We recently flew from Montreal to Japan on Air Canada flight AC5, travelling from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) to Narita International Airport (NRT).
This is a long-haul direct flight between Montreal and Tokyo, so we wanted to document the experience from start to finish.
In this review, I’ll cover the airport experience, check-in, boarding, the aircraft and seats, meals, in-flight entertainment, Wi-Fi, service and, of course, what it was like arriving in Japan after such a long flight.
- Air Canada AC5: Montreal to Tokyo
- Why We Chose Air Canada AC5
- At Montreal Airport
- Boarding Air Canada AC5
- Inside the Air Canada AC5 Cabin
- In-Flight Entertainment
- Air Canada AC5 In-Flight Meals
- What Was It Like Spending So Many Hours on AC5?
- What We Took on Board for a Long-Haul Flight
- Arriving at Tokyo Narita Airport
- Our Overall Impression of Air Canada AC5
- Is Air Canada AC5 a Good Choice for Japan?
- Final Thoughts
Air Canada AC5: Montreal to Tokyo
Air Canada flight AC5 operates between Montreal and Tokyo Narita.
Our Flight
- Airline: Air Canada
- Flight number: AC5
- Departure airport: Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
- Arrival airport: Narita International Airport (NRT)
- Travel date: Sep 1st 2026 (arriving on the next day)
- Scheduled departure: 13:05
- Scheduled arrival: 15:25 (next day)
- Flight time: Approximately 13 hours 20 minutes
- Cabin: Economy
- Seats: 55G, 55F
Why We Chose Air Canada AC5
There are several ways to travel from Montreal to Japan, including connecting flights through other Canadian, US, European or Asian airports.
For this trip, we decided to take the direct Air Canada flight to Tokyo.
The main reason was an economical stopover as part of a routing to Indonesia.
For a long journey like this, avoiding a connection can make a big difference. There is no need to change aircraft halfway through the journey, collect luggage during a connection or worry about making a connecting flight.
At Montreal Airport
Our journey started at Montréal–Trudeau International Airport.
We arrived at the airport at approximately 9:20 am.
Check-in
We checked in online on the previous day. Air Canada app allows you to do it 24 hours before the departure.
- Arrival at airport: 9:20 am
- Check-in: done online
- Baggage drop: 9:30
- Security: smooth
- Gate: A55
Security and the Departure Area
After checking in, we headed through security and into the international departure area.
The airport was very quiet and we got through security without any queue.
We still had lots of time and also had some lounge passes so we went to the National Bank Lounge for some breakfast. It’s not the greatest lounge, but was peaceful at that time of day. Crazily there were almost no charging points working!
Boarding Air Canada AC5
Our flight was scheduled to depart at 13:05, with boarding beginning at approximately 12:20 at gate 55.
The boarding process was smooth as we were in group 3 (because we were right at the back of the plane).
Inside the Air Canada AC5 Cabin
The aircraft operating our flight was a Boeing 777-300ER.
They really load a lot of passengers in to economy with a 3-4-3 seat configuration.
Our Seats
We were seated in 55F and G.
Our seats were middle and aisle seats.
Some of the features included:
- Seat: 55G and 55F
- Legroom: plenty enough
- USB charging: YES, but not always working
- Power socket: YES (we didn’t use)
- Personal screen: YES
- Wi-Fi: free for messaging for Aeroplan members
How Comfortable Was the Seat?
Since AC5 is a long-haul flight, seat comfort is particularly important.
After spending several hours on board, I still found the seats to be comfortable.
In-Flight Entertainment
The in-flight entertainment system had a wide, yet average selection of films and TV programmes. There were only a few Japanese films.
The music options were not great!
Air Canada AC5 In-Flight Meals
On a flight of this length, meals are an important part of the experience.
First Meal
It was served at 14:30.
The meal options were pork rice or vegetarian pasta. We both chose pork rice.
The pork and rice were dry, not great in fact. The Soba noodles and salad were quite passable though.
The annoying thing which they seem to do on this flight is to do the drinks service after the food. So we had almost finished the food before drinks were offered (there was at least a small bottle of water on the meal tray).
Second Meal / Snack
Breakfast was served one and a half hours before landing.
The options were chicken noodles or omelette. We both chose the chicken noodles which was very basic, but adequate.
What Was It Like Spending So Many Hours on AC5?
The scheduled flight time was around 13 and half hours, so this was definitely a long day of travelling.
During the flight, I spent the time watching films, sleeping, listening to music. It did drag on more than normal I thought!
Cabin Temperature and Lighting
The cabin temperature was cold to begin with and I had to use the blanket. After about three hours they changed the temperature and I didn’t need the blanket anymore. The lights were dimmed for almost the duration of the flight.
Toilets
We were in the middle of the back section so had toilets about ten rows in front and about the same at the back. The toilets were pretty narrow at the back, but at least all of the toilets remained fairly clean for the duration of the flight.
What We Took on Board for a Long-Haul Flight
We brought a few things with us to make the long journey more comfortable.
- Neck pillow
- Eye mask
- Headphones / earbuds
- Power bank
- Water bottle
Arriving at Tokyo Narita Airport
After many hours in the air, we finally arrived at Narita International Airport.
- Scheduled arrival: 15:25
- Actual arrival: 15:40
- Total flight time: 13 hours
- Delay: a little
- Time to leave the aircraft: 15:50
Immigration and Baggage Collection
After leaving the aircraft, we made our way through the arrival procedures.
- Immigration: 16:15
- Baggage collection: B7
- Customs: 16:25
- Time from landing to leaving the airport: 16:30
Our Overall Impression of Air Canada AC5
After flying from Montreal to Tokyo on AC5, our overall impression was another very average flight with Air Canada. Service and food ok, but getting worse year on year.
What We Liked
- Direct flight
- Reasonably priced
What Could Be Improved
- Food. Air Canada food always seems to be basic and not that good.
- Service. Crew were fine, but I didn’t feel they were too bothered about providing a good service.
- Entertainment choices, especially the music.
Is Air Canada AC5 a Good Choice for Japan?
After taking this flight a few times, I would recommend AC5 if you want a reasonably priced flight and are not too bothered about food, service or entertainment. It’s all just adequate.
It could be particularly convenient if you:
- Are travelling from Montreal to Japan
- Prefer a direct flight rather than a connecting itinerary
- Want to avoid changing aircraft during a long journey
However, don’t expect too much.
Final Thoughts
Flying from Montreal to Japan is a long journey, but taking a direct flight makes the trip considerably simpler.
Air Canada AC5 took us from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport to Tokyo Narita, without the need for a connection along the way.
In this review, we have shared what the journey was actually like, from checking in at Montreal to arriving in Japan.
If you are considering flying Air Canada AC5 from Montreal to Tokyo, we hope our experience helps you decide whether this is the right flight for your trip.
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