vancouver – Singapore flights, on the other hand, depart shortly after midnight, for a morning touchdown just after 7am in the Lion City, one calendar day later.
This schedule will optimise connectivity to and from North American destinations across via Air Canada’s Vancouver hub, and will also tap Singapore Airlines’ network across Southeast Asia, South India and Western Australia at the Changi side.
While Air Canada already operates non-stop flights to Brisbane and Sydney in Australia, this will be a useful way for passengers to connect to and from Perth in particular.
Air Canada flights will operate to and from Terminal 3 at Changi Airport, maximising connectivity with SIA services.
Seats are now available for purchase at aircanada.com, or through other booking platforms.
“We are thrilled to welcome Air Canada as it makes its much-anticipated return to Singapore Changi Airport after more than three decades. The link to Canada is strategically significant for Changi as point-to-point travel between the two countries has shown strong recovery, with passenger traffic surpassing 80% of pre-Covid-19 levels in the first quarter of 2023.
Lim Ching Kiat, EVP Air Hub & Cargo Development, Changi Airport Group
“The resumption of the Vancouver-Singapore service strengthens the connectivity between Canada and Asia, and will facilitate growth in both business and leisure travel.”
This service adds to Air Canada’s seasonal Vancouver – Bangkok services, plus its year-round Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo flights.
Air Canada last served Toronto from Singapore via Mumbai and London in January 1991, using Boeing 747 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar aircraft.
Air Canada’s Boeing 787-9s
These new flights will be operated by Air Canada’s 298-seat Boeing 787-9 aircraft, featuring three cabins of service:
- 30 Business Class (Signature Class) seats with lie-flat beds
- 21 Premium Economy seats
- 247 Economy Class seats
Award redemptions
Passengers will be able to redeem award seats on these new flights with KrisFlyer miles and those of other Star Alliance programmes including Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles.
Here are the one-way KrisFlyer miles award rates for the Singapore – Vancouver route, when redeeming these Air Canada flights (Star Alliance Award).
| KrisFlyer Redemption Singapore ⇄ Vancouver |
|
| Star Award | |
| Economy | 60,500 |
| Business | 119,000 |
Round-trip cash fares on these new non-stop flights start at around S$2,200 in Economy Class and S$7,900 in Business Class, based on travel in April 2024.
Summary
Following a six-month gap in non-stop service on the route, Air Canada will pick up where Singapore Airlines left off with year-round four times weekly non-stop flights between Singapore and Vancouver starting in April 2024.
This will represent the first Air Canada passenger services from Changi Airport for over 30 years, with timings designed to coincide with both SIA and Air Canada connection banks at either side of the transpacific route.
Let’s hope this secures Singapore’s non-stop connection with Canada for some time to come, following SIA’s latest withdrawal from the market.
(Cover Photo: Air Canada)
Question is why is SQ leaving YVR? AC will have more seats and frequency so there must be a market.
I think it could be the SQ47 8.40am departure from Vancouver is too early for connections which could affect load, however SQ not able to roster enough aircraft if they plan for a longer layover in YVR. The Air Canada midnight departure from Vancouver can capture connecting traffic from most regions in Canada while the returning flight can capture connecting traffic from Perth and India. A codeshare will be a win win situation.
I think Air Canada will most likely use Terminal 3 when they commence their Singapore-Vancouver service, to help customers connect to SQ flights.
Yes, AC will use T3 at Changi.
Meaning that for Business Class customers flying on Air Canada, they can gain access to the Silver Kris Lounge.
Yes but they could regardless of which terminal AC used out of SIN