Only direct flight from North America to Bangkok launching out of Vancouver airport

The only direct flight between North America and Bangkok, Thailand, will launch out of Vancouver International Airport later this year.

Air Canada announced the new service expansion Monday, saying launch of the service, expected in early December, is dependent on final federal approval.

"We are extremely pleased to be launching our first non-stop service to Southeast Asia this winter, the only one between North America and Thailand," said Mark Galardo, senior vice president, network planning and revenue management at Air Canada, in a news release.

The 17-hour flight is expected to be scheduled for departures on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The flight will depart at 11 p.m. PT and land at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport just before 6 a.m. local time, two days later.

Heading the other direction, flights will leave from Bangkok on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 8:30 a.m. and land in Vancouver at 6:35 a.m.

The service will be offered seasonally, from Dec. 1 to April 14.

"Thailand is a popular leisure destination for Canadians," Galardo said. "For further convenience, our Bangkok flights will connect to our extensive domestic and trans-border network giving customers added seamlessness and choice when travelling."

Other seasonal routes are expected to return or increase later this year.

For those eager to head to Australia or New Zealand, Air Canada's Vancouver to Auckland route will resume on Nov. 10, increasing from three flights per week to five in December. The Vancouver to Brisbane route will also increase to five flights per week in December and the route to Sydney will go up to 10 weekly flights for December and January.

Meanwhile, service to Delhi from Vancouver will return on Oct. 1, though that route includes a technical stop in Dublin for "operational purposes," the airlines says.