Mayor José Luis Sanz met on Monday in Montreal with executives from Air Canada to present the economic and tourist potential of the city. The goal is to achieve a direct air connection between Seville and Canada.
Seville's mayor, José Luis Sanz, has arrived in Montreal with a suitcase full of arguments. On Monday, he met with the international planning executives of Air Canada at the company's headquarters to advocate for the viability of a direct route between the Andalusian capital and the Canadian city. "On the plane, it’s not just tourism that comes, but employment, investment, economy, and business projects," the mayor emphasised.
A bet on the transatlantic connection
Sanz presented the economic, business, tourist, and logistical potential of Seville, according to a statement from the City Council. The objective: "to validate the opportunity and viability of establishing a direct air connection between Seville and Canada." The mayor was accompanied by the delegate for Tourism and Culture, Angie Moreno, and was received by Filip Rotaru, director of International Network Planning & Scheduling; Daniela Mauro, director of International Affairs & Facilitation; and Viktor Spysak, Partner, Sales & Tourism Partnerships.
During the meeting, Sanz handed over to the Air Canada executives two letters of support for the project sent by Colliers, a Canadian multinational that recently acquired the Seville-based engineering firm Ayesa Engineering. This gesture reinforces the idea that the connection would not only benefit tourism but also business and bilateral investment.
Growing demand and compelling data
The City Council has presented demand studies showing that in 2025, over 104,000 passengers travelled between Andalusia and Montreal, all making a stopover due to the lack of direct flights. Searches between Seville and Montreal grew by 47% over the past year, a figure that evidences the interest in this route. "A future direct route with Canada would not only connect two cities but would link Canada with a whole large economic region of enormous dynamism that currently lacks direct flights," Sanz highlighted.
For the residents of Seville, this connection would mean savings in time and money. Currently, travelling to Montreal from Seville involves at least one stop, often in Madrid or Barcelona, which extends the journey to over 12 hours. A direct flight would reduce the trip to about 8 hours and open the door to a first-rate tourist and business market.
The context of the negotiation
This Monday's meeting is not the first approach by the City Council to the Canadian airline. Sanz had already announced in February his intention to promote this route, framed within a broader strategy to attract intercontinental flights to Seville airport. The city already has direct connections to New York (United Airlines) and Doha (Qatar Airways), but the absence of a link with North America beyond the United States remains a pending issue.
Air Canada, for its part, operates from Montreal and Toronto and has a modern fleet for long-haul routes. The company has not yet confirmed whether it will study the proposal, but municipal sources are confident that the data presented will be sufficient to initiate the procedures. "We have put solid numbers on the table and business backing. Now we have to wait," officials from the City Council stated.
Meanwhile, residents of Seville wishing to travel to Canada this summer will have to continue making stopovers. But if the negotiations succeed, by 2027 they could board at San Pablo without needing to change planes. Something that, given the increase in searches, many would already be looking forward to.
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