Air Transat Plans Rio De Janeiro Service From Toronto, Montreal

Air Transat is set to launch new nonstop flights to Rio de Janeiro from Toronto and Montreal for the winter 2025-26 season, operating twice weekly from Toronto and once weekly from Montreal using Airbus A330 aircraft. This move makes Air Transat the only Canadian carrier offering direct service from Montreal to Rio, expanding its presence in the Brazil market alongside Air Canada's existing routes. These new flights are part of a broader winter expansion that includes 14 new routes and increased frequencies on existing ones, representing a roughly 6% capacity increase year over year. The airline's Chief Revenue Officer, Sebastian Ponce, highlighted the strategy of targeting previously unserved markets to diversify their network and meet Canadian travelers' growing demand. Service launch is subject to final regulatory approval from both Brazilian and Canadian authorities. Beyond Brazil, Air Transat is also adding new routes to destinations such as Guadalajara, Valencia, Madrid, Bordeaux, Istanbul, Georgetown, and Medellín, while expanding departures from smaller Canadian cities.