TORONTO — Air Canada’s inaugural Toronto to Cartagena flight marks the airline’s newest destination in its ongoing international expansion.

Flight AC1872 took off from Toronto Pearson yesterday with nonstop service to the Colombian beach destination.

“We are very pleased to add Cartagena to our global route network,” said Benjamin Smith, President – Passenger Airlines at Air Canada.

He added: “Air Canada is continuing its strategic international expansion with a diverse range of exciting new nonstop routes this winter to Australia, South America, the Caribbean and the U.S. We recently welcomed customers onboard new services from Toronto to St. Vincent and to Belize, Montreal to Lima, Vancouver to Melbourne and to Yellowknife, and we are looking forward to our new flights from Vancouver to Orlando, and Ottawa to Puerto Plata launching before the end of the year.”

Meanwhile Air Canada has renewed its sponsorship as the Official Airline of the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee with a four-year agreement that extends through the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games.

“As Canada’s official airline, we believe our country deserves to be celebrated,” says Smith. “The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams represent the best of Canada, showing off the ambition and drive of our people. We’re proud to be a piece of home connecting those athletes to their country while they’re abroad, and helping to make sure they arrive ready to perform at their very best.”

Air Canada has been a sponsor of Canada’s Olympic Team since 1988 and a sponsor of Canada’s Paralympic Team since 2007. The partnership builds on Air Canada’s commitment to Team Canada from their efforts at 2016’s Games, when Air Canada flew more than 690 Canadian athletes, coaches and support staff to Rio.

Through these arrangements, the airline provides special services and transport for competitions.

As well, under the renewed agreement, Air Canada will renew its Altitude Podium Program to provide qualified athletes 35K status and access to International Maple Leaf lounges while competing abroad, give athletes individual Care & Share packages for added comfort during the flight and include memorabilia they can share with others at the games, sponsor the outdoor area, available to the public, at the Canadian Olympic House in PyeongChang and host airport celebrations as athletes arrive at and return from the games.

To further show its support, Air Canada has entered into an agreement with five high-profile athletes who will be featured in a campaign beginning in January. They include figure skaters Patrick Chan, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir; freestyle skier (halfpipe) Cassie Sharpe; and Paralympic biathlon skier Mark Arendz.