Air Canada is warning holiday travelers to brace for possible weather related delays and cancellations as a broad swath of snowstorms, high winds and extreme cold bears down on key parts of its network heading into the Christmas period.

In its latest Daily Travel Outlook, the carrier is flagging a growing risk of operational disruption for flights operated by Air Canada and its regional affiliates, with deteriorating conditions expected at several major Canadian hubs and smaller regional airports just as millions of passengers move through the system.

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Storm systems collide with record holiday demand

The weather concerns arrive at the peak of an already record breaking holiday travel period for Air Canada. The airline has said it expects more than 2.3 million customers to fly between December 18 and January 4, with close to 130,000 passengers a day and peak days surpassing 140,000 travelers across its network of more than 180 destinations.

That scale of demand leaves the operation particularly vulnerable when winter weather begins to affect aircraft, crews and airport infrastructure.

Unlike localized summer thunderstorms, the current pattern combines multiple winter systems that stretch from western Canada through the Prairies and into Atlantic Canada, intersecting with some of Air Canada’s most important hubs and focus cities.

Heavy snow, blowing snow, and powerful winds are forecast for parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, northern Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and sections of Quebec, while extreme cold warnings cover other areas. With many flights operating near capacity, there is limited flexibility to rebook disrupted customers quickly.

Air Canada’s Daily Travel Outlook is designed as an early warning tool rather than a definitive list of cancellations. By signaling the possibility of deteriorating conditions at airports in advance, the airline aims to encourage travelers to monitor their flight status more closely, use self service options to adjust plans where possible and build in additional buffer time for airport journeys.

For the coming days, the outlook points to elevated risk around several regional weather hotspots that could produce ripple effects across the broader network.

Western hubs face snow, poor visibility and deep cold

In western Canada, a combination of snow advisories, extreme cold and hazardous wind chill is bearing down on parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northern British Columbia.

Environment Canada has warned that central Alberta could see 10 to 20 centimeters of snow by Christmas morning, enough to create difficult driving conditions and operational challenges on airport ramps where aircraft must be de iced repeatedly as snow continues to fall.

At the same time, cold warnings remain in effect across parts of the Prairie provinces and the North, where forecasts call for wind chills that could plunge between minus 45 and minus 50 degrees Celsius in some locations.

Those conditions not only affect ground transport to airports but also complicate flight operations, forcing crews to work in short rotations outdoors for safety reasons and slowing the pace of baggage handling, fueling and aircraft servicing.

Major hubs such as Calgary and Edmonton, as well as regional airports feeding into them, are particularly exposed when Alberta clipper type systems slide across the Prairies. Even when runways remain open, blowing snow can cut visibility below operational minimums, requiring temporary pauses in takeoffs and landings.

Given the high volume of connecting traffic through western hubs, any sequence of delays can quickly cascade into missed onward connections and later evening cancellations as crew duty time limits are reached.

Farther northwest, the Yukon and parts of the Northwest Territories are enduring an extended spell of extreme cold, with some locations setting or approaching temperature records.

While those conditions are not unusual for the region, the combination of deep cold and intermittent snow can still affect smaller regional flights operated by Air Canada’s affiliates, and the airline is advising travelers to remote northern communities to watch for last minute schedule adjustments.

Snow and wind threaten Atlantic Canada and Newfoundland & Labrador

On the opposite side of the country, meteorologists are tracking a potent winter storm expected to strike Newfoundland and Labrador from Christmas Day into Boxing Day, with a second system potentially following close behind.

Environment Canada has issued winter storm and blowing snow warnings across much of Newfoundland and parts of southeastern Labrador, citing the risk of treacherous travel as high winds combine with heavy snowfall and, in some coastal areas, a later changeover to rain.

Forecasts indicate that eastern and western Newfoundland could see up to 25 centimeters of snow, with localized totals as high as 35 centimeters along the northeast coast. In parts of southeastern Labrador, snowfall could approach 50 centimeters as the storm intensifies.

Wind gusts may reach 80 to 110 kilometers per hour in exposed coastal regions, creating whiteout conditions on highways and around airport environments, especially on open runways and aprons.

Key Air Canada destinations such as St. John’s, Gander and Deer Lake sit squarely in the path of the system. Depending on the exact timing and intensity of the storm, the airline could be forced to preemptively consolidate or cancel flights to avoid stranding aircraft and crews in locations where recovery would be slow.

The potential for a second system to arrive over the same areas late on Boxing Day further increases the risk of extended disruption for travelers to and from Atlantic Canada.

In such scenarios, Air Canada’s operations team typically looks for short weather windows to stage recovery flights, reposition aircraft and re accommodate passengers.

However, when visibility and crosswinds fall below strict safety thresholds, flights cannot operate even if aircraft and crews are available. The Daily Travel Outlook stresses that safety remains the overriding factor in any decision to delay or cancel service.

Northern Ontario and Quebec watch developing snow patterns

To the north and east of Air Canada’s main Toronto hub, winter weather systems developing over northern Ontario and parts of Quebec are drawing close scrutiny from both meteorologists and airline planners.

Recent Alberta clipper storms have already demonstrated their ability to deliver 10 to 30 centimeters of snow and powerful wind gusts to communities along and north of the Trans Canada Highway corridor, creating periods of blowing snow and sharp temperature drops.

Airports that serve as important regional feeders into Toronto and Montreal, including Thunder Bay, Sudbury and smaller northern communities, are at heightened risk when these fast moving systems sweep across the region.

Even brief closures or flow restrictions at these airports can have an outsized impact on the broader schedule, especially during peak holiday travel days when spare capacity on later flights is limited.

In Quebec, Montreal Trudeau and Quebec City Jean Lesage are monitoring forecasts that point to variable conditions, with periods of snow, mixed precipitation and gusty winds possible through the holiday stretch.

While current projections suggest these cities may avoid the most severe impacts seen farther east in Newfoundland and Labrador, any unexpected intensification of a passing low pressure system could alter that picture at short notice.

Given the interconnected nature of its network, Air Canada’s outlook notes that passengers traveling between smaller northern communities and large hubs should pay particular attention to weather driven updates.

Travelers scheduled on morning flights may find that overnight snowfall has required additional de icing or runway clearing time, pushing departures back and tightening connection windows to onward domestic and international services.

Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver prepare for knock on effects

While the most intense snow and wind over the coming days are expected away from Canada’s largest metropolitan centers, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are not immune to holiday weekend disruption.

These hubs act as collection points for traffic flowing in from storm affected regions, which means that delays or cancellations at smaller airports can ultimately be felt by travelers passing through the country’s biggest terminals.

Toronto Pearson, Air Canada’s largest hub, regularly operates near capacity during peak holiday periods, with tightly sequenced arrivals and departures and a heavy load of connecting itineraries.

Even modest weather deteriorations, such as lower ceilings, scattered snow showers or stronger crosswinds, can reduce the number of movements per hour that air traffic controllers can safely manage. If storms in northern Ontario or Atlantic Canada force a wave of delayed inbound flights to arrive outside their scheduled slots, the resulting congestion can ripple through the rest of the day.

Montreal Trudeau faces similar pressures, especially on transatlantic and transborder routes that depend on timely feeder services from across Quebec, the Maritimes and Ontario.

If rural or coastal airports experience extended closures due to snow and blowing snow, passengers may find that their long haul departure from Montreal has left with many empty seats while they are still waiting for a rescheduled regional flight.

The Daily Travel Outlook underscores that such disruptions are difficult to avoid in a highly synchronized system once winter weather disrupts one part of the chain.

In Vancouver, the primary concern is less about heavy snow and more about a mix of mountain weather, coastal storms and cold snaps that can produce icy conditions and occasional low visibility.

The city’s airport also absorbs significant traffic from the North and the Prairies, meaning that adverse conditions in the interior can still affect schedules on the Pacific coast. To manage risk, Air Canada may adjust aircraft routing and crew rotations to keep key trunk routes running even as some regional sectors are curtailed.

Operational playbook: waivers, rebooking and ground challenges

As weather systems evolve, Air Canada typically activates a familiar set of operational tools to limit the impact on customers while maintaining safety. These can include flexible rebooking policies for affected airports, allowing travelers to move their travel dates or adjust their itineraries without change fees when forecasts point to significant disruption.

The Daily Travel Outlook is often used to signal where such policies may soon apply, giving customers a chance to make proactive choices before flights fill up.

On the ground, the airline works closely with airport authorities to coordinate snow clearance, runway treatment and de icing operations. In heavy snowfall and high wind events, de icing times can lengthen significantly as crews must work methodically around aircraft while managing their own exposure to harsh conditions.

Aircraft that have already been sprayed with de icing fluid may need to return for a second treatment if holdover time limits are exceeded before takeoff, further increasing delays during intense bursts of snowfall.

Extreme cold also affects equipment performance. Baggage belts and tugs can struggle in subarctic temperatures, jet bridges may move more slowly, and fueling operations require extra precautions to protect both staff and infrastructure. These factors can add minutes to the turnaround time for each flight, which quickly compounds across a busy day when there is little slack in the schedule.

The airline’s network control center must constantly balance the goal of operating as many flights as possible with the need to preserve on time performance on key routes and avoid stranding aircraft in weather prone locations.

In some cases, Air Canada may opt for preemptive cancellations, particularly on marginal routes where consistently operating in and out of a storm zone would be impractical.

While unwelcome in the short term, such decisions can help protect the integrity of the rest of the network and give travelers clearer options to rebook on remaining flights instead of facing rolling last minute delays.

What travelers can do now to minimize disruption

With the holiday weekend approaching and winter weather threats mounting across multiple regions, travelers are not powerless in the face of potential delays and cancellations.

Air Canada strongly encourages customers to monitor their flight status through digital channels on the day of travel and in the days leading up to departure, as schedule changes and gate adjustments are often communicated first via mobile notifications and the airline’s online tools.

Passengers whose itineraries pass through airports mentioned in the Daily Travel Outlook as being at risk for significant weather should consider adding extra time for connections, especially when changing terminals or clearing customs and immigration.

Where travel plans are flexible, moving to an earlier flight on the same day or shifting travel by a day can increase the chances of avoiding the worst of a storm system, particularly when flexible rebooking waivers are in place.

On the practical side, checking in early, arriving at the airport well ahead of departure, and packing essential medications, chargers and a change of clothes in carry on baggage can help travelers cope better if they are unexpectedly delayed.

For those connecting in large hubs such as Toronto or Montreal, familiarizing themselves with terminal layouts in advance can reduce stress if tight connection times become even tighter due to late arrivals.

Air Canada also reminds passengers traveling to very cold destinations to prepare for conditions at their arrival point, not just at departure.

That means having appropriate winter clothing easily accessible, rather than packed deep in checked bags, in case a long walk across an icy apron or a wait on an exposed stand is required during irregular operations.

FAQ

Q1. What is Air Canada’s Daily Travel Outlook and how often is it updated?
Air Canada’s Daily Travel Outlook is a summary of potential operational challenges across the network, including weather, congestion and infrastructure issues. It is typically updated at least once per day and more frequently when major storms or other disruptions are unfolding, to give travelers an early indication of where delays and cancellations are most likely.

Q2. Which regions are currently at highest risk for weather related disruption?
The greatest risks over the holiday period are focused on parts of western Canada, including sections of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Yukon under snow and extreme cold advisories, as well as Atlantic Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, where a significant Christmas Day storm and possible follow up system could bring heavy snow, strong winds and poor visibility.

Q3. How will weather in smaller regional airports affect my connection through Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver?
Many flights to and from smaller regional airports feed into major hubs, so when snow, wind or low visibility disrupt operations at those smaller fields, inbound aircraft and connecting passengers may arrive late or not at all. This can lead to missed connections and tight turnaround times at the larger hubs, even if local weather there is relatively calm.

Q4. What options do I have if Air Canada issues a travel waiver for my destination?
When a travel waiver is issued, eligible customers can usually change their flight to a different date or time within a specified window without paying a change fee, and sometimes without a fare difference if certain conditions are met. The exact options depend on the specific waiver, but they are generally available through online self service tools, the mobile app and call centers.

Q5. How far in advance will Air Canada cancel flights because of bad weather?
The timing of cancellations varies with each storm. When forecasts clearly show that an airport will be unsafe or unusable during a particular window, Air Canada may cancel some flights a day or more in advance. In more marginal cases, decisions may be made closer to departure time as updated weather data and runway conditions become available.

Q6. What should I do if my flight is delayed and I am worried about missing my connection?
If your inbound flight is delayed, monitor your connection status in the app or online and look for automatic rebooking options, which Air Canada often applies when it becomes clear a connection will be missed. If you do not receive a revised itinerary, speak with airport agents at the gate or in transfer areas as soon as you land, since earlier intervention typically offers more rebooking choices.

Q7. Does winter weather affect checked baggage handling times?
Yes. Heavy snow, ice and extreme cold can slow down baggage systems and ground handling operations, because equipment operates less efficiently and staff must work more cautiously in challenging conditions. As a result, checked bags may take longer to be loaded or delivered at the carousel, and bag transfer times between flights can lengthen.

Q8. How does Air Canada decide when it is too risky to operate a flight?
Decisions are guided by strict safety regulations and operational limits on runway conditions, visibility, wind speed and direction, as well as aircraft performance and crew duty rules. If any one of these factors falls outside prescribed limits, flights cannot take off or land until conditions improve, regardless of schedule pressure or demand.

Q9. What can I do to prepare for possible overnight disruptions away from home?
Travelers should carry essential medications, important documents, chargers and a small set of toiletries and clothing in their hand luggage, so they can manage if they are unexpectedly required to stay overnight at a connecting point. It is also wise to keep important phone numbers handy and to monitor email and app notifications closely for hotel and meal voucher information if provided.

Q10. Are flights after the holiday weekend likely to be affected by current storms?
Depending on the severity and duration of the weather systems, some knock on effects can persist for a day or more after conditions improve, as airlines work through backlogs of displaced passengers and reposition aircraft and crews. However, once major storm centers move away and runways are clear, operations typically stabilize and gradually return to normal levels of punctuality.