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One of the best ways to go east to Europe or west to Asia now is to go north. Air Canada, revived after years of turbulence and bankruptcy, has turned its hubs in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver into easy, fast connecting points for US travellers. You clear US Customs in Canada without even having to retrieve your checked luggage. Waits are minimal. Fares are sometimes cheaper. Planes are new and fitted with premium economy cabins—an option US airlines are just beginning to roll out. It’s the in-the-know alternative for travellers who want to avoid the slog of connecting in New York or Los Angeles, Paris or London, Chicago or Atlanta. Air Canada has long offered connecting service abroad. But now it’s building its schedule, offering cities that US airlines don’t along with high-demand destinations. <br/>

Gulf Air and Aegean Airlines have announced a codeshare partnership widening their respective networks across Europe and the Middle East. Passengers will now have codeshares on Gulf Air flights from the airline’s Muharraq hub, via Athens, to and from Brussels and Rome on Aegean, while travellers from Geneva, Milan and Vienna can codeshare on Aegean flights via Athens to Bahrain with Gulf Air. Gulf Air served Athens for many years until a major retrenchment in 2012. However, it returned to the Greek capital in 2014; Athens is a popular destination with Arabs, for both business and leisure trips. Aegean already serves several Middle East destinations, but not Bahrain. Both airlines use Airbus A320s on routes between Athens and the Gulf. <br/>