Air Canada Jetz

Air Canada Jetz is a Canadian premium charter airline and wholly owned Air Canada subsidiary. Established and commencing operations on October 31, 2001, it was created to provide customized air transportation for customers whose requirements differ from those served by ordinary scheduled airline services. Its principal markets are professional sports teams, corporate groups, entertainment acts, political campaign organizations, and other customers needing an aircraft and operating schedule built around a particular itinerary. Jetz is particularly associated with professional hockey. It has served as the official carrier for Canadian National Hockey League teams including the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and, from the 2011–12 season, the Winnipeg Jets. The Seattle Kraken selected Jetz after joining the NHL in 2021. The service has also carried several United States-based NHL clubs at different times, including the Boston Bruins, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and Washington Capitals. The Dallas Stars began using Jetz during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche were reported as users from the 2023–24 NHL season. Beyond sports, Jetz has transported major touring musicians and entertainment productions. Its documented customers have included U2 during the Vertigo and U2 360 tours, as well as The Rolling Stones before that group moved to a larger aircraft for capacity reasons. Other performers associated with the service include Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, and the Spice Girls. The brand has also been used by business executives and political campaign organizations, including the federal election tours of New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton in 2004, 2006, and 2008, and the 2021 federal election campaigns of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative leader Erin O’Toole. The service is distinguished from a conventional scheduled airline by its emphasis on whole-aircraft chartering, flexible timing, premium cabin arrangements, and coordinated group logistics. Rather than operating a separate public route network, Jetz uses Air Canada’s aviation infrastructure and operates aircraft configured for a comparatively small number of premium seats. As of September 2023, its reported fleet consisted of four Airbus A320 aircraft, each configured with 70 business-class seats and presented in an all-black livery. In 2014, reporting indicated that Air Canada had considered leaving the sports-charter market. The service nevertheless continued, and Air Canada announced a six-year agreement with several NHL teams beginning in the 2015–16 season. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jetz aircraft were temporarily used for commercial flights between Toronto and Montreal and between Toronto and Ottawa beginning June 1, allowing the aircraft and crews to support scheduled operations while sports and entertainment charter demand was disrupted. Public information about standalone revenue, profitability, employee numbers, and detailed internal management is limited because Jetz operates within Air Canada rather than as a separately listed corporation.

Air Canada Jetz was created within Air Canada as a dedicated premium charter operation and began flying on October 31, 2001. Its development reflected demand from customers whose travel patterns required more control than a scheduled airline itinerary could provide. Professional sports teams need aircraft movements coordinated with game schedules, training sessions, equipment logistics, and recovery requirements; corporate and entertainment customers similarly value schedule control, privacy, and group coordination. Jetz was organized to address these needs without creating a separate mass-market passenger network. Robert Perrault, formerly president of Air Alliance, was the operation’s original head. From its early years, the brand became closely linked with Canadian NHL clubs. It carried the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs from its inception, later adding the Winnipeg Jets for the 2011–12 season. Jetz also served selected United States NHL franchises, including the Boston Bruins, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and Washington Capitals. The Seattle Kraken chose the service after entering the league in 2021, and later reported users included the Dallas Stars during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche from the 2023–24 season. The brand’s charter work has extended beyond hockey. In the music and entertainment sector, Jetz transported U2 on the Vertigo tour in 2005–06 and again on the U2 360 tour in 2009. It also carried The Rolling Stones on part of a North American tour, although the group later transferred to a Boeing 747-400 because the Jetz aircraft did not provide sufficient capacity. Other performers associated with the operation include Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, and the Spice Girls. Political campaign organizations have also chartered Jetz aircraft, including Jack Layton’s New Democratic Party tours during the 2004, 2006, and 2008 Canadian federal elections and the 2021 campaign tours of Justin Trudeau and Erin O’Toole. The operation faced strategic uncertainty in 2014 when press reporting said Air Canada had decided to exit the sports-charter segment. That change did not occur. In March 2015, Air Canada announced a six-year agreement with several NHL teams beginning in the 2015–16 season, reinforcing the continuing role of Jetz in professional sports transportation. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily changed the operating context. With sporting events, concerts, and other large gatherings disrupted, Jetz aircraft began operating commercial services between Toronto and Montreal and between Toronto and Ottawa from June 1, 2020. This represented a temporary use of the specialized fleet within Air Canada’s broader scheduled network rather than a permanent conversion of the brand into a conventional airline. As of September 2023, the reported Jetz fleet comprised four Airbus A320 aircraft. Each aircraft was described as having an all-black exterior and a 70-seat business-class configuration. The configuration reflects the brand’s premium charter positioning and its focus on group customers rather than high-density scheduled travel. Jetz remains an Air Canada-owned charter operation; detailed standalone financial, staffing, and governance information is not publicly established in the available reference material.

• 2023

  Reported fleet consists of four Airbus A320 aircraft

  [1]Air Canada Jetzen.wikipedia.org

  As of September 2023, the fleet is reported as four all-black Airbus A320 aircraft configured with 70 business-class seats.

• 2021

  Seattle Kraken choose Jetz

  [1]Air Canada Jetzen.wikipedia.org

  The Seattle Kraken select Air Canada Jetz as their official carrier after joining the NHL.

• 2020

  Temporary scheduled service during the pandemic

  [1]Air Canada Jetzen.wikipedia.org

  Jetz aircraft begin commercial flights between Toronto and Montreal and between Toronto and Ottawa from June 1.

• 2015

  Six-year NHL contract announced

  [1]Air Canada Jetzen.wikipedia.org

  Air Canada announces a six-year agreement with several NHL teams beginning in the 2015–16 season.

• 2011

  Winnipeg Jets join the NHL customer roster

  [1]Air Canada Jetzen.wikipedia.org

  The Winnipeg Jets begin using Jetz from the 2011–12 NHL season.

• 2005

  U2 uses Jetz for the Vertigo tour

  [1]Air Canada Jetzen.wikipedia.org

  Air Canada Jetz transports U2 during the band’s Vertigo tour, expanding the brand’s visibility in music-tour logistics.

• 2001

  Air Canada Jetz begins operations

  [1]Air Canada Jetzen.wikipedia.org

  The premium charter operation is established and starts flying on October 31, serving corporate customers and professional sports teams.

A premium, flexible charter airline for professional sports, corporate, entertainment, political, and other high-value group travel.

• Passenger airline charter · 2001

  Air Canada Jetz premium charter services

  Customized whole-aircraft transportation for professional sports teams, corporate groups, touring performers, political campaigns, and other organizations. The service is built around customer itineraries rather than a publicly advertised scheduled route network, emphasizing premium seating, schedule flexibility, privacy, and coordinated group travel.

• Sports team aviation · 2001

  NHL team charter transportation

  Specialized travel for professional hockey clubs, including aircraft scheduling around league fixtures, team group movement, and the transportation requirements associated with equipment and staff. Jetz has served multiple Canadian and United States NHL franchises over time.

• Aircraft-based premium offering

  Airbus A320 business-class configuration

  The reported Jetz fleet as of September 2023 consisted of four Airbus A320 aircraft, each arranged with 70 business-class seats. The comparatively low-density configuration supports the brand’s premium group-charter role rather than high-volume scheduled passenger operations.

• 2021Canadian federal election campaign charters

  Canada

  The campaign tours of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative leader Erin O’Toole chartered Air Canada Jetz aircraft during the 2021 federal election.

  Outcome. The use of Jetz highlighted its suitability for compressed, nationwide campaign schedules.

  Source
• 2009U2 360 Tour

  North America · International

  Air Canada Jetz again transported U2 during the U2 360 tour.

  Outcome. The repeat engagement reinforced Jetz’s position in premium music-tour chartering.

  Source
• 2008Jack Layton federal election tour

  Canada

  Jetz transported Jack Layton’s campaign tour during the 2008 federal election.

  Outcome. The engagement extended the brand’s documented political charter work across three federal election cycles.

  Source
• 2006Jack Layton federal election tour

  Canada

  Jack Layton’s New Democratic Party campaign tour again used Air Canada Jetz during the 2006 federal election.

  Outcome. The service continued to support campaign travel requiring rapid movement between Canadian locations.

  Source
• 2005U2 Vertigo Tour

  International

  Jetz provided aircraft transportation for U2 during the band’s Vertigo tour in 2005–06.

  Outcome. The engagement demonstrated the service’s ability to support large-scale international entertainment touring.

  Source
• 2004Jack Layton federal election tour

  Canada

  Jetz carried New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton’s campaign tour during the 2004 Canadian federal election.

  Outcome. The charter illustrated the use of Jetz for time-sensitive national political travel.

  Source

• 2020

  Temporary deployment on scheduled domestic routesStrategy

  Background

  The COVID-19 pandemic reduced or disrupted sports, entertainment, and other charter activity.

  Action taken

  Beginning June 1, Jetz aircraft operated commercial flights between Toronto and Montreal and between Toronto and Ottawa.

  Aftermath

  The aircraft served a temporary scheduled-network role while the specialist charter market was affected by pandemic restrictions.

  Source

• 2015

  Renewal of NHL charter activityStrategy

  Background

  Following reports that Air Canada might leave the sports-charter market, the company reassessed the commercial value of serving professional hockey teams.

  Action taken

  Air Canada announced a six-year contract with several NHL teams starting in the 2015–16 season.

  Aftermath

  The announcement confirmed the continuation of Jetz as a significant Air Canada sports-charter operation.

  Source

• 2014

  Consideration of an exit from sports chartersStrategy

  Background

  Press reporting said Air Canada had decided to leave the sports-team charter segment, raising uncertainty about the future of Jetz’s core NHL business.

  Action taken

  The reported exit was not implemented; Jetz service continued.

  Aftermath

  Air Canada subsequently announced a six-year agreement with several NHL teams beginning in the 2015–16 season.

  Source

1. 1Air Canada Jetzen.wikipedia.org