Air Canada has moved its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 to Rouge, its leisure travel-focused subsidiary, confirming that the aircraft will have 12 business class and 165 29-inch (73.6-centimeter) economy class seats.
Air Canada Rouge’s first 737 MAX 8
The airline’s site showed that it assigned the 737 MAX 8, registered as C-FTJV, to Air Canada Rouge. The jet last operated a commercial flight on January 13, flying from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), before it was shipped from YYZ to Kelowna International Airport (YLW) the next day.
A now-archived version of Air Canada’s site showed that the 737 MAX 8 was still assigned to the mainline airline in late January and was now moved to Air Canada Rouge. As the airline previously said, the reconfigured 737 MAX 8s will feature 12 business class and 165 economy class seats, including 18 ‘Preferred’ seats, which offer extra legroom.
All of the economy class seats will recline, “featuring personal on-demand entertainment screens and Fast, Free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan Members,” Air Canada said in November 2025, when it announced its planned narrowbody fleet changes.
It will also open a Rouge crew base at YVR, “providing more choices for leisure travelers from Western Canada.”
In addition to moving its 737 MAX 8s to Rouge, the mainline fleet would take over its leisure carrier’s Airbus A320ceo and A321ceos, with the larger A320ceo family jets being fitted with mainline interiors.
One A321ceo, registered as C-FJOK, is already undergoing a cabin reconfiguration at Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB), according to planespotters.net.
Currently, Air Canada Rouge has 34 aircraft in its fleet, according to the Canadian carrier, while the airline’s 737 MAX 8s number 49 jets after two new aircraft, registered as C-GMIY and C-GMJV, joined the fleet in February.
Cirium’s Diio Mi shows that the Rouge-configured 177-seat 737 MAX 8s will enter service on March 5, with initial rotations from YVR to Edmonton International Airport (YEG) and YLW. On March 19, it will depart on its first international flight from YVR to Cancun International Airport (CUN).
Full switch by the end of 2026
The fleet transitions and the related cabin upgrades will make every flight “more comfortable, more connected, and more consistent for customers and crew members,” Air Canada explained in November 2025.
Mark Galardo, the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and President of Cargo at Air Canada, confirmed during the airline’s Q4 2025 earnings call on February 12 that the plan, pending necessary approvals, is to move all 737 MAX 8s to Rouge by the end of 2026.
John Di Bert, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Air Canada, added during the call that while the initial transition will be “a bit” of a drag on adjusted unit costs, margins, and capacity, in the long term, it is going to be “a great aircraft in terms of economics, efficiency, density, and that should bring margin expansion and offer […] a great product to customers as well in that franchise,” which is Air Canada Rouge.
Rytis Beresnevicius
