Toronto

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 U.S. travelers. You clear U.S. 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 U.S. airlines are just beginning to roll out.

It’s the in-the-know alternative for travelers who want to avoid the slog of connecting in New York or Los Angeles, Paris or London, Chicago or Atlanta.

“People are surprised when I say it’s a much better experience on Air Canada,” says Louise Clements, an advertising executive who splits time between New York and Toronto.