Air Canada’s mobile app was named Best Airline App at the 2026 World Aviation Festival in Lisbon on October 22, the airline explained in an email to iPhone in Canada on Friday. The win in the Battle of the Airline Apps comes months after features such as Bag Buddy started putting more of the trip on passengers’ phones.
Judges compared three airline finalists in a live showcase and picked Air Canada’s for bringing the full travel journey into one experience, from booking through arrival with personalized, contextual information along the way. The other finalists were SAS and Virgin Australia.
Carlos Faxas, Vice President of Digital Products at Air Canada, said the goal is an app that anticipates what you need next, like directions to your connecting gate the moment you land, and that brings you closer to the people behind your trip. “Our ambition is to build the best airline app in the world,” he said. “This recognition validates our progress in that journey.”
Enhancements rolled out in 2026 include:
On iPhone, the app also makes good use of iOS features. Flight updates show up in the Dynamic Island, boarding passes go straight into Apple Wallet, and Air Canada supports sharing an AirTag’s location to help track down a delayed bag.
The free app has more than 23 million downloads and earlier earned Webby Honoree recognition in 2022, with aircanada.com following in 2025. It also sits alongside other recent digital pushes, such as expanding free in-flight Wi-Fi.
Have you used the redesigned Air Canada app on a recent trip, and did the new home screen or bag tools make a difference?
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