Canada's Competition Bureau opposes expanded cross-border joint venture between Air Canada and United Airlines

On June 18, 2026, Air Canada and United Airlines applied to renew and expand their cross-border joint venture agreement, planning to add 10 new cross-border routes; these routes fall within the "excluded" portion of the 2012 consent agreement that was restricted due to competition concerns, and the two airlines hope to remove that restriction. Last week, the Competition Bureau of Canada published a report finding that expanding the joint venture agreement "is likely to harm competition" and expressed opposition to the application. The application is still proceeding, and the Competition Bureau's report constitutes the latest regulatory obstacle.