Business Class on Air Canada

Air Canada doesn’t have the typical three levels of cabin services that we have come to expect – Economy, Business, and First Class. Instead, they split Economy into a couple of levels (they are one of the airlines that has Premium Economy), and their upper class level of service is different depending on whether you are flying internationally or within North America. When you fly internationally it’s considered First Class on Air Canada. When you fly within North America, that is considered Business Class on Air Canada.

Both levels of upper class service on Air Canada have the same name – Executive – but on international flights it’s called Executive First and it’s far more luxurious. On North American flights, it’s simply called Executive Class and it’s akin to what you would expect from Business Class on a domestic flight.

There are differences with Business Class on Air Canada depending on what aircraft you are flying on, but for the purposes of this list we’re going to focus on the aircraft with the nicest cabin configuration – the Airbus A319-100. Keep in mind, however, that the differences are slight with other aircraft in the Air Canada fleet (a 4-degree difference in how far the seat reclines, 1-inch difference in seat width, etc.).

Seat & Bed

Seats recline further than in coach, but are not lie-flat or fully flat
Seats are 21″ wide
All seats have either window or aisle access

Food & Beverages

Menus feature fresh and seasonal ingredients
Air Canada employs a wine expert to choose wines for upper class service
Wine selection includes Old and New World reds and whites, as well as Canadian reds and whites

Entertainment

Each seat has a personal 8.9-inch touch-screen monitor
On-demand entertainment includes movies, TV shows, and audio programming
XM Satellite Radio available
Each seat has individual power outlet for laptop use

Other Amenities

Dedicated washrooms feature Fruits & Passion toiletry products for in-flight use
Executive Class passengers get access to Maple Leaf airport lounges
Executive Class passengers get priority security clearance and priority boarding