by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 7:55 AM ET, Thu August 7, 2025
Air Transat is expanding its winter schedule with the launch of direct flights to Rio de Janeiro from both Toronto and Montreal— the first time the airline has offered this destination.
The new Rio flights begin in February 2026 and will be operated with Airbus A330 aircraft.
From Toronto, flights will run twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while Montreal will see one weekly flight on Thursdays.
“This enriched winter schedule marks an important milestone in the evolution of our network,” said Sebastian Ponce, Transat’s Chief Revenue Officer.
“By targeting markets we have never served before, we are pursuing a clear diversification strategy toward destinations that Canadians are eager to explore.”
RELATED: Air Transat Adds Montreal–Guadalajara, Extends Montreal–Madrid Into Winter
According to a press release, the new routes are part of a broader winter program that includes 14 new services from Canadian cities and a 6% increase in overall capacity compared to last winter.
From Montreal, additional new destinations include Guadalajara, Valencia, Bordeaux, and Madrid.
Toronto will gain access to Georgetown (Guyana), Medellín (via Cartagena), and Istanbul through a partnership with Turkish Airlines.
Air Transat's 2025-2026 winter program includes a total of 14 new routes (Photo Credit: Air Transat)
The airline is also expanding its offerings from smaller Canadian cities.
New southern sun routes will launch from Windsor (to Punta Cana), Charlottetown and Fredericton (to Cancún), and Quebec City (to Fort-de-France and Pointe-à-Pitre).
RELATED: Porter Airlines and Air Transat Expand Codeshare with "The Alliance"
Air Transat is also increasing frequency on several transatlantic and sun routes, including:
- Montreal–Punta Cana: 16 flights/week (+2)
- Toronto–Puerto Plata: 5 flights/week (+1)
- Quebec City–Cancún: 7 flights/week (+1)
The airline says the updates reflect growing demand and improved connectivity, including with partner Porter Airlines for domestic connections through Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City.
All new international routes are subject to regulatory approval.
Topics From This Article to Explore
