• Operating revenues of $5.632 billion, an increase of 2% versus last year.
• Operating income of $418 million with operating margin of 7.4% and adjusted EBITDA* of $909 million with adjusted EBITDA margin* of 16.1%.
• Premium revenues up 5% from the second quarter of 2024. 
• Cash flow from operating activities of $895 million and free cash flow* of $183 million.
• Completion of $500 million substantial issuer bid, with approximately 296 million total issued and outstanding shares at June 30 2025.
• Leverage ratio* of 1.4 at June 30, 2025.

MONTREAL, July 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Air Canada today reported its second quarter 2025 financial results.

"Air Canada's second quarter 2025 results showcase the airline's many strengths in the face of a challenging environment. We generated operating revenues exceeding $5.6 billion, up $113 million from the previous year. Operating income was $418 million, with an operating margin of 7.4%, and adjusted EBITDA was $909 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 16.1%. Operationally, we had an excellent spring, leading all major North American carriers in on-time performance for both May and June, which corresponded with strong gains in customer service scores. We remained disciplined and consistent in executing on a long-term plan that is rooted in Air Canada's proven commercial strategy, while navigating macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. We have strategically redirected capacity to high-demand markets and captured demand for premium services, leveraging the breadth and strength of our global network. Our results were further lifted by strong performances by Air Canada Cargo, Air Canada Vacations, and Aeroplan—each a key pillar of our diversified business," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.

"Our distinctive product offerings and the unwavering dedication of our employees were recognized at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. We are proud to have been recognized as the Best Airline in North America and as the sole North American carrier ranked among the global top 20. Additionally, we have received additional accolades, including Best Cabin Crew in both Canada and North America. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our employees for their commitment to excellence and professionalism in safely transporting our 11.6 million customers this quarter with care and class."

"A key pillar of our strategy is delivering value to our shareholders through effective capital allocation programs. Building on the successful reinstatement in 2024 of our normal course share purchase program, we completed a $500 million substantial issuer bid during the quarter, purchasing 26.6 million shares for cancellation. Since then, we have also fully repaid our convertible notes in cash upon maturity in July. As we look ahead, we are excited about our upcoming fleet additions and the opportunities they will unlock. Our confidence in our business outlook remains solid and we are reaffirming our financial guidance for the full year 2025."

Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results

• Operating revenues of $5.632 billion
• Operating expenses of $5.214 billion
• Operating income of $418 million with an operating margin of 7.4% and adjusted EBITDA of $909 million with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 16.1%
• Adjusted pre-tax income of $300 million
• Net income of $186 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.51
• Adjusted net income of $207 million and adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.60
• Adjusted CASM* of 14.4 cents
• Net cash flows from operating activities of $895 million and free cash flow of $183 million

Outlook

For the third quarter of 2025, Air Canada plans to increase its ASM capacity between 3.25% and 3.75% from the same quarter in 2024.

For the full year 2025, Air Canada is reiterating its guidance previously provided on May 8, 2025 and updating certain major assumptions. Full year 2025 guidance is as follows:

Major Assumptions

Air Canada made assumptions in providing its guidance—including a marginal Canadian GDP growth for 2025. Air Canada now assumes that the Canadian dollar will trade, on average, at C$1.39 per U.S. dollar for the full year 2025 (previously $1.40) and that the price of jet fuel will average C$0.92 (previously C$0.88) per litre for the full year 2025.

Air Canada's guidance constitutes forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws and is subject to important risks and uncertainties, including in relation to statements or actions by governments and uncertainty relating to the imposition of (or threats to impose) tariffs on Canadian exports or imports and their resulting impacts on the Canadian, North American and global economies and travel demand. Please see the discussion below under Caution Regarding Forward-looking Information. 

2028 Targets 

On December 17, 2024, Air Canada announced its long-term 2028 financial targets and 2030 aspirations described below:

The 2028 long-term targets and 2030 aspirations provided in this news release do not constitute guidance or outlook but rather are provided for the purpose of assisting the reader in measuring progress toward Air Canada's objectives. The reader is cautioned that using this information for other purposes may be inappropriate. Air Canada may review and revise these targets and aspirations including as economic, geopolitical, market and regulatory environments change. These targets and aspirations are used as goals as Air Canada executes on its strategic priorities, and they assume a normal business environment. Air Canada's ability to achieve these targets and aspirations is also dependent on its success in achieving initiatives and business objectives that are described in Air Canada's 2024 Investor Day presentations, which are available at aircanada.com/investors, including those relating to increasing revenues, growing fleet and network capacity, and successfully executing on other key investments and initiatives, as well as other major assumptions, including those described in this news release, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Below is a description of certain non-GAAP financial measures and ratios used by Air Canada to provide readers with additional information on its financial and operating performance. Such measures are not recognized measures for financial statement presentation under GAAP, do not have standardized meanings, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other entities and should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results. The non-GAAP financial measures or ratios described in this section typically have exclusions or adjustments that include one or more of the following characteristics, such as being highly variable, difficult to project, unusual in nature, significant to the results of a particular period or not indicative of past or future operating results. These items are excluded because the company believes these may distort the analysis of certain business trends and render comparative analysis across periods less meaningful and their exclusion generally allows for a more meaningful analysis of Air Canada's operating expense performance and may allow for a more meaningful comparison to other airlines.

Air Canada excludes the effect of impairment of assets, if any, when calculating adjusted CASM, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted pre-tax income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) as it may distort the analysis of certain business trends and render comparative analysis across periods or to other airlines less meaningful.

Adjusted CASM

Air Canada uses adjusted CASM to assess the operating and cost performance of its ongoing airline business without the effects of aircraft fuel expense, the cost of ground packages at Air Canada Vacations, freighter costs and other items discussed above. These items may distort the analysis of certain business trends and render comparative analysis across periods less meaningful and their exclusion generally allows for a more meaningful analysis of Air Canada's operating expense performance and may allow for a more meaningful comparison to that of other airlines.

In calculating adjusted CASM, aircraft fuel expense is excluded from operating expense results as it fluctuates widely depending on many factors, including international market conditions, geopolitical events, jet fuel refining costs and Canada/U.S. currency exchange rates. Air Canada also incurs expenses related to ground packages at Air Canada Vacations which some airlines, without comparable tour operator businesses, may not incur. In addition, these costs do not generate ASMs and therefore excluding these costs from operating expense results provides for a more meaningful comparison across periods when such costs may vary.

Air Canada also incurs expenses related to the operation of freighter aircraft which some airlines, without comparable cargo businesses, may not incur. Air Canada had six Boeing 767 dedicated freighter aircraft in service as at June 30, 2025, and at June 30, 2024. These costs do not generate ASMs and therefore excluding these costs from operating expense results provides for a more meaningful comparison of the passenger airline business across periods.

The following tables provide the adjusted CASM reconciliation to GAAP operating expense for the periods indicated.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and impairment) and adjusted EBITDA margin (adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of operating revenues) are commonly used in the airline industry and are used by Air Canada as a means to view operating results and the related margin before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and impairment and other items discussed above. These items can vary significantly among airlines due to differences in the way airlines finance their aircraft and other assets.

Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are reconciled to GAAP operating income (loss) as follows:

Adjusted Pre-tax Income (Loss)

Adjusted pre-tax income (loss) is used by Air Canada to assess the overall pre-tax financial performance of its business without the effects of foreign exchange gains or losses, net interest relating to employee benefits, gains or losses on financial instruments recorded at fair value, gains or losses on sale and leaseback of assets, gains or losses on disposal of assets, gains or losses on debt settlements and modifications and other items discussed above. These items may distort the analysis of certain business trends and render comparative analysis across periods or to other airlines less meaningful.

A corporate charge for the settlement of tax matters related to the 2019 acquisition of Aeroplan was recorded in the second quarter of 2025. As this item is non-recurring and cash-neutral to Air Canada, since it recorded a related tax refund, it has been excluded from adjusted pre-tax income.

Adjusted pre-tax income is reconciled to GAAP income (loss) before income taxes as follows:

Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Earnings (Loss) Per Share – Diluted

Air Canada uses adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted earnings (loss) per share – diluted as a means to assess the overall financial performance of its business without the after-tax effects of foreign exchange gains or losses, net financing expense relating to employee benefits, gains or losses on financial instruments recorded at fair value, gains or losses on sale and leaseback of assets, gains or losses on debt settlements and modifications, gains or losses on disposal of assets and other items discussed above. These items may distort the analysis of certain business trends and render comparative analysis to other airlines less meaningful.

A corporate charge for the settlement of tax matters related to the 2019 acquisition of Aeroplan was recorded in the second quarter of 2025. As this item is non-recurring and cash-neutral to Air Canada, since it recorded a related tax refund, it has been excluded from adjusted net income.

Adjusted net income and adjusted earnings  per share are reconciled to GAAP net income as follows:

The table below reflects the share amounts used in the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share on an adjusted earnings per share basis:

Free Cash Flow

Air Canada uses free cash flow as an indicator of the financial strength and performance of its business, indicating the amount of cash Air Canada can generate from operations and after capital expenditures. Free cash flow is calculated as net cash flows from operating activities minus additions to property, equipment, and intangible assets, and is net of proceeds from sale and leaseback transactions.

The table below reconciles free cash flow to net cash flows from (used in) operating activities for the periods indicated.

Net Debt

Net debt is a capital management measure and a key component of the capital managed by Air Canada and provides management with a measure of its net indebtedness.

Net Debt to Trailing 12-Month Adjusted EBITDA (Leverage Ratio)

Net debt to trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA ratio (also referred to as "leverage ratio") is commonly used in the airline industry and is used by Air Canada as a means to measure financial leverage. Leverage ratio is calculated by dividing net debt by trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA.

The table below reconciles leverage ratio to Air Canada's net debt balances as at the dates indicated.

The tables below present comparative figures for the twelve-month periods ending December 31, 2023 and 2024, in reference to Air Canada's full-year 2025 guidance, 2028 financial targets, and 2030 aspirations.

The 2028 long-term targets and 2030 aspirations provided in this news release do not constitute guidance or outlook but rather are provided for the purpose of assisting the reader in measuring progress toward Air Canada's objectives. The reader is cautioned that using this information for other purposes may be inappropriate. Air Canada may review and revise these targets and aspirations including as economic, geopolitical, market and regulatory environments change. These targets and aspirations are used as goals as Air Canada executes on its strategic priorities, and they assume a normal business environment. Air Canada's ability to achieve these targets and aspirations is also dependent on its success in achieving initiatives and business objectives that are described in Air Canada's 2024 Investor Day presentations, which are available at aircanada.com/investors, including those relating to increasing revenues, growing fleet and network capacity, and successfully executing on other key investments and initiatives, as well as other major assumptions, including those described in this news release, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

Net cash flows from operating activities as a percentage of adjusted EBITDA

Air Canada uses net cash flows from operating activities as a percentage of adjusted EBITDA to measure cash conversion from adjusted EBITDA. This measure is defined as the ratio of net cash flows from operating activities to adjusted EBITDA.

Additions to property, equipment and intangible assets as a percentage of operating revenues

Air Canada uses additions to property, equipment and intangible assets as a percentage of operating revenues to measure the proportion of operating revenues that are reinvested as capital expenditures. This measure is defined as the ratio of additions to property, equipment and intangible assets to operating revenues.

Free cash flow margin

Air Canada uses free cash flow margin to measure the amount its free cash flow represents as a percentage of operating revenues. This measure is defined as the ratio of free cash flow to operating revenues.

The table below presents the quantitative reconciliation for adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, net cash flows from operating activities as a percentage of adjusted EBITDA, additions to property, equipment and intangible assets as a percentage of operating revenues, free cash flow and free cash flow margin, in each case for the financial years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.

Return on invested capital

Air Canada uses return on invested capital (ROIC) to assess the efficiency with which it allocates its capital to generate returns. ROIC is calculated as the ratio of adjusted pre-tax income (loss), excluding interest expense, to invested capital. Invested capital includes average year-over-year long-term debt and lease obligations, average year-over-year shareholders' equity, and the embedded derivative on Air Canada's convertible notes. In 2020, Air Canada issued convertible unsecured notes. Air Canada had the option to deliver cash or a combination of cash and shares on the conversion date in lieu of shares, giving rise to an embedded derivative that was included as part of the definition of capital. Air Canada calculates invested capital on a book value-based method when calculating ROIC.

Return on invested capital is reconciled to GAAP income (loss) before income taxes as follows:

Second Quarter 2025 Conference Call

Air Canada will host its quarterly analysts' call on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. ET. Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer, John Di Bert, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer and President, Cargo, will present the results and be available for analysts' questions. Immediately following the analysts' Q&A session, Mr. Di Bert and Pierre Houle, Vice President and Treasurer, will be available to answer questions from term loan B lenders and holders of Air Canada bonds.

Media and the public may access this call on a listen-in basis. Details are as follows:

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements may involve, but are not limited to, comments relating to guidance, strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions. Forward-looking statements are identified using terms and phrases such as "preliminary"; "anticipate"; "believe"; "could"; "estimate"; "expect"; "intend"; "may"; "plan"; "predict"; "project"; "will"; "would"; and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. 

Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are based on assumptions including those described herein and are subject to important risks and uncertainties, which are amplified in the current environment. Forward-looking statements cannot be relied upon due to, among other things, changing external events and general uncertainties of the business of Air Canada. Actual results may differ materially from results indicated in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed below.

Factors that may cause results to differ materially from results indicated in forward-looking statements include economic conditions, statements or actions by governments and uncertainty relating to the imposition of (or threats to impose) tariffs on Canadian exports or imports and their resulting impacts on the Canadian, North American and global economies and travel demand, geopolitical conditions such as the military conflicts in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine, Air Canada's ability to successfully achieve or sustain positive net profitability, industry and market conditions and the demand environment, competition, Air Canada's dependence on technology, cybersecurity risks, interruptions of service, climate change and environmental factors (including weather systems and other natural phenomena and factors arising from anthropogenic sources), Air Canada's dependence on key suppliers (including government agencies and other stakeholders supporting airport and airline operations), employee and labour relations and costs, Air Canada's ability to successfully implement appropriate strategic and other important initiatives (including Air Canada's ability to manage operating costs), energy prices, Air Canada's ability to pay its indebtedness and maintain or increase liquidity, Air Canada's dependence on regional and other carriers, Air Canada's ability to attract and retain required personnel, epidemic diseases, changes in laws, regulatory developments or proceedings, terrorist acts, war, Air Canada's ability to successfully operate its loyalty program, casualty losses, Air Canada's dependence on Star Alliance® and joint ventures, Air Canada's ability to preserve and grow its brand, pending and future litigation and actions by third parties, currency exchange fluctuations, limitations due to restrictive covenants, insurance issues and costs, and pension plan obligations as well as the factors identified in Air Canada's public disclosure file available at www.sedarplus.ca and, in particular, those identified in section 18 "Risk Factors" of Air Canada's 2024 MD&A and in section 14 "Risk Factors" of Air Canada's Second Quarter 2025 MD&A.

Air Canada has and continues to establish targets, make commitments and assess the impact regarding climate change, and related initiatives, plans and proposals that Air Canada and other stakeholders (including government, regulatory and other bodies) are pursuing in relation to climate change and carbon emissions. The achievement of our commitments and targets depends on many factors, including the combined actions of governments, industry, suppliers and other stakeholders and actors, as well as the development and implementation of new technologies. In particular, our 2030 carbon emission-related targets and our related 2050 aspiration are ambitious and heavily dependent on new technologies, renewable energies and the availability of a sufficient supply of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), which continues to present serious challenges. In addition, Air Canada has incurred, and expects to continue to incur, costs to achieve its goal of net-zero carbon emissions and to comply with environmental sustainability legislation and regulation and other standards and accords. The precise nature of future binding or non-binding legislation, regulation, standards and accords, on which local and international stakeholders are increasingly focusing, cannot be predicted with any degree of certainty, nor can their financial, operational or other impact. There can be no assurance of the extent to which any of our climate goals will be achieved or that any future investments that we make in furtherance of achieving our climate goals will produce the expected results or meet increasing stakeholder environmental, social and governance expectations. Moreover, future events could lead Air Canada to prioritize other nearer-term interests over progressing toward our current climate goals based on business strategy, economic, regulatory and social factors, and potential pressure from investors, activist groups or other stakeholders. If we are unable to meet or properly report on our progress toward achieving our climate change goals and commitments, we could face adverse publicity and reactions from investors, customers, advocacy groups or other stakeholders, which could result in reputational harm or other adverse effects to Air Canada.

The forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this news release represent Air Canada's expectations as of the date of this news release (or as of the date they are otherwise stated to be made) and are subject to change after such date. However, Air Canada disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations.

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