Air Transat flights : Guide and tips to save money

Updated Oct 1, 2024
Air-Transat-avion
To the point Find out how to save on your flights with Air Transat, Quebec's leading airline. Tips, comparisons and benefits for affordable travel!

Air travel can be costly when you don’t know how to search for the best fares to get a trip that’s not too expensive. Fortunately, you can save money by booking Air Transat flights.

Air Transat, renowned for its flights to Europe, the United States, Canada and other sunny destinations, is a major player in the Quebec and Canadian air markets.

In this guide, we give you all the tips you need to find cheap Air Transat flights and save on your next plane tickets.

Air Transat or Air Canada: which is better?

For Canadians, Air Transat and Air Canada are the two main airlines available for the vast majority of flights. The big difference between the two companies is that Air Transat targets mainly leisure travel, while Air Canada tries to attract business customers as well.

As a result, Air Transat will serve more secondary airports in Europe and the South than Air Canada. In addition, Air Transat may offer flights on more dates or on a different day of the week, which may be more convenient for you.

For those looking for an enhanced flying experience, Air Canada’s Signature business class is the way to go. Furthermore, when we take a look at the scope of its destinations, we can see that Air Transat doesn’t go as far as Asia, Africa and Oceania, unlike Air Canada.

air transat yul mrs 19

Direct flights with Air Transat

Here’s a map of Air Transat’s direct flight coverage. You can find this information on the Flight Connections website.

Air Transat réseau

Current Air Transat flights

Here is a table showing Air Transat‘s current direct flights from their Canadian airports of operation. You can quickly see, in bold, the destinations that Air Transat serves exclusively with direct flights, as opposed to Air Canada.

Airport Destinations
Montréal-Trudeau (YUL)

Acapulco, Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Basel/Mulhouse, Bordeaux, Brussels, Calgary, Cancún, Cartagena, Cayo Coco, Cozumel, Fort Lauderdale, Fort-de-France, Holguín, Havana, La Romana, Liberia (CR), Lima, Lisbon, London-Gatwick, Los Angeles, Lyon, Málaga, Madrid, Marseille, Miami, Montego Bay, Nantes, Nice, Orlando, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Pointe-à-Pitre, Port-au-Prince, Porto, Puerto Plata, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana, Río Hato, Rome-Fiumicino, Saint-Martin Samaná, San Francisco, San José de Costa Rica-Juan Santamaría, San Juan, San Salvador, Santa Clara, Toulouse, Toronto-Pearson, Varadero, Vancouver, Venice, Quebec City.

 

Toronto Pearson (YYZ) Cancún, Cayo Coco, Faro, Fort Lauderdale, Glasgow, Holguín, Lisbon, London-Gatwick, Manchester (UK), Montego Bay, Montreal-Trudeau, Orlando, Porto, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Samaná, Santa Clara, Varadero, Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Cartagena, Dublin, Lamezia Terme, La Romana, Liberia (CR), Lima, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Puerto Vallarta, Río Hato, Rome-Fiumicino, St. MaartenSan José of Costa Rica-Juan Santamaría, San Juan, Venice, Zagreb.
Quebec City (YQB) Cancún, Fort Lauderdale, Punta Cana, Cayo Coco, Holguín, London-Gatwick, Orlando, Puerto Plata, Puerto Vallarta, Samaná, Santa Clara, Varadero, Paris-Charles de Gaulle
Ottawa (YOW) Cancún, Cayo Coco, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Santa Clara, Varadero
Halifax (YHZ) Cancun, Cayo Coco, Fort Lauderdale, Holguin, Montego Bay, Orlando, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Santa Clara, Varadero

For example, for a family trip to Portugal, the most practical itinerary for your vacation might be to land in Lisbon and depart from Porto. Air Transat is therefore the preferred choice between the two airlines, especially with young children, as these flights are direct.

Similarly, Air Canada is not offering international flights from Quebec City airport at the moment. So flights with Air Transat are the only direct options available.

Air Transat 24

As of autumn 2023, Air Transat and Porter Airlines are now partners, offering codeshare flights! This means that connecting opportunities are greatly increased for North American travellers. In all, the two airlines serve more than 80 destinations.

Carte transat-porter

Codeshare flights allow simplified check-in and transfer of baggage from one airline to another when connecting. Read all about this new partnership in this article:

Air Transat's different flight tickets

Air Transat’s official website offers a multitude of air ticket options for travellers looking to explore the world.

Economy Class fare options

Pricing options Details
Eco Budget
  • No modification
  • Non-refundable
Eco Standard
  • Modification free of charge (pay only the difference in price, if any)
  • Refundable with fee
  • Selection of standard seats included
  • 1 checked bag
Eco Flex
  • Refundable
  • Preferred seat selection
  • Priority airport services
Air Transat 13

Club Class fare options

Pricing options Details
Club Standard
  • Selection of Club seats
  • 2 pieces of checked luggage
  • Gourmet meal
Club Flex
  • Offers different levels of flexibility to cancel or modify your flight
Air Transat 23

Air Transat's different fare classes: how to choose?

Every trip is unique, and Air Transat offers the freedom to choose the fare that’s best for each individual, with the flexibility to change or cancel flights, plus a host of other benefits. Although you can get excellent travel insurance by paying with the appropriate credit card, it’s best to select the right fare class when buying a plane ticket. In fact, if you change your mind, this is not a situation eligible for protection by insurers.

In addition, any mishaps that may occur during your trip, such as flight delays or lost luggage, can be reimbursed and compensated through your credit card insurance as well!

As far as luggage and seat selection are concerned, many credit cards offer annual travel credits to reimburse such expenses. So, to save on your Air Transat tickets, it may be a good idea to opt for the Eco Budget fare and pay for your seat selection with the travel credit on the National Bank World Elite Mastercard®!

What’s more, this card gives you unlimited free access to the National Bank Lounge, so you can eat and drink before your Air Transat flight. So you don’t have to pay extra for the gourmet Club Class meal either!

Tips for cheap flights with Air Transat

The best way to find airline tickets at the best prices (all airlines included) is to use Google Flights. Indeed, with the Explore tool, you can easily spot dates that are more affordable at a glance.

For Europe, Air Transat flights will often appear at the top of the results list:

Exploration 1

When should you buy your plane ticket with Air Transat?

Contrary to popular belief, it’s a myth to say that there are certain dates or days of the week when it’s best to buy a plane ticket because it’s always a question of supply and demand.

However, Google Flights can show you the best time to book, based on data from previous years, and display a calendar of the cheapest dates too. It’s certain that there will be less demand to leave or return on a weekday than on a Friday night.

Google Flights – Meilleur Moment

Why are flights with stopovers cheaper?

If you’ve ever played around with flight search engines, you’ve probably seen more affordable prices to Europe with a stopover from Toronto than direct from Montreal.

Here’s an example where the segment between Montreal and London is the same on both routes, but adding a return trip to Toronto lowers the price.

Air Transat Vol Direct
Air Transat vol avec escale

Once again, it’s a question of supply and demand, and it’s not a mistake; that’s how pricing works. It’s very important to note that you can’t simply book the Toronto itinerary and decide to embark (or disembark) in Montreal. This practice is known as “skiplagging” and involves considerable risks and consequences.

Is it better to book your flight on platforms like Expedia or Skyscanner to save money?

Most of the time, the prices you can find on platforms like Expedia or Skyscanner are similar to what you can get on the airline’s official website.

Therefore, it’s best to book directly so you don’t have a third party to deal with if there’s ever a problem; third parties and airlines often tend to throw the ball back and forth on this.

Using credit card points for cheap flights with Air Transat

Currently, Air Transat does not have a loyalty program like Air Canada with Aeroplan. So, to save on Air Transat flights, you’ll have to turn to credit card rewards points (travel points), specifically those that can be used to reimburse any travel purchase or against any expense.

All credit card issuers have travel points programs:

Some offer you the possibility :

  • book with any travel agency or airline
  • while others will have their own online agency, often offering the same prices.

Of course, it’s best to choose programs that offer more flexibility, but don’t overlook those that offer a little less!

Earn points to pay for a trip with Air Transat

There are two main ways to earn enough points to cover the cost of a flight with Air Transat:

  • get a welcome bonus when you sign up for a new credit card
  • maximize returns and rewards by paying for everyday purchases with the right credit card

In reality, you need a strategy that encompasses both. For example, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard® gives 5X points when used at thegrocery store (the biggest expense item for families) or in restaurants, so points add up fast! This is equivalent to a 5% return on your flights with Air Transat.

Then you can quickly build up your points portfolio with a welcome bonus, which you’ll receive once you’ve met the requirements. This generous contribution of points is a one-off. So you have to mix the two avenues.

If you’ve collected several types of points, how do you use them when it’s time to book?

Ideally, you don’t want to spread out too much. On the other hand, you can buy plane tickets with a credit card and one type of point, and keep the other points to pay for your accommodation. It’s an indirect way of saving on plane tickets with points; the savings are just distributed differently. It is also possible to pay with several credit cards when dealing with a travel agent.

How can I reduce the price of a plane ticket using points?

Each of the above programs has its own way of doing things, but the general principle is the same: you book your flight with Air Transat (or any other airline), and then redeem your points for a statement credit. Your purchase will be reimbursed with points.

Here’s an example with American Express Membership Rewards:

Utilisation PP United

It should be noted, however, that we can maximize the value of our points with certain programs. In fact, American Express Membership Rewards points will always have a value of 10,000 points = $100, whether you use them to reimburse your airline ticket or for groceries.

Utilisation PP Web 2

However, NBC Rewards points have a higher redemption value when you book a flight, whether with Air Transat or another airline, on their Rewards à la Carte platform versus an account credit on your shopping :

USE VALUE
Travel with Plan à la Carte NBC 10,000 points = $100
Trips booked on the card (from 55,000 points) 11,000 points = $100
Trips booked and paid for with the card 12,000 points = $100
Statement credit 25,000 points = $100
Points BNC

We can see that it’s better to use NBC Rewards points for travel than for an account credit on any purchase. Finally, by booking with their platform, you can also earn more points!

Guides for each program can be found here :

Save on all-inclusive with Voyage Air Transat

For fans of all-inclusive packages with Air Transat, points are used in the same way as for airline tickets.

Here’s an example of how to redeem NBC Rewards points to save on an all-inclusive trip with Air Transat:

NBC Points All inclusive

Bottom Line

Air Transat stands out for its extensive coverage in Europe and for vacations in the South. Airline tickets are often more affordable than their competitors. Then, with little touches like the Kids Club, it’s easy to see why many families choose Air Transat.

With a multitude of credit card rewards programs to choose from, the challenge is simply to maximize your savings on flights!

What is Air Transat?

Air Transat is an airline renowned for its flights to Europe, the United States, Canada and other sunny destinations. It is a major player in the Quebec and Canadian air markets.

What's the difference between Air Transat and Air Canada?

Air Transat mainly targets leisure travel, serving more secondary airports in Europe and the South, while Air Canada also targets business customers.

Where can I find a map of Air Transat's direct flights?

You can consult Air Transat’s direct flight coverage on the Flight Connections website.

What fare options are available for Air Transat flights?

Air Transat offers various fare options in Economy and Club Class, from Eco Budget to Eco Flex, and from Club Standard to Club Flex.

How can I get cheaper flights with Air Transat?

Using Google Flights and its Explore tool can help you find the most affordable dates for Air Transat flights. Then simply use your credit card loyalty points to reduce the cost!

Is there a better time to buy a plane ticket?

There is no specific date or day recommended for buying a plane ticket. However, Google Flights can provide guidance on the best time to book based on data from previous years.

Why are flights with stopovers often cheaper?

It all depends on supply and demand. For example, a flight with a stopover in Toronto to Europe can be cheaper than a direct flight from Montreal.

How can I use my credit card points to save on Air Transat flights?

Although Air Transat does not have its own loyalty program, you can use your credit card reward points to reimburse any travel purchase.

What are the advantages of choosing Air Transat for my travels?

Air Transat is renowned for its affordable fares, extensive coverage in Europe and the South, and special services such as the Kids Club, making it a preferred choice for many families.

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Aline Nguyen

Aline Nguyen

Aline Nguyen
I'm Aline, an experienced traveller, a foodie at heart, an Avgeek, a photography enthusiast and an expert on credit card programs. I use Reward Points to travel on a budget and to save money on everyday life; writing about these topics allows me to share my passion and help you. ~ 7 continents and 77 countries ~
All posts by Aline Nguyen

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