Air Canada is rolling out free alcohol on economy-class flights to seduce more passengers after a rebound against extra charges on luggage and feet.
The Montreal-based carrier is currently the only traditional North American airline offering free beer and wine in the economy on all routes, and wants to improve customer satisfaction without reducing more expensive add-ons. Scott O’Leary, vice president of Loyalty and Product, explained that food and drinks have a major impact on travellers’ well-being compared to other services.
North American airlines, including Air Canada, have now faced criticism from passengers and lawmakers over the additional charges. Social media outrage has been scrutinised by us and Canadian officials on the fees for check bags and seat selection at basic economy fares. O’Leary said that alcohol cost waiver is cheaper for airlines than eliminating baggage charges. He said package fees cannot be easily exempt or given to everyone without affecting the overall ticket price.
Free Alcohol for Flights: Canadian Air’s Competitiveness
The perks are specifically targeting routes, with US passengers connecting to Europe or Asia through Canada. With cross-border leisure travel becoming less popular due to trade tensions, the company wants to seduce this extra potential passenger, especially for long-distance flights to Europe.
This position sets Air Canada apart from its competitors of US airlines such as Delta and United. This usually involves charging drinks on shorter flights or limiting free alcohol to longer transport.
Air Canada struggles to recover after a difficult period, including a four-day flight attendant strike in August, resulting in an estimated loss of $375 million in operating profit in 2025.
The airline has also introduced non-alcoholic options like Heineken 0.0, making it the only North American carrier to offer free, non-alcoholic beer in-flight.
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