Review: Flying Air Canada’s New Bangkok – Vancouver Route in Economy

Air Canada Economy Bangkok to Vancouver

Two weeks ago, I flew one of Air Canada’s newer long-haul routes, Bangkok to Vancouver. It was the second leg of a multi-city itinerary that started with Toronto – Delhi (I wrote about that leg here), and the second part was Kathmandu – Bangkok – Vancouver.

I booked Economy Flex directly through the Air Canada website using my corporate credit card, as it was a business trip, which meant no points on my TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card for this one. The whole itinerary came to $3,257.52.

I don’t currently hold status, but I’m working my way back. After this flight, I’m sitting 2,193 SQC short of 25K.

A bit of context on the route itself, for anyone who hasn’t clocked it yet: Vancouver – Bangkok used to be seasonal, running 3-5 times a week over the winter months on a 787-9. As of summer 2026, it’s gone year-round, and Air Canada is now the only North American carrier offering direct service to Thailand. For anyone planning a Southeast Asia trip from Western Canada, this makes it much more accessible. No more working around a shoulder season or routing through elsewhere in Asia to get there.

AC66
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Bangkok (BKK) to Vancouver (YVR)
Duration: 13h 30m
Seat: 25K (Window)

Airport & Boarding

I landed in Bangkok on a Thai Airways flight from Kathmandu with about 1.5 hours before my Vancouver departure. Getting from gate to gate took roughly 20 minutes, including a ride on the airport rail link. It was around 5:30 am local time, so the terminal was quiet. It was also huge, spotless, and easy to navigate, with more restaurants, lounges, and shops than I had time to appreciate.

Bangkok Airport

Gate S119 at BKK

The gate area itself was enormous, with rows and rows of seating. I loved it because I could sit far from the crowd and get some peace and quiet before boarding. It was a nice change from the typical crowded, gong-show gates in airports like Pearson or YVR.

Gate S119 at BKK

Boarding happened on time. Unlike boarding at Pearson, it was not chaotic at all – very organized and efficient. As usual, I waited until the final call before getting on.

Seating at Gate S119 at BKK

Seating at Gate S119 at BKK

Cabin & Seat

The aircraft was a nine year old Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with a 3-3-3 configuration through most of Economy. (Side note: I’m glad I watched the Boeing documentary after this flight!).

Seat 25K on AC66

I was in 25K, a window seat. A pillow and blanket were waiting at my seat, the seat-back pocket held the basics but nothing more, and the entertainment system had a decent lineup of movies, TV, and games. A power outlet kept my devices alive over the 13.5-hour flight.

Window Seat on AC66 from BKK – YVR

Air Canada Economy Cabin Legroom

I’m not sure what it was about this particular seat/cabin, but it felt smaller and more crowded than on most of my other long hauls. It’s never spacious, but this felt especially tight, and I think that’s the reason I couldn’t sleep at all, not even with Gravol in my system.

Economy Cabin on Air Canada Boeing 787-9

Meals & Service

The food was fine; not Air Canada’s best, but nowhere near as bad as what I got on my Toronto – Delhi flight. I actually finished both hot meals on this one.

Economy Cabin Meal on AC66

Economy Cabin Meal on AC66

The first meal was a hot breakfast: pork with bok choy and rice. I skipped the snack option (a veggie sandwich) but got up at one point to check out the galley, which had water, cookies, and pretzels on offer. Dinner was chicken with steamed vegetables and rice.

Economy Cabin Meal on AC66

The crew offered the full beverage lineup – red and white wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, juice, coffee, tea. My one recurring request for Air Canada is to add iced tea to the menu.

Points Earnings

This leg earned me 5,104 Aeroplan points, 5,372 SQC, 1,343 EDQ, and 7,324 LQM.

Points Earnings on AC66 for Aeroplan Member on Economy Flex Ticket

Takeaway

Bangkok to Vancouver got me home, fed me decently, but it didn’t give me a single minute of sleep despite my best (Gravol-assisted) efforts. Nothing about the flight was bad, exactly, it just felt tighter than usual, and that was enough to throw off all 13.5 hours. The status math gave me a good return.

The best part of this is the route though. A year-round, non-stop link between Vancouver and Bangkok makes Southeast Asia (specifically Thailand) more accessible from Western Canada, and that matters more than one uncomfortable flight, in my opinion. I’d fly it again, but next time I’d be angling for an Aeroplan redemption into Premium Economy or Business, or banking on an eUpgrade once I’ve clawed back some status, rather than paying cash for the seat.