Scotiabank Gold American Express® CardScotiabank Gold American Express® CardEarn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points + no annual fee in your first year

Review: Air Transat A330-200 | Economy Class | YUL-RAK round-trip

Review: Air Transat A330-200 | Economy Class | YUL-RAK round-trip

Note5/10

Flight Carrier
Air Transat
Departing Airport
Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Montreal
Arrival Airport
Marrakech-Menara International Airport
Flight Number
TS396 et TS397
Duration
6h 55m and 7h 40m
Aircraft
Airbus A330
Cabin Class
Economy
Share

Air Transat Economy Class – Booking

The main goal of this trip was to meet up with friends to celebrate birthdays in an exotic destination. The choice fell on Marrakech, Morocco. As we only had a short three-day window on site, our priority was clear: minimize travel time to maximize time spent with our friends.

In this context, Air Transat was the ideal option as it is the only airline to offer a direct seasonal flight between Montreal and Marrakech. In summer 2024, the company also added Marrakech to its network, with two weekly flights: departures from Montreal on Wednesday and Saturday, and returns from Marrakech on Thursday and Sunday. This schedule was perfect for our itinerary, allowing us to arrive early Thursday morning and depart on Sunday, making the most of our short stay.

For this trip, we deliberately chose the Eco Standard class, as we felt that Club Class, the equivalent of business class on this type of flight, was unnecessary for such a short stay. Since Air Transat does not yet have its own loyalty program, we purchased our tickets with cash. However, several rewards programs allow you to redeem points for this type of purchase made with a credit card, including National Bank’s program, making the experience more rewarding for Air Transat travellers.

Finally, it is worth highlighting the joint venture launched between Air Transat and Porter. This significantly expands the network accessible to travellers and offers new loyalty opportunities: VIPorter members can now redeem their points with Air Transat as well as with Alaska Airlines, and soon American Airlines.




How to Earn and Use Points

VIPorter members can earn points with their credit card BMO VIPorter Mastercard®* and use them for flights with Air Transat and Alaska Airlines.

Annual fee
$0 $89
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$689
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$600Annual fee rebated$89Total$689Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 40,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Ends Oct 31, 2026
Apply Now

on BMO's website

With this offer for the BMO VIPorter Mastercard, you’ll earn up to 40,000 VIPorter points and a 35% off flight voucher. Plus, you pay no annual fee for the first year.

Here’s how to get your full welcome bonus:

  • 10,000 points after $3,000 in purchases within the first 110 days of account opening
  • 15,000 points and a 35% off flight voucher after $6,000 in purchases within the first 180 days of account opening
  • 15,000 points after $10,000 in purchases within the first 365 days of account opening

So, to get the full welcome bonus of 40,000 VIPorter points, you’ll need to spend $10,000 in the first year.

With the BMO VIPorter Mastercard, you earn 2 points per dollar at Porter and 1 point per dollar on gas, transportation, grocery, restaurant and hotel purchases. And 0.5 points per dollar on all other purchases, including Costco.

With the BMO VIPorter Mastercard, you and up to 8 companions travelling on the same booking enjoy Porter travel benefits such as:

  • Priority rebooking on another flight in case of a delay
  • Exclusive check-in.
  • Early boarding

Additionally, as a BMO VIPorter Mastercard holder, your VIPorter points do not expire and you automatically receive VIPorter Passport Grand Traveller status. You also earn $1 in eligible spending towards your Porter status for every $25 spent.

Finally, you are covered by a wide range of insurance policies:

  • 8-day out-of-province or country emergency medical insurance
  • Car rental-collision/loss damage insurance
  • Common carrier insurance
  • Flight Delay Insurance
  • Baggage insurance
  • Hotel burglary insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended warranty insurance

Finally, enjoy three months of Instacart+ membership and a $5 monthly Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card.

Annual fee

Primary card$89
Additional card$35

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xPorter flights
  • 1xGroceries
  • 1xTransit
  • 1xRestaurants
  • 1xGas & EV
  • 1xConvenience
  • 0.5xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,028
2nd Year Value$168

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 8 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 8 days
Delayed BaggageIncluded
Lost BaggageIncluded
Flight DelayIncluded
Hotel BurglaryIncluded
Travel AccidentIncluded

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Note that you can also use travel rewards points from credit cards like the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as well as the $150 annual travel credit to cover part or all of your flight.

Here’s the current welcome offer for this card:

Exclusive
Annual fee
$0 $150
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$150
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueAnnual fee rebated$150Total$150Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
First Year Annual Fee Rebate
$150 annual fee rebated
Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now

on National Bank's website

With Milesopedia, take advantage of an exclusive offer: your first-year annual fees are refunded with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available on the Milesopedia network, from June 30 to November 4, 2026.

  • Refund of the first-year annual fee (a $150 value) for the primary cardholder. This fee is charged to your new card account, then refunded as a credit on your statement within five months of opening your account, provided it remains open and in good standing.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

  • 5 points per dollar for groceries and restaurants
  • 2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
  • 2 points per dollar on recurring bills
  • 2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
  • 1 point per dollar for all other purchases

And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.

With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

  • Airport parking
  • Baggage fees
  • Seat selection
  • Access to airport lounges
  • Airline ticket upgrades

What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$80,000
Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 2xTravel
  • 2xBills & recurring payments
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$778
2nd Year Value$923

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 60 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Travel AccidentIncluded

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+2 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

The Lounge at YUL (Before the Flight)

True to our habits, we arrived a little early at Montreal–Trudeau Airport to enjoy one of the lounges in the international zone. We took the opportunity to visit the brand new Aspire Lounge in the international zone. You can also read our detailed review on this topic:

Air Transat Economy Class – Cabin & Seat

Our round-trip flights between Montreal and Marrakech were operated by the same Airbus A330-200 (C-GUFR), an aircraft initially put into service in 1999 and modernized by Air Transat in 2019. Despite these improvements, it’s clear that the aircraft is not new.

Cabin

The Economy cabin is arranged in a 3-3-3 configuration. As soon as you settle in, you immediately feel the lack of space: the narrow aisles and proximity to your neighbours give the impression of travelling in cramped conditions. You constantly have to squeeze past to avoid contact, and every movement requires vigilance. I was bumped several times by passengers or staff. The thin armrests offer little privacy and personal space is very limited, making the experience quite uncomfortable on a transatlantic flight. You feel confined in a functional but uninspired cabin, with minimal comfort and a constant feeling of narrowness.



Seat

The seat itself offers a decent recline and stable cushioning, but nothing more. The individual touchscreen is small (barely the width of two Canadian passports side-by-side), sufficient for distraction but far from offering an immersive experience.



Overall, the A330-200 Economy cabin fulfills its function: transporting passengers from one point to another. However, the overall experience was marked by a constant search for a comfortable position, making it unpleasant and certainly not conducive to relaxation.

Air Transat Economy Class – Service and Onboard Experience

The onboard service is polite and satisfactory, but nothing stands out. The crew is attentive during key moments, but the experience remains fairly standard without any truly personalized touches.

As for meals, we were a bit disappointed.

On the outbound overnight flight, dinner was a simple choice: beef lasagna or vegetarian shepherd’s pie, served with a bread roll, carrot salad, and a brownie. A selection of complimentary drinks, including wine, was offered. Before landing, a slice of banana bread was served.



On the return flight, although it was a daytime flight, the dimmed lighting and mostly closed window shades created a night flight atmosphere. The early morning departure (8 AM) and passengers trying to catch up on sleep probably explain this atmosphere. The meal offered included a choice of chicken with rice, accompanied by bread, a couscous salad, and a small hazelnut cake, with the same complimentary beverage offer including wine.

JF - Air Transat YUL RAK 18

The general atmosphere on board was calm: the night flight naturally promotes rest, and on the day flight, the dimmed lighting also contributes to a relaxing environment. The experience is not particularly remarkable, with the meals being the most disappointing aspect.

Air Transat Economy Class – My General Impression

The overall experience with Air Transat on the direct Montreal–Marrakech route in Eco Standard proved functional but unremarkable. The round-trip flights are convenient, fast, and avoid layovers, which is undeniably an asset for a short stay.

However, the cramped and uncomfortable Economy cabin, and the relatively simple meals, limit the enjoyment of the trip. The service is polite and efficient, but remains basic, without real personalization. In summary, these direct flights fulfill their role and allow for quick arrival in Marrakech, but the onboard experience remains modest and focused on functionality rather than comfort or gastronomy.

Marrakech

The purpose of this short stay in Marrakech was to meet up with friends and fully enjoy three days on site. Despite the limited duration, we explored the Medina, went quad biking in the desert, and concluded our adventure with a traditional evening at the Comptoir Darna restaurant. For those wishing to extend the experience or prepare their own trip, our Morocco Guide offers a wealth of information and practical advice.




Our featured card

Featured
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$990
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 110,000 points
Ends Sep 22, 2026
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points with the current offer:

  • Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first 6 months of Cardmembership.
  • Plus, earn 30,000 points by making a purchase during your 15th month of Cardmembership.

This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 110,000 point welcome offer is worth about $990, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,437
2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Our editorial integrity

Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.