Air Canada has revealed a major cabin overhaul, and yes, it’s the kind of update you’ll feel on day one—bigger screens, smarter power, and a new business-class setup rolling out across different aircraft.
Misryoum newsroom reported that the airline unveiled the new interiors and business-class seats coming to two of its jets on Tuesday. The airline calls it the first major expression of its “Glowing Hearted” design standard and customer service approach. The pitch is all about a calmer, more “distinctly Canadian” hospitality feel—gray tones with Air Canada’s signature red, natural wood grain, and bronze metal details.
The flagship moment is the new Air Canada Signature Class business cabin. It debuts on the Airbus A321XLR this summer, and it’s a big deal for one simple reason: it will be the first time Air Canada offers lie-flat seats on a single-aisle jet. Later, the same Signature Class concept will show up on the airline’s new fleet of Boeing 787-10 jets.
On both aircraft, across all classes, passengers can expect larger overhead compartments, ergonomic seats with phone or tablet holders, new larger OLED 4K inflight entertainment screens with Bluetooth audio, and USB-C plus AC power outlets at each seat. If you’ve ever juggled a dead phone with an old-style outlet, this is exactly the kind of practical upgrade that makes boarding feel a little less stressful. In the cabin, that also means fewer compromises—though the overall layout still depends on which jet you’re on.
For the A321XLR, Air Canada Signature Class will include 14 business-class seats in a 1-1 herringbone configuration, plus 168 economy seats with 36 extra legroom seats. The business-class seats won’t have fully closing doors, but they will feature “a sliding privacy panel” that passengers can close to block out more of the cabin. The airline says these cabins will be used on certain transatlantic and transcontinental routes. Air Canada also has 30 of these jets on order from Airbus.
On the 787-10, the business offering scales up to 42 Signature Class seats in a 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone layout. That aircraft will also include 28 premium economy seats and 262 economy seats, including some with extra legroom—though Air Canada didn’t specify how many of those seats get the extra space. The first row in business is called “Signature Class Plus,” and those seats come with more spacious suites, including a center divider between the middle seats that can be fully lowered to create more open space when traveling with a companion.
Misryoum editorial desk noted that premium economy gets a slight redesign with “privacy wings” meant to resemble those on newer domestic first-class seats. Beyond seat design, Air Canada says it plans to overhaul its soft product—upgraded service, food and drink, and amenities. The airline plans to unveil details on the upgraded service later this year, and its leadership framed this as more than a cosmetic refresh. Executive vice president and chief operations officer Mark Nasr
said in a statement that “This investment is about fundamentally redefining the experience of flying with Air Canada.” He added that details matter, describing the goal as an experience shaped by a “strong Canadian sense of place,” plus craftsmanship, functionality, and long-term durability. Honestly, you can almost picture the smell of fresh carpet shampoo or warm lighting as you walk the aisle—then you remember, it’s still a plane, and that’s where these little “peaceful and
relaxing” design cues are supposed to do the work. And yes, they’ll arrive on two aircraft first—then the rest of the schedule will catch up, or maybe it won’t all at once.
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